Artefacts in Hysterectomies with a Special Focus on Vascular Pseudoinvasion

Background: Since the advent of laparoscopic hysterectomy, several studies have described artefacts, such as vascular pseudoinvasion, constituting potential pitfalls in the histological evaluation of these specimens. The use of an intrauterine manipulator is often suggested as the factor creating these artefacts.

Objectives: To describe possible artefacts, such as vascular pseudoinvasion, myometrial clefts, and tumor cells in the lumen of the cervix, on the serosa, and in the tubal lumen, and to correlate them with clinical and pathological characteristics.

Material And Methods: This is a retrospective monocentric study of 60 patients having been treated for benign ( = 27, 45%) or malignant ( = 33, 55%) uterine pathologies.

Results: Vascular pseudoinvasion was found in 13 (22%) adenocarcinomas and in one (2%) benign uterine pathology. Clefts within the myometrium were observed in 16 (27%) uteri. Cells in the tubal lumen were observed in six (10%) hysterectomies. True vascular emboli were not correlated with the use of an intrauterine manipulator ( = 0.47) or the type of surgery ( = 0.21). Vascular pseudoinvasion was correlated with the presence of tumor cells in the lumen of the cervix ( = 0.013) and the presence of clefts in the myometrium ( < 0.001), but not with the other factors studied.

Conclusions: Overall, in our series, we did not observe any statistical association between the use of an intrauterine manipulator and the presence of true emboli or vascular pseudoinvasion during hysterectomy in women with malignant or benign uterine pathologies. Vascular pseudoinvasion was also associated with the presence of other artefacts.