VOLUME 11 , ISSUE 6 ( November-December, 2019 ) > List of Articles
Keywords : Laparoscopic hysterectomy, Minimally invasive surgery, Non-descent vaginal hysterectomy, Technicity Index
Citation Information : Technicity Index: A Quality Indicator to Improve Patient Care. J South Asian Feder Obs Gynae 2019; 11 (6):368-370.
DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10006-1741
License: CC BY-NC 4.0
Published Online: 25-02-2013
Copyright Statement: Copyright © 2019; The Author(s).
Introduction: Hysterectomy is a common gynecological procedure performed worldwide. Most of the international guidelines state that whenever feasible, they have to be performed vaginally or laparoscopically or with laparoscopic assistance as it is beneficial to patients. But majority are still being done by laparotomy. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is being widely adopted nowadays, and we need quality and performance indicators to analyze their benefits. One such indicator is technicity index (TI). Technicity is defined as the number of hysterectomies performed vaginally [non-descent vaginal hysterectomy (NDVH)] and laparoscopically [laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) and total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH)] over the total number of hysterectomies performed in a particular health facility, in a year. Objective: To determine the TI from January 2014 to December 2018. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective, observational study in which the approach to all hysterectomies performed during January 2014 to December 2018 was recorded at Father Muller Medical College, Mangaluru. Hysterectomies done for obstetric indications and malignancies were excluded. The routes adopted for all types of hysterectomies were calculated, and the TI was calculated for every year. Results: In total, 2,268 hysterectomies were performed in 5 years, of which 222 (9.7%) were laparoscopic, 301 (13.27%) vaginal, and 1,745 (76.94%) total abdominal hysterectomies. The TI ranged from 17.21% to 29.11%. The average index for 5 years was 23.05%. Conclusion: Technicity index can be used to monitor shift toward minimally invasive procedures in our department. Assessing our level of care is necessary to effectively modify patient care. We can approach a higher TI by allocating resources to teach and provide MIS.