What is the applicability of tubal ligation with the vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery technique and its value in patient comfort?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to observe the feasibility of the tubal/adnexal approach using vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery and compare its contribution with surgeon ergonomics and postoperative patient comfort with that of conventional laparoscopy. METHODS: We completed this study retrospectively with 47 patients. Patients were followed at their postoperative first month. We analyzed the usability of the vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery method over conventional laparoscopy by comparing the demographics, surgical data, and postoperative findings collected between the two groups. RESULTS: Patients in the conventional laparoscopy group were older (39.1±3.3 years) than those in the vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery patient group (p=0.005). Pain intensity 24 h after surgery was lower in the vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery group (p=0.003), while sexual function and dyspareunia did not differ between the two groups in the first month. Patients in the vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery group were more relieved about painlessness and the comfort it brought than the conventional laparoscopy group (p=0.027, χ2=12.56). CONCLUSION: Patients subjected to the vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery procedure showed higher levels of satisfaction, less postoperative pain, and greater comfort than those subjected to conventional laparoscopy.

A retrospective cohort study of the anesthetic management of postpartum tubal ligation.

BACKGROUND: Neuraxial anesthesia with reactivation of a labor epidural catheter is commonly utilized for postpartum tubal ligations (PPTL), although the optimal anesthetic approach is unknown. We assessed institutional anesthesia practices for PPTL, and evaluated the failure rates of reactivation of labor epidural catheters, de novo spinal anesthesia, and spinal anesthesia after failed blocks. METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort analysis of 300 consecutive patients who underwent a PPTL and 100 having spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery. Anesthetic management data (existing labor epidural catheter reactivation, de novo spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia) were collected from electronic medical records. Anesthetic block failure rates were determined for each anesthetic technique. RESULTS: The failure rate was 15% for de novo spinal anesthesia and 23% after failed reactivation of a labor epidural catheter or spinal anesthesia. The epidural catheter reactivation failure rate was 35%. The failure rate of spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery was 4%. Drug dosage, epidural catheter use in labor, time since epidural catheter placement or delivery, labor neuraxial technique (combined spinal-epidural, epidural), supplemental top-up doses during labor, and anesthesiologist experience did not predict neuraxial anesthesia failures. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis revealed an unexpectedly high neuraxial anesthesia failure rate even when de novo spinal anesthesia was used for PPTL. The results are consistent with other institutions' recent findings, and are higher than spinal anesthesia failure rates associated with cesarean delivery. Further studies are required to determine optimal anesthesia dosing strategies, and to understand the mechanisms behind high neuraxial anesthesia failures for PPTL.

Contraception and sterilization selection at delivery among pregnant patients with malignancy.

INTRODUCTION: Since malignancy during pregnancy is uncommon, information regarding contraception selection or sterilization at delivery is limited. The objective of this study was to examine the type of long-acting reversible contraception or surgical sterilization procedure chosen by pregnant patients with malignancy at delivery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study queried the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's National Inpatient Sample in the USA. The study population was vaginal and cesarean deliveries in a hospital setting from January 2017 to December 2020. Pregnant patients with breast cancer (n = 1605), leukemia (n = 1190), lymphoma (n = 1120), thyroid cancer (n = 715), cervical cancer (n = 425) and melanoma (n = 400) were compared with 14 265 319 pregnant patients without malignancy. The main outcome measures were utilization of long-acting reversible contraception (subdermal implant or intrauterine device) and performance of permanent surgical sterilization (bilateral tubal ligation or bilateral salpingectomy) during the index hospital admission for delivery, assessed with a multinomial regression model controlling for clinical, pregnancy and delivery characteristics. RESULTS: When compared with pregnant patients without malignancy, pregnant patients with breast cancer were more likely to proceed with bilateral salpingectomy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.30) or intrauterine device (aOR 1.91); none received the subdermal implant. Pregnant patients with leukemia were more likely to choose a subdermal implant (aOR 2.22), whereas those with lymphoma were more likely to proceed with bilateral salpingectomy (aOR 1.93) and bilateral tubal ligation (aOR 1.76). Pregnant patients with thyroid cancer were more likely to proceed with bilateral tubal ligation (aOR 2.21) and none received the subdermal implant. No patients in the cervical cancer group selected long-acting reversible contraception, and they were more likely to proceed with bilateral salpingectomy (aOR 2.08). None in the melanoma group chose long-acting reversible contraception. Among pregnant patients aged <30, the odds of proceeding with bilateral salpingectomy were increased in patients with breast cancer (aOR 3.01), cervical cancer (aOR 2.26) or lymphoma (aOR 2.08). The odds of proceeding with bilateral tubal ligation in pregnant patients aged <30 with melanoma (aOR 5.36) was also increased. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this nationwide assessment in the United States suggest that among pregnant patients with malignancy, the preferred contraceptive option or method of sterilization at time of hospital delivery differs by malignancy type.

Complications after opportunistic salpingectomy compared with tubal ligation at cesarean section: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare perioperative and postoperative complications in patients who underwent opportunistic salpingectomy (OS) (removal of the fallopian tubes for ovarian cancer risk reduction during another surgery) at the time of cesarean section (C-section) with those in patients who underwent tubal ligation. DESIGN: A population-based, retrospective cohort study. SETTING: British Columbia, Canada. PATIENT(S): A total of 18,184 patients were included in this study, of whom 8,440 and 9,744 underwent OS and tubal ligation, respectively. INTERVENTION(S): Patients who underwent OS during a C-section were compared with those who underwent tubal ligation during a C-section. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): We examined the perioperative outcomes, including operating room time, length of hospital stay, surgical complications such as infections, anemia, incision complications, injury to a pelvic organ, or operating room return; postoperative complications, including physician visits for a postoperative infection or visits that resulted in ultrasound or laboratory examinations and hospital readmissions in the 6 weeks after discharge; and likelihood to fill a prescription for antibiotics or analgesics. RESULT(S): The OS group had decreased odds of perioperative complications compared with the tubal ligation group (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61-0.99). Patients who underwent OS did not have increased risks of physician visits for surgical complications, such as infection, or hospital readmissions in the 6 weeks after hospital discharge. In addition, these patients had 18% and 23% increased odds of filling prescriptions for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (aOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.07-1.28) and opioids (aOR, 1.23%; 95% CI, 1.12-1.35), respectively. CONCLUSION(S): In this population-based, real-world study of OS at C-section, we report decreased perioperative complications and no difference in postoperative complications between patients who underwent OS and those who underwent tubal ligation. Patients who underwent OS had an increased likelihood of filling a prescription for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids in the 6 weeks after hospital discharge. This result should be interpreted with caution because we did not have data on over-the-counter medication use and, thus, not all prescription analgesics were captured in our data. Our data suggest that OS after C-section is a safe way to provide effective contraception and ovarian cancer risk reduction.

Complete Compared With Partial Salpingectomy for Postpartum Sterilization.

In this narrative review, we describe evidence regarding the associated risks, benefits, and cost effectiveness of postpartum complete salpingectomy compared with partial salpingectomy. Permanent contraception can be performed via several methods, but complete salpingectomy is becoming more common secondary to its coincident benefit of ovarian cancer risk reduction. Small prospective studies and larger retrospective cohort studies have demonstrated the feasibility and safety of complete salpingectomy in the postpartum period. Additionally, multiple cost-effectiveness analyses have demonstrated the cost effectiveness of this method secondary to ovarian cancer reduction over the life span. Although future larger cohort studies will allow for more precise estimates of the effect of complete salpingectomy on ovarian cancer risk and incidence of rare complications, current data suggest that complete salpingectomy should be offered to patients as a method of permanent contraception in the postpartum period.

Hysterectomy With and Without Oophorectomy, Tubal Ligation, and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in the Nurses' Health Study II.

Background: Hysterectomy, oophorectomy, and tubal ligation are common surgical procedures. The literature regarding cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk after these surgeries has focused on oophorectomy with limited research on hysterectomy or tubal ligation. Materials and Methods: Participants in the Nurses' Health Study II (n = 116,429) were followed from 1989 to 2017. Self-reported gynecologic surgery was categorized as follows: no surgery, hysterectomy alone, hysterectomy with unilateral oophorectomy, and hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy. We separately investigated tubal ligation alone. The primary outcome was CVD based on medical-record confirmed fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction, fatal coronary heart disease, or fatal and nonfatal stroke. Our secondary outcome expanded CVD to include coronary revascularization (coronary artery bypass graft surgery, angioplasty, stent placement). Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and were adjusted a priori for confounding factors. We investigated differences by age at surgery (≤50, >50) and menopausal hormone therapy usage. Results: At baseline, participants were on average, 34 years old. During 2,899,787 person-years, we observed 1,864 cases of CVD. Hysterectomy in combination with any oophorectomy was associated with a greater risk of CVD in multivariable-adjusted models (HR hysterectomy with unilateral oophorectomy:1.40 [95% CI: 1.08-1.82]; HR hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy:1.27 [1.07-1.51]). Hysterectomy alone, hysterectomy with oophorectomy, and tubal ligation were also associated with an increased risk of combined CVD and coronary revascularization (HR hysterectomy alone: 1.19 [95% CI: 1.02-1.39]; HR hysterectomy with unilateral oophorectomy: 1.29 [1.01-1.64]; HR hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy: 1.22 [1.04-1.43]; HR tubal ligation: 1.16 [1.06-1.28]). The association between hysterectomy/oophorectomy and CVD and coronary revascularization risk varied by age at gynecologic surgery, with the strongest association among women who had surgery before age 50 years. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that hysterectomy, alone or in combination with oophorectomy, as well as tubal ligation, may be associated with an increased risk of CVD and coronary revascularization. These findings extend previous research finding that oophorectomy is associated with CVD.

Adoption of Complete Bilateral Salpingectomy for Permanent Contraception at Time of Cesarean Delivery in Rhode Island.

OBJECTIVE: Complete bilateral salpingectomy (CBS) can decrease the risk of developing ovarian cancer, although adoption of CBS at cesarean delivery (CD) for permanent contraception has been low. The primary objective was to measure the annual rates of CBS at CD before and after an educational initiative. The secondary objective was to assess rates of providers who offer CBS at CD and their comfort level with the procedure. METHODS: We performed an observational study of OBGYN physicians who perform CD at a single institution. We compared the annual rates of CBS among CD with permanent contraception procedures from the year before and the year after an in-person OBGYN Grand Rounds presentation on December 5, 2019 reviewing the latest research on opportunistic CBS at the time of CD. To evaluate the secondary objectives, anonymous surveys were administered to physicians in-person the month before the presentation. The statistical analysis included chi-square, Fisher's exact test, T-test, ANOVA, and the Cochran-Armitage trend test. RESULTS: After our educational intervention, annual rates of CBS at CD increased from 5.1% [12/05/2018-12/04/2019] to 31.8% [12/5/2019-12/4/2020] (p<0.001), and up to 52% in the last study quarter (p<0.001). Surgical outcomes were similar between tubal ligation and CBS, except for a 5-minute increased total operative time for CBS (p=0.005). Fifty physicians completed the survey prior to the presentation (93% response rate). All physicians offered CBS at time of hysterectomy and interval sterilization, while only 36% offered CBS at time of CD. More physicians felt comfortable performing a CBS with bipolar electrocautery (90%) than suture ligation (56%). CONCLUSION: Our presentation-based educational initiative was associated with a significant increase in performance of CBS at the time of CD.

Robot-assisted tubo-tubal reanastomosis after sterilization in 10 steps.

Five to 20% of women regret having a tubal ligation. These women are generally otherwise fertile and have a better chance of pregnancy than other patients experiencing infertility, whether by in vitro fertilization or after tubal surgery. Historically, tubal anastomosis surgery has long been performed by microsurgery through laparotomy, which provided very high precision but was associated with some degree of morbidity. The parallel development of in vitro fertilization and laparoscopy have contributed to reducing the indications for tubal surgery. The laparoscopic approach is challenging because of the number and precision of the sutures needed. The robot-assisted laparoscopic approach may reduce the surgical difficulty and improve the accessibility of this technique. We have described the technique of tubo-tubal reanastomosis after sterilization with robot-assisted laparoscopy in 10 steps. Robot-assisted laparoscopy provides favourable conditions for performing tubo-tubal reanastomosis after sterilization due to the camera stability, precision of movement, and amplitude of articulations.

Active COVID-19 infection as a barrier to postpartum tubal ligation.

OBJECTIVES: To identify patients unable to obtain postpartum bilateral tubal ligations (ppBTLs) due to policy prohibiting "elective" procedures for COVID-positive patients at a single academic medical center in New Jersey. RESULTS: Upon retrospective chart review of patients requesting ppBTLS, of 110 ppBTL requests between identified via retrospective chart review between February 1, 2020, and February 28, 2022, 24 (22%) were canceled due to COVID infection. Of these patients, 10 (42%) were uninsured, 13 (54%) had Medicaid, and 22 (92%) were Hispanic/Latinx. Postpartum, five (21%) obtained interval tubal ligation, seven (37%) never received contraception, and one had a future pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: This policy affected uninsured patients by preventing access to permanent contraception.

Bilateral Cornual Resection for Uterine-sparing Removal of Tubal Sterilization Devices.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To describe a uterine-sparing minimally invasive surgical technique for laparoscopic resection of tubal occlusion devices using bilateral cornuectomy. DESIGN: This video reviews the background of the tubal occlusion device known as Essure and the indications and methods for surgical removal with a stepwise demonstration of a minimally invasive technique with narrated video footage. SETTING: The most cited reason for patients' desire for removal of the Essure device is pelvic pain. Both hysteroscopic and laparoscopic methods have been used for removal of these devices. Laparoscopy is indicated if it has been >3 months since insertion, if a coil is noted to be malpositioned, or if the patient desires continued permanent sterilization. Techniques for removal include salpingostomy, salpingectomy, and cornuectomy. Removal of the entire device is essential, given that any remaining coil or polyethylene terephthalate fibers may continue to cause symptoms. The coils of the device can easily be fractured; therefore, in our practice we perform a bilateral cornuectomy when uterine retention is desired Supplemental Videos 1 and 2, because fracture rates are higher with salpingectomy than cornuectomy. We demonstrate the steps of this method and highlight the critical aspects for surgeons to consider during the procedure. INTERVENTIONS: Laparoscopic bilateral cornuectomy approach to a uterine-sparing excision of Essure tubal occlusion devices to reduce the risk of coil retention and fracture: 1) Injection of dilute vasopressin at the uterine cornua for vasoconstriction and hemostasis 2) Circumferential dissection of the uterine cornua using monopolar energy 3) Confirmation of endometrial cavity entry using methylene blue 4) Excision of fallopian tube along mesosalpinx to include the fimbriated end 5) Closure of the myometrial layers using a unidirectional barbed suture in a running fashion CONCLUSION: In patients who desire uterine preservation, we recommend a minimally invasive technique of bilateral cornual resection for removal of tubal sterilization devices to avoid device fracture and inadvertent retention of coils.

Microsurgical anastomosis of the fallopian tubes after tubal ligation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Between 20% and 30% of women who have undergone tubal ligation regret their decision. The alternative to regain fertility for these women is either in vitro fertilization or tubal re-anastomosis. This article presents a systematic review with meta-analysis to assess the current evidence on the efficacy of tubal recanalization surgery in patients who have previously undergone tubal ligation. STUDY DESIGN: The search was conducted in the World of Science (WOS) database, The Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov record using the keywords "tubal reversal", "tubal reanastomosis" and "tubal anastomosis". The review was carried out by two of the authors. Data from 22 studies were evaluated, comprising over 14,113 patients who underwent the studied surgery, following strict inclusion criteria: articles published between January 2012 and June 2022, in English and with a sample size bigger than 10 patients were included. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed. RESULTS: The overall pregnancy rate after anastomosis was found to be 65.3 % (95 % CI: 61.0-69.6). The percentage of women who had at least one live birth, known as the birth rate, was 42.6 % (95 % CI: 34.9-51.4). Adverse outcomes after surgery were also examined: the observed abortion rate among women who underwent surgery was 9.4 % (95 % CI: 7.0-11.7), and the overall ectopic pregnancy rate was 6.8 % (95 % CI: 4.6-9.0). No differences were found between the outcomes when differentiating surgical approaches: laparotomy, laparoscopy, or robotic-assisted surgery. The patient's age was identified as the most significant determining factor for fertility restoration. Finally, when comparing the results of tubal reversal with in vitro fertilization, reversal procedures appear more favorable for patients over 35 years old, while the results are similar for patients under 35 years old, but more data is needed to evaluate this finding. CONCLUSION: Therefore, the available literature review demonstrates that surgical anastomosis following tubal ligation is a reproducible technique with relevant success rates, performed by multiple expert groups worldwide.

Access to postpartum tubal ligation services in Cape Town, South Africa - an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Many women receiving antenatal care in public health services in Cape Town choose bilateral tubal ligation as their preferred method of postpartum contraception during their antenatal course. If the sterilisation does not occur immediately, these women are discharged on an alternative form of contraception and, ideally, an interval date for bilateral tubal ligation is arranged. OBJECTIVES: To assess the access to tubal ligation services in the Metro West area of Cape Town, South Africa, in women who request permanent contraception following delivery, looking specifically at the number of women requesting bilateral tubal ligation who receive the procedure intrapartum, immediately postpartum or as an interval procedure. Other objectives included determining the reproductive outcomes if bilateral tubal ligation was not performed, investigating the alternative forms of contraception provided and to study the demographics of the population requesting bilateral tubal ligation as a form of contraception. METHODS: The study was conducted as a cross-sectional observational study collecting data over a period of 3 months, from June 2019 to August 2019. Maternity case records for deliveries between June 2019 and August 2019 from four facilities were reviewed. The facilities, representing all levels of care, were Vanguard Midwife Obstetric Unit, Wesfleur Hospital (district hospital), New Somerset Hospital (regional hospital), Groote Schuur Hospital (tertiary hospital). RESULTS: There were 260 women who requested tubal ligation as their choice of contraception. Only 50% of these received a tubal ligation. Of the 131 tubal ligations performed, 2 were interval sterilisations. Ninety-one percent (120/131) of the tubal ligations were done at the time of caesarean section. Of the 129 women who received alternative forms of contraception, 13 women had a recurrent pregnancy. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that only 50% of women requesting tubal ligation as form of contraception actually end up receiving the procedure. Alternative forms of contraception are widely used and relied upon, but not without risks of recurrent pregnancy. Interval tubal ligation was not easily accessed by those women who were referred for the procedure.

Salpingectomy, tubal ligation and hysteroscopic occlusion for sterilization.

INTRODUCTION: Sterilization of females is considered one of the most prevalent contraceptive techniques among women in the United States. There are many surgical sterilization procedures including salpingectomy, tubal ligation, and hysteroscopic occlusion of the fallopian tubes. We provide an overview of these methods from the clinical data and latest studies available on this topic. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: In order to review the latest literature on the topic, we searched electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane library for all eligible studies from May 1st 2018 until May 1st 2022 using the following strategy: ("fallopian tube removal" OR Salpingectomy OR "fallopian tube excision" OR "tubal sterilization") AND ("tubal ligation" OR "bipolar coagulation" OR "tubal clip" OR "tubal ring" OR fimbriectomy). We reviewed every study that met our criteria and subjectively considered their results and methodology into this narrative review. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: In addition to reviewing major guidelines in the United States, 19 recent studies met our eligibility criteria and were included in this review. We grouped the findings under the following headings: anatomical and physiological considerations, sterilization, salpingectomy, tubal ligation, and hysteroscopic tubal occlusion. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral salpingectomy and techniques of tubal ligation or occlusion continue to be effective procedures with good safety profiles. All techniques have similar surgical outcomes and long-term success rates. As salpingectomy has the advantage of reducing the risk of occurrence of ovarian cancer, this is preferential when feasible. Hysteroscopic occlusion techniques may be more minimally invasive but have the disadvantages of delayed efficacy, the need for a second invasive diagnostic procedure, and limited availability.

Applicability, Safety, and Efficiency of Salpingectomy versus Electrocoagulation and Laparoscopic Tubal Section in Ambulatory.

OBJECTIVE: Female sterilization is a surgical procedure that aims women to permanently stop the use of conception. The benefits, risks and cost-effectiveness are important issues. The purpose of this study was comparing the applicability, complications and efficacy of salpingectomy versus electrocoagulation and tubal occlusion by laparoscopy in the Ambulatory Surgery Unit. METHODS: We performed a retrospective and observational study that included women undergoing laparoscopic sterilization procedures at our Ambulatory Surgery Unit, during three years. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, applying the Fisher exact test, the Mann-Whitney test, and Linear Regression. RESULTS: Two hundred and twenty-one laparoscopic surgical procedures were performed, including 79 (35.7%) bilateral total salpingectomies and 142 (64.3%) electrocoagulation and bilateral tubal occlusion procedures. The majority of the procedures were performed by a resident (n = 162; 73.3%), with 40% (n = 33) of salpingectomies. The surgical time, independently the type of surgeon, was significantly shorter in the tubal occlusion (42.2 vs. 52.7 min, p < 0.001). Safety and efficacy endpoints were not significantly different between the two groups, with a case of pregnancy in tubal occlusion group. CONCLUSION: Salpingectomy is a safe and effective alternative comparing with electrocoagulation and tubal occlusion.

OBJETIVO: A esterilização feminina é um procedimento cirúrgico que auxilia as mulheres na paragem permanente de utilização de métodos contraceptivos. Os objetivos desde estudo foram comparar a aplicabilidade, complicações e eficácia da salpingectomia vs. eletrocoagulação e secção tubar na esterilização feminina em regime de ambulatório. MéTODOS: Realizou-se um estudo retrospectivo e observacional que incluiu mulheres submetidas a procedimentos de esterilização por laparoscopia no Serviço de Cirurgia de Ambulatório da ULSAM, durante três anos. A análise estatística foi realizada com recurso ao SPSS, aplicando o teste exato de Fisher, o teste de Mann-Whitney e Regressão Linear. RESULTADOS: Foram realizados 221 procedimentos cirúrgicos por laparoscopia, incluindo 79 (35,7%) salpingectomias totais bilaterais e 142 (64,3%) procedimentos por eletrocoagulação e secção tubar bilateral. A maioria dos procedimentos foram realizados por um interno de formação específica (n = 162; 73,3%), com 40% (n = 33) de salpingectomias. O tempo operatório foi significativamente inferior no grupo da eletrocoagulação (42,2 vs. 52,7 min, p < 0,001). Em relação à segurança e à eficácia não se observaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os dois grupos, com um caso de gravidez após eletrocoagulação e secção tubar. CONCLUSãO: A salpingectomia é uma alternativa segura e com alta taxa de eficácia quando comparada com eletrocoagulação e secção tubar.

Utility of Vaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery for Permanent Sterilization after Failed Attempt at Bilateral Tubal Ligation at the Time of Previous Cesarean Section.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the utility of vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES) for opportunistic bilateral salpingectomy for permanent sterilization after a failed attempt at bilateral tubal ligation at the time of previous cesarean section. DESIGN: Stepwise demonstration with narrated video footage. SETTING: There is evidence to support the statistically significant superiority of vNOTES compared with conventional laparoscopy (CL) in terms of patient satisfaction, postoperative pain, time to recovery, and cosmetic results in bilateral salpingectomies for permanent sterilization [1]. Limited studies demonstrate the ease and safety of access to the abdominal cavity in vNOTES while avoiding passage through the abdominal wall, port site complications (infection, hernia, etc.), and those associated with peritoneal adhesions during abdominal laparoscopy or laparotomy [2]. To the best of our knowledge, this would be the first published video of a vNOTES bilateral salpingectomy performed specifically in a patient whose previously attempted bilateral tubal ligation was unsuccessful owing to adhesive disease from 4 previous cesarean sections. INTERVENTIONS: Institutional review board approval was not required. We describe a case of a 31-year-old female, with a history of 4 previous cesarean deliveries and a cholecystectomy, who desired permanent sterilization 3 months after the previous cesarean section. During previous cesarean section, bilateral adnexa were unable to be accessed owing to dense adhesions from previous surgeries. The patient was counseled on various forms of reversible contraceptive methods; however, she desired permanent sterilization with a surgical procedure. She was counseled on the various routes for opportunistic salpingectomy. Risks, benefits, and alternatives of each surgical approach were discussed. The patient consented for vNOTES opportunistic salpingectomy and possible CL. She was aware that she had significant adhesive disease at the time of previous cesarean section, so may potentially require a laparotomy for the procedure. However, she refused a laparotomy if the surgery was unable to be performed minimally invasively. (1) Demonstrate setup of transvaginal access platform for vNOTES bilateral salpingectomy. (2) Abdominal survey and appreciation of severe adhesive disease through posterior cul-de-sac. (3) Bilateral salpingectomy through single-site vaginal natural orifice surgery. CONCLUSION: vNOTES bilateral salpingectomy can be considered as a reasonable alternative to CL in patients with severe abdominal adhesive disease from previous surgeries.

Female sterilization reversal in the era of in-vitro fertilization.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Regret after female sterilization is not uncommon in the United States. Prior to the development of assisted reproductive technology (ART), surgical reversal of sterilization was the only option for patients interested in fertility. First performed in 1972, this procedure has since been refined over the years by gynaecologic surgeons. With in-vitro fertilization (IVF) gaining popularity, interest in sterilization reversal has waned. However, sterilization reversal should remain an important option in patients seeking pregnancy after tubal ligation. RECENT FINDINGS: A direct comparison between IVF and sterilization reversal is challenging due to inherent differences in reporting fertility outcomes. However, sterilization reversal may optimize fertility in younger women, whereas IVF may be more effective in older women. The surgical approach to sterilization reversal can be laparotomic, laparoscopic or robotic. Clinical decision making should include consideration of the risk of ectopic pregnancy, interval from sterilization to reversal, type of sterilization procedure, planned anastomotic site and projected remaining tubal length. SUMMARY: In the era of IVF, sterilization reversal still has a place in the management in restoring fertility. Creating awareness of the role of sterilization reversal is the first step in improving access to adequate training in this procedure for the next generation of reproductive surgeons.

A systematic review and meta-analysis on tubal ligation and breast cancer risk.

BACKGROUND: Based on previous studies, it has been hypothesized that tube sterilization may be associated with a lower risk of breast cancer. This study aims to investigate the relationship between tubal ligation and the risk of breast cancer through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant non randomized studies published up to November 2020. Then, we screened the papers to include the eligible papers in the meta-analysis. Finally, we pooled the extracted results of individual studies to estimate the summary effect size. All analyses were done using Stata software version 13 (Stata Corp, College Station, TX). RESULTS: Four hundred sixty-four papers were retrieved from PubMed/Medline (160), Scopus (165), and Web of Science (139), and 21 papers from Google Scholar and manual search of references in selected full texts. After the removal of duplicates and screening of the papers, 11 articles (6 cohort and 5 case-control study) were included in the final analysis. The results of cohort (RR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.97-1.0, I2 = 21.1%) and case control studies (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.62-1.12, I2 = 88.9%) revealed that tubal ligation was not significantly associated with breast cancer risk. CONCLUSION: According to our findings, tubal ligation cannot be considered as a risk factor associated with breast cancer risk.

Long-term patient satisfaction and removal rate after essure sterilization: a follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: The objective of our study was to assess the rate and causes for Essure® micro-insert system removal and patients' long term satisfaction rate with the procedure. METHODS: All patients who underwent Essure® hysteroscopic sterilization at our tertiary centre between years 2007 and 2018 were included in this follow-up study. A questionnaire was sent to all patients per standard mail. Patients who did not respond to questionnaires per mail, were called by phone. The satisfaction with the Essure® sterilization, as well as any additional procedures after the insertion or insertion-related complications were analysed. RESULTS: From the year 2007 to 2018, we performed 427 Essure® hysteroscopic sterilizations and of these, 329 patients responded to the questionnaire (response rate 77%). Ten patients (3%) had Essure® removal, two of them due to pain (0.6%). Patients were very satisfied with the procedure (9.5 on scale 0-10). Most patients (95.3%) would recommend the procedure to their friend. CONCLUSIONS: Essure® hysteroscopic sterilization is a procedure with a very high satisfaction rate and a very low removal rate due to sterilization-related complications. Trial registration Institutional review board of University medical centre Maribor approved the study, approval number UKC-MB-KME-73/19.

Opportunistic salpingectomy between 2011 and 2016: a descriptive analysis.

BACKGROUND: Opportunistic salpingectomy (OS) is the removal of fallopian tubes during hysterectomy for benign indications or instead of tubal ligation, for the purpose of preventing ovarian cancer. We determined rates of OS at the time of hysterectomy and tubal sterilization and examined how they changed over the study period. METHODS: Using data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information's Discharge Abstract Database and National Ambulatory Care Reporting System for all Canadian provinces and territories (except Quebec) between the fiscal years 2011 and 2016, we conducted a descriptive analysis of all patients aged 15 years or older who underwent hysterectomy or tubal sterilization. We excluded those with diagnostic codes for any gynecologic cancer and those who underwent unilateral salpingectomy. We examined the proportion who had OS during their hysterectomy and compared the proportion of tubal sterilizations that were OS with the proportion that were tubal ligations. RESULTS: A total of 318 528 participants were included in the study (mean age 42.5 yr). The proportion of hysterectomies that included OS increased from 15.4% in 2011 to 35.5% by 2016. With respect to tubal sterilization, the rate of OS increased from 6.5% of all tubal sterilizations in 2011 to 22.0% in 2016. There was considerable variation across jurisdictions in 2016, with British Columbia having the highest rates (53.2% of all hysterectomies and 74.0% of tubal sterilizations involved OS). INTERPRETATION: The rates of OS increased between 2011 and 2016, but there was considerable variation across the included jurisdictions. Our study indicates room for rates of OS to increase across many of the included jurisdictions.

FSFI score and timing of tubal ligation in patients: preliminary results of an online survey.

INTRODUCTION: Tubal ligation is the most common contraceptive method worldwide. Apart from a very low pearl index and anxiety relief, other benefits are not commonly recognised. In young patients, there is the post-operative risk of regretting the decision with the need for In-Vitro-Fertilisation or refertilising surgery. Positive side effects have not been widely published. In our study we investigated the change in the female sexual function index score after tubal ligation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In this survey the FSFI score of participants around the time of the tubal ligation was compared with the FSFI score of intermediate and long-term time distance to the ligation. RESULTS: The data indicate an increase in younger women seeking information on permanent contraception and whilst the FSFI score of the early group indicates a risk of female sexual dysfunction, the intermediate and long-term FSFI scores are comparable to published control groups. DISCUSSION: Besides the obvious benefit of a low pearl index, tubal ligation may contribute to reduce the risk of female sexual dysfunction in the mid and long term. Informed consent is essential for the surgeon and patient to weigh up the risks and benefits individually including possible future perspectives on family planning.