Outcome No. of studies Quality of evidence Impact
Vaginal bleeding
2 clinical trials
⨁⨁◯◯ LOW (Effect estimates from studies were inconsistent and imprecise) A study of 77 women showed greater postoperative blood loss in the group receiving vaginal packs [Westermann, 2016]. An additional study of 173 participants found a similar rate between groups (RR 0.34; 95%CI 0.14–8.16) [Thiagamoorthy, 2013]
Postoperative pain
3 clinical trials
⨁⨁⨁◯ MODERATE (Effect estimates from studies were imprecise) A study of 77 women found no differences in postoperative pain visual analogue scale (VAS) scores in the early postoperative of predischarge periods. More women in the control group needed ketorolac analgesia [Westermann, 2016] The study of 173 women found no differences in McGill Pain Questionnaire scores the morning after the surgical procedure [Thiagamoorthy, 2013] Another study found no differences in VAS scores 24 h after surgery [Urzua, 2013]
Mid-term complications
3 clinical trials
⨁⨁⨁◯ MODERATE (Effect estimates from studies were imprecise) Haematoma (3.3% versus 6.7%; RR 0.53 95%CI 0.22–1.31) In another study involving 43 women, there was a greater proportion (not significant) of women with urinary tract infection in the packing group (9.1% versus 0.0%; RR 0.23, 95%CI 0.03–1.96) [Baumgarten, 2011] In the study of 173 participants, a similar proportion of women suffered from urinary infection in each group (9.3% versus 10.3%; RR 0.88, 95%CI 0.35–2.17) [Thiagamoorthy, 2013]