BENIGN LESIONS IN ABDOMINAL HYSTERECTOMIES IN WOMEN PRESENTING WITH MENORRHAGIA

Introduction: Menorrhagia is a common and debilitating problem. It is one of the major causes leading to hysterectomy in women all over the world. Menorrhagia is most commonly associated with benign pathologies like uterine fibroids, adenomyosis and pelvic infection. Rarely it is secon- dary to malignant pathology like endometrial carcinoma. Hysterectomy specimens form a major component of histopathological work in Pathology laboratories. The present study was undertaken in Pathology department, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore to find out the morphology and frequency of different benign histopathological lesions in total abdominal hysterectomy specimens in patients presenting with menorrhagia. Material and Methods: A descriptive case series study of one hundred total abdominal hysterecto- mies of patients presenting with menorrhagia carried out. Patients’ data and detailed gross exami- nation of specimens were recorded on a proforma. Representative sections were taken for micro- scopic examination and findings were recorded. Results: The ages of the patients ranged from 30 – 59 years with maximum number (73%) of cases in 40 – 49 years age group. Macroscopically fibroids were seen in 69% cases in myometrium. Mic- roscopic examination of cervix revealed features of chronic cystic cervicitis in 100 % cases. Endo- metrial histology showed disordered proliferation (41%) followed by hyperplasia (25%) as the commonest finding. Myometrium revealed foci of adenomyosis in 49% cases. The commonest neo- plastic lesion was leiomyoma (69%). Conclusion: In patients with menorrhagia the commonest neoplastic lesion was leiomyoma (69%), and commonest histopathological cervical lesion as chronic cervicitis (100%). Endometrial hyper- plasia was the most common lesion (41%) on endometrial histology. Myometrium revealed foci of adenomyosis in 49% cases.