OBJECTIVES: The waiting list obligation covers the treatment of benign gynecological disorders in Hungary thus the utilization of gynecological surgeries has a prime importance in the Hungarian healthcare sector. The research aimed to assess the utilization of cases in Hungary between 2010-2022.

METHODS: A retrospective, quantitative research was conducted, based on the data of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration. The database included all relevant information for publicly financed gynecological surgeries for benign indications: number of cases, the age of the patients at national level. The study period covers the years 2010-2022.

RESULTS: Our results showed a significant decrease (-29.2%) in the number of cases of benign gynecological surgeries from 2010 (annual number of cases=18,229) to 2022 (annual number of cases=12,905). On the other hand, the average age of patients increased in the analyzed period, from 45.1 to 49.93 years regarding all interventions. In 2010 the most common interventions were abdominal hysterectomy (27.4%), conization (20.3%) and electrocautery (15.1%) with average patient ages of 51.04, 37.69 and 35.75 years, respectively. In 2022 abdominal hysterectomy (23.6%) remained in the first place, while electrocautery (21.9%) became more relevant and exceeded conization (10.3%), with average patient ages of 54.39, 40.81 and 41.62 years. In 2010 patients undergoing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy had the highest average age, with 57.77 years and patients undergoing unilateral salpingectomy had the lowest (33.62 years). By 2022 the indication with the highest average patient age became vaginal hysterectomy (62.88 years) and lowest was excision of cervical lesions (38.72 years).

CONCLUSIONS: Our research concluded that the average age of patients undergoing surgery for benign indication has increased. The prevalence of the surgeries for benign gynecological conditions among Hungarian women has decreased from 0.35 to 0.26 between 2010 and 2022.