Impact of uterine weight on surgical outcomes in robotic hysterectomy: An ambispective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Robot-assisted surgeries are increasingly used for the treatment of benign gynaecological conditions. However, their impact in cases of significantly enlarged uteruses remains uncertain. This study aims to investigate whether the weight of the uterus influences the surgical results of robotic hysterectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ambispective analysis of 306 cases was performed, of which 265 cases were analysed retrospectively. The outcome measures included total operative time, including docking time, console time and vault closure time, complication rates and quality of life (World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief questionnaire) stratified based on uterine sizes into three groups by every 250 g. RESULTS: Of the 306 cases, 76.47% of cases (n = 234) had uterine weight <250 g, 18.30% of cases (n = 56) had uterine weight between 250 and 500 g, while 5.23% of cases (n = 16) had a weight of uterine specimen >500 g. The total operative time was significantly lower in the <250 g group compared to >500 g (81.92 ± 22.81 vs. 111.88 ± 40.27 min; P = 0.003), contributed primarily by the console time. Although the need for post-operative blood transfusion was higher in the >500 g group, the overall complication rate between the three groups was similar. The three groups had comparable QOL through all four domains. CONCLUSION: The present study underscores the influence of uterine weight on robotic hysterectomy outcomes, revealing increased operative times and post-operative haemoglobin drop for uteri over 500 g. Despite these challenges, complications were not significantly affected by uterine size.

Navigating the complexities of a forgotten double J stent.

Double-J (DJ) stents are most commonly used urological tools these days. Serious complications may occur when stents are left in place for longer duration. We present a case of a woman in her 40s with a forgotten DJ stent for 4 years, leading to complications such as encrustations, bladder and renal stone formation. The patient underwent a comprehensive endourological approach, including endoscopic cystolithotomy and left-sided percutaneous nephrolithotomy. The case highlights the importance of timely stent removal to prevent complications such as encrustations and stone formation. Patient education and counselling are crucial to avoid poor compliance and the associated risks of forgotten stents. This case underscores the significance of a multidisciplinary approach and emphasises the need for proactive measures to prevent such complications, including the implementation of a stent placement registry.

Carcinoma Endometrium Coexisting in Huge Procidentia.

Surgery remains the gold standard treatment for endometrial cancer. Vaginal approach is suitable for candidates with low risk for lymph node metastasis or in elderly females with extensive comorbidities, especially when surgery is done for palliative purpose only. We herein describe a case of cancer endometrium in huge procidentia, managed by vaginal hysterectomy followed by hormonal therapy.

Comparing Four Different Risk Malignancy Indices in Differentiating Benign and Malignant Ovarian Masses.

Background: Accurate prediction of ovarian masses preoperatively is crucial for optimal management of ovarian cancers. Objective: The objective of this study was to identify the risk of malignancy index (RMI) incorporating menopausal status, serum carbohydrate antigen 125 levels, and imaging findings for presurgical differentiation of benign from malignant ovarian masses and to evaluate the diagnostic ability of four different RMIs. Materials and Methods: Women presenting with ovarian masses from August 2018 to January 2020 were evaluated preoperatively with detailed history, examination, imaging, and tumor markers. RMI 1-4 was calculated for all patients. Evaluation of the diagnostic utility of four different RMIs for preoperative identification of malignancy was based on the increment of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Histopathological diagnosis was used as the gold standard test. Results: One hundred and twenty-one patients fulfilling the eligibility criteria were enrolled in this study. Benign tumors constituted 61 (50.4%) out of 121 cases, followed by malignant tumors and borderline tumors constituting 49 (40.49%) cases and 11 (9.09%) cases, respectively. The sensitivity of RMIs 1, 2, 3, and 4 was 77.0%, 63%, 77.0%, and 77.0%, respectively, and the specificity was 84%, 86%, 77%, and 71%, respectively. The RMI 2 had higher specificity at predicting malignancy than other RMIs while diagnostic accuracy was highest in RMI 1. Conclusion: The RMI method is a simple and cost-effective technique in preoperative differentiation of ovarian masses.

Robotic-assisted Versus Conventional Laparoscopic Hysterectomy for Benign Gynecological Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery is safe and feasible procedure for benign gynaecological conditions with less morbidity. Objective: To determine the best approach in benign gynecology and establish superiority of robotic over conventional laparoscopic hysterectomy in terms of safety and effectiveness. Methods: Search strategy: Electronic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL (the Registry of Controlled Clinical Studies of the Cochrane Collaboration), Google scholar, Pubmed and Scopus were searched from 2010-2022. Selection criteria: All randomized controlled trials and quasi-randomised trials which compared robotic versus conventional laparoscopic hysterectomy were included to conduct this systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate compared to traditional approaches. Results: Only five RCTs (326 patients in total) comparing robotic and conventional laparoscopic hysterectomy were included after a comprehensive literature search. Results of our analysis showed no clear benefit in any of the two techniques in operating time, estimated blood loss, length of hospital stay and overall complications. Conclusion: This systematic review suggests no statistical difference in surgical and patient outcomes between robotic and conventional laparoscopic hysterectomy relating to OT, EBL, LOHS, overall complications, and survival.

Comparison of the Outcomes of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery and Traditional Recovery Pathway in Robotic Hysterectomy for Benign Indications: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the implementation of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program in patients undergoing robotic hysterectomy for benign indications in comparison with conventional management. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: North Indian tertiary care hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged 40 to 60 years willing to sign the informed written consent were included, whereas cases with contraindications for neuraxial anesthesia were excluded. A total of 130 subjects undergoing robotic hysterectomy were divided into ERAS (n = 65) and conventional (non-ERAS) (n = 65) groups. INTERVENTIONS: Components of the ERAS protocol included preoperative counseling, carbohydrate loading, early removal of catheter, and early ambulation. Both groups underwent optimization of medical conditions, standardized anesthesia, and venous thromboembolism prophylaxis. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Outcome measures included length of hospital stay (LOHS), time to tolerance of diet, postoperative complications, readmission rates, and quality of life assessed by WHO-QOL BREF. Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. ERAS group showed significantly lower docking time (4.82 ± 0.73 vs 5.31 ± 0.92 minutes), faster tolerance of diet (0.14 ± 0.35 vs 1.14 ± 0.35 days), and earlier resumption of ambulation (0.42 ± 0.5 vs 1.26 ± 0.44 days). Time for "fit for discharge" (1.43 ± 0.61 vs 2.97 ± 1.1 days) and LOHS (2.85 ± 1.09 vs 3.78 ± 1.29 days) were significantly lower in the ERAS group. Postoperative complications and readmission rates were comparable. Quality-of-life scores favored the ERAS group at postoperative days 1 and 30. CONCLUSION: The combination of ERAS and robotic surgery improves patient outcomes, shortens hospital stays, and enhances postoperative recovery without increasing complications. This research serves as a pioneering effort in assessing the impact of ERAS on robotic hysterectomy for benign indications, providing valuable insights for future multicentric studies and supporting the integration of ERAS protocols to enhance patient outcomes and quality of life.

Comparison of Sexual Function after Thermal Ablation Versus Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) for Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN 2 and 3): A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The prevention of cervical cancer can be achieved by treating high-grade cervical precancerous lesions. Treatment options for cervical precancer include excisional procedures, and ablation treatments. Despite the long pre-invasive course of the disease, literature addressing sexual function post-treatment for cervical pre-invasive lesions is scarce. This study aims to bridge this gap and assess the sexual function and the acceptability, efficacy, safety, and complications of loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) versus thermal ablation. METHODS: The prospective open-label randomized controlled trial recruited women aged 22-55 with histologically confirmed Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) 2 and 3 lesions. Participants were randomly allocated to either thermal ablation or LEEP. All cases were followed up with a Pap smear at three- and six-months post treatment. Sexual health assessments were conducted using a questionnaire at baseline and 3 months post-procedure. Secondary outcome measures included comparison of acceptability, pain, and side effects between the two treatment measures. RESULTS: Out of 1356 screened cases, 60 were included in the study and randomized in two groups. The groups had similar baseline characteristics. Duration of LEEP was longer than thermal ablation (25.33 vs. 20.67 minutes), with higher pain reported 10 minutes post-procedure in the LEEP group. Three months post-procedure, both groups showed comparable acceptability and symptom relief. Sexual function parameters significantly improved in the thermal ablation group compared to LEEP, including satisfaction, desire, lubrication, flexibility, and ability to reach climax. CONCLUSION: LEEP and thermal ablation are effective treatments for CIN with similar efficacy at 6 months. Thermal ablation demonstrated advantages in procedure time and post-procedural pain but exhibited varying effects on sexual function, improving satisfaction and desire. In contrast, LEEP showed a decrease in satisfaction and potential alterations in lubrication and flexibility. Larger-sample, longer-term studies are recommended for further insights.

Uterovaginal prolapse complicated by urogenital myiasis.

Urogenital myiasis is a rare entity that is usually manifested in women belonging to lower socioeconomic status residing in tropical or subtropical nations with poor hygiene or intellectual disability. It is caused by fly larvae capable of penetrating body orifices and healthy or necrotic tissue. The larvae penetrate the skin, forming painful, inflammatory nodules that can form fistula to the internal organs or the skin's surface. Serous and haemorrhagic exudation, along with crawling larvae, are encountered. Some complications, such as secondary infection and tetanus, have been documented. The prognosis is generally good, and treatment consists of removing the parasitic larvae and thoroughly cleansing the affected area.We present a case of a postmenopausal woman with parity 3 and live issue 1 in her early 50s from lower socioeconomic status diagnosed with uterovaginal prolapse complicated by myiasis. The patient was managed successfully with systemic antibiotics, manual removal of myiasis and hysterectomy.

Anxiety, Depression, and Quality of Life Among Infertile Women: A Case-Control Study.

Introduction Pregnancy holds significant cultural and social value for women. However, women facing challenges in conceiving often grapple with emotional distress, including depression and anxiety. The connection between psychological elements (stress, anxiety, and depression) and infertility is complex, influenced by multiple factors, and bidirectional. Infertile women are more likely to develop mental illnesses, marital dissatisfaction, and impaired quality of life compared to the individuals of the fertile group. Thus, the study aimed to assess levels of anxiety, depression, and quality of life among infertile women compared to fertile women. Methods This case-control study conducted at a tertiary care center recruited 100 nulliparous women between the age group of 20 and 38 years with primary or secondary infertility, while those with male factor infertility were excluded. The control group (N=100) comprised normal parous women who had at least one child. The primary objective of the study was to assess the impact of infertility on the mental health and quality of life of women seeking infertility treatment. Outcome measures included standardized tools such as the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire to assess the quality of life across multiple domains (e.g., physical, psychological, social, and environmental) as well as the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) to measure levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. Cronbach's alpha was used to measure the tool's reliability. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Baseline sociodemographic parameters were comparable between the two groups. The mean age of infertile women was 30.6±3.9 years compared to 31.5±3.2 years in fertile women (P=0.076). Using the WHOQOL-BREF scale, we found that the quality of life was better in the fertile group compared to the infertile group through all the physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains (P<0.001). The infertile group had a significantly higher number of women with anxiety, depression, and stress. The questionnaires showed high internal reliability. Conclusion Infertile women experienced a lower quality of life in various domains, higher levels of anxiety, and increased rates of depression compared to fertile counterparts. The study findings underscore the multidimensional impact of infertility, emphasizing the need for comprehensive healthcare approaches to address the psychosocial challenges faced by women undergoing infertility treatment.

Scrub typhus in pregnancy - A threat to maternal and fetal outcome.

Background and Objectives: Scrub typhus is an acute febrile illness transmitted by the bite of trombiculid mite in the larval stage. Scrub typhus is rare in pregnancy and there is paucity of data on the clinical outcome of scrub typhus during pregnancy. Material and Methods: We present five cases of scrub typhus complicating pregnancy who were admitted in the obstetric ward at AIIMS Rishikesh, India during the antenatal period for management. Results: The first patient presented at term pregnancy in semiconscious state while the rest were preterm between 31 and 34 weeks period of gestation. The age at presentation was 21-31 years. All five had febrile illness of >5 days' duration along with cough. Fever investigations like blood culture, peripheral smear for malarial parasite, dengue serology, widal test, and urine culture were negative. Serology for scrub typhus was positive in all. Once diagnosis was confirmed for scrub typhus, patients were given the drug of choice azithromycin 500 mg twice daily for five days. Scrub typhus complicating pregnancy led to maternal mortality in one patient. It resulted in one preterm delivery, one intrauterine fetal death, and rest three were delivered at term with good perinatal outcome. Conclusion: Scrub typhus is common in endemic areas like Uttarakhand, India. It has a poor fetal outcome. If diagnosed early and treatment started, maternal and fetal prognosis can be favorable. As large case series are unavailable in literature, it is difficult to predict the course of disease which at times may be fulminant.

Aggressive precursor B cell ALL of cervix with obstructive uropathy.

Involvement of the cervix with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is extremely rare. In this case report, we discuss an unmarried woman in her early 20s, who presented in the emergency with lower abdominal pain and irregular vaginal bleeding for 1 month. Clinical examination and imaging revealed a large cervical mass probably neoplastic with obstructive uropathy. On evaluation, she was diagnosed incidentally with CALLA-positive precursor B cell ALL in peripheral blood flow cytometry. Involvement of B cell ALL in cervical mass was confirmed by histopathological examination of cervical biopsy and immunohistochemistry markers. Her history was not suggestive of signs and symptoms pertaining to leukaemia. Literature is sparse with only a few cases reporting cervical leukaemic infiltration. The present case report is a rarest case where the primary/initial presentation of precursor B cell ALL was seen with cervical involvement and obstructive uropathy mimicking characteristics of advanced cervical malignancy.

Effect of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocol on maternal outcomes following emergency caesarean delivery: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: With ever increasing rates of emergency caesarean deliveries (CD),incorporating the ERAS protocol might provide a perfect window of opportunity to increase maternal comfort during the postsurgical period, but also improve outcomes and facilitate optimal return of physiological function. Objective: To determine whether an ERAS pathway at emergency caesarean birth would permit a reduction in postoperative length of stay and improve postoperative patient satisfaction. Material & methods: Patients undergoing emergent caesarean delivery at ≥ 34 weeks of gestation were randomized to ERAS or conventional care. The primary outcome was to compare postoperative length of hospital stay. Secondary outcome variables included first oral intake, passage of flatus/defecation, first ambulation, first urination after catheter removal and postoperative pain scores in both groups. Results: We randomized 142 women (71 each in ERAS versus Conventional arm) undergoing emergency cesarean delivery. Incorporation of ERAS protocol resulted in shorter length of hospital stay (73.92 ± 8.96 in conventional arm vs 53.87 ± 15.02 in ERAS arm; p value <.0001). Significant difference was seen in visual analogue scoring during initial ambulation and rest on day 0 and day 1 between ERAS and conventional arms with mean scores being lower in ERAS arm compared to Conventional arm (p value <.05). In terms of quality of life, ERAS arm had better quality of life compared to conventional arm. Conclusion: Incorporation of ERAS protocol in emergency caesarean definitely improves patient outcome in terms of early resumption of activities with better quality of life.

Large vulvar fibroepithelial polyp and review of differentials.

Vulval fibroepithelial polyps (FEPs) are a rare type of vulval fibroblastic tumour commonly found in premenopausal women. It is important to obtain an accurate pathological diagnosis because, despite being benign, the condition shares some characteristics with malignant vulva lesions in its differential diagnosis. We present a case of young woman in her 20s with a giant FEP. After surgical excision, the patient did not manifest any signs of recurrence after 1-year follow-up. Our review focuses on the distinguishing characteristics of these rare neoplasms as we explore their differential diagnosis.

Female sexuality across the menopausal age group: A cross sectional study.

Background: Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is an important health issue and its relationship with menopausal symptoms needs special attention. Objective: To identify the frequency of FSD in middle aged women and assess its relationship with obesity and menopausal symptoms. Methods: This was a cross sectional study performed at a tertiary care centre in North India over a period of one year from June 2022 to May 2023. Sexually active women aged 40-55 years were included in the study sample. Exclusion criteria included those not willing to participate, having pregnancy, malignancy, mental illness or history of pelvic surgery. Baseline demographic and anthropometric details were noted. Sexual function and menopausal symptoms were assessed using Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and Female Sexual Function Index Scale (FSFI) questionnaire respectively. Results: Among one hundred and forty three sexually active middle aged women, 43 women had FSD (30.06%). FSD was observed in 9.09%, 22.73% and 45.45% in- 40-45 years, 46-50 years and 51-55 years respectively. No significant difference was seen in desire (p value=0.281), arousal (p value=0.424), lubrication (p value=0.143), orgasm (p value=0.637), satisfaction (p value=0.675), pain (p value=0.833), total score (p value=0.601) between body mass index (kg/m²). A significant strong negative correlation of somatic, urogenital, psychological and total MRS scores with female sexuality domains was observed excepting non-significant mild negative correlation between somatic with pain and psychological with orgasm and pain. Conclusion: Female sexual dysfunction are quite common and has negative correlation with menopausal symptoms. Health care providers need to focus on this issue as part of their routine assessment for better quality of life.

May-Thurner Syndrome in a Case of Left Iliofemoral Vein Thrombosis With Contralateral Tubo-Ovarian Abscess in the Post-postpartum Period.

May-Thurner syndrome (MTS) is a rare, yet important, differential diagnosis in reproductive-age women with deep vein thrombosis (DVT). It is characterized by the compression of the left common iliac vein by the right common artery against the lumbar vertebra. The condition is complicated by recurrent DVT with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). Here is a case of multiparous women in early puerperium with right tubo-ovarian abscess and left lower limb DVT likely due to MTS. The diagnosis was further complicated by the presence of persistent thrombocytosis but a myeloproliferative neoplasm was ruled out by genetic mutation testing. She was given anticoagulants, and laparotomy was done for the excision of the tubo-ovarian mass in view of the persistent fever not responding to injectable antibiotics. PTE in the postoperative period was managed by anticoagulants followed by an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter for the risk of recurrent DVT and/or PTE in an MTS case.

Ureteric Leiomyosarcoma.

Ureteric leiomyosarcoma is a rare but aggressive tumor among other sarcomas. There is no established epidemiological data due to the scarcity of literature on this uncommon disorder. The present literature comprises about 20 case reports mostly of women above 40 years of age. The presenting complaint is mostly pain in the abdomen with only a few reporting urological symptoms like hematuria. Understandably, this tumor is diagnosed by histopathological examination with immunohistochemistry. We report one such case of a 32-year-old female who underwent an exploratory laparotomy with preoperative suspicion of adnexal neoplastic mass only to find normal ovaries and left ureteric tumor intraoperatively. She was managed with excision of the tumor with partial resection of the involved ureter and end-to-end anastomosis of the ureter followed by chemotherapy and radiation.

Comparison of Human Epididymis Protein 4, Cancer Antigen 125, and Ultrasound Prediction Model in Differentiating Benign from Malignant Adnexal Masses.

Background: This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of carcinogenic antigen (CA) 125, (HE)-4 (Human epididymis protein 4), and ultrasound (International Ovarian Tumor Analysis [IOTA]) Simple Rules individually and to derive a composite score in the differentiating ovarian cancer from benign ovarian mass. Subjects and Methods: Consecutive patients (n = 100) with pelvic mass admitted during February 2018-August 2019 were included prospectively. Patients with either known case of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) or metastatic EOC were excluded. The primary outcome was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of CA-125, HE-4, and IOTA Simple Rules in predicting benign from malignant mass independently, while secondary outcome was derivation of a new model incorporating these variables using multivariate logistic regression analysis to predict benign from malignant lesions. Receiver operator curve (ROC) was drawn to redefine the best-performing cutoff values and difference between area under the ROC (AUROC) were compared by DeLong's method. Results: Out of 100 cases of adnexal mass selected, the sensitivity and specificity of CA-125 were 73.8% and 77.6%, HE-4 were 90.5% and 87.9%, and IOTA Simple Rules were 92.9% and 81.0%. CA-125, HE-4, and IOTA Simple Rules were independently associated with the likelihood of malignancy/borderline (P < 0.001). The area under the curve for the "composite score" (AUC = 0.93) was the highest and was significantly better than that of CA-125 (AUC = 0.786) (P = 0.004 using DeLong's test) and comparable with HE-4 (AUROC = 0.90; P = 0.128 using DeLong's Test). Conclusion: The sensitivity and specificity of HE-4 and IOTA Simple Rules for predicting malignant ovarian tumor was better than those of CA-125. The diagnostic performance of "composite score" was comparable to those of either HE-4 or IOTA Simple Rules and significantly better than CA-125.

Metabolic Syndrome and Its Association with Menopausal Symptoms among Postmenopausal Women: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background: With increase in postmenopausal population, screening for MetS and its relationship with menopausal symptoms needs evaluation. Objective: To identify the frequency of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and assess its relationship with menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women. Methods: This was a cross sectional study performed at a tertiary care centre in Uttarakhand India over a period of 18 months. All postmenopausal women >40 years with natural menopause included in the study sample. We used the Consensus Definition IDF and AHA/NHLBI (2009) criteria to classify subjects as having metabolic syndrome. Menopausal symptoms were assessed using Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) questionnaire. Results: The frequency of metabolic syndrome in our study was 34.38% (55 out of 160 patients). We observed sleeping problems (36.88%) followed by physical & mental exhaustion (33.75%) and hot flushes (33.13%) to be the commonest menopausal symptoms. Significant association was seen for MRS along with its subscales in women with metabolic syndrome (P value <.05). Significant positive correlation was observed between total Menopause rating scale scores as well as all three subscales for triglycerides in patients with metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: Hyper triglyceridemia was associated with severe menopausal symptoms among postmenopausal women with MetS in our study.

Predictors of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) in Women With Pre-eclampsia/Eclampsia: A Retrospective Analysis.

CONTEXT:  Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a clinical-radiological entity characterized by acute neurological symptoms with reversible subcortical vasogenic brain edema. One of the most common risk factors is pre-eclampsia/eclampsia. AIMS:  This study aimed to compare the clinical and radiological characteristics of PRES with those without PRES in patients with pre-eclampsia/eclampsia and attempts to find independent predictors of PRES. METHODS AND MATERIALS:  This was a single-center, retrospective study. Fifty-three female patients admitted to the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, AIIMS Rishikesh between 2018 and 2021 with severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia were included. Brain imaging was done to confirm the diagnosis of PRES. Baseline characteristics between patients whose imaging was suggestive and not suggestive of PRES were compared. RESULTS:  Fifty-three patients with pre-eclampsia/eclampsia were included in the analysis. The median age and period of gestation of the study population were 28 (range 19-37) years and 36.6 (range 24.2-41.5) weeks respectively. Twelve patients (22.6%) had eclampsia, and 41 (87.4%) had pre-eclampsia of which 28 (52.8%) had severe pre-eclampsia. Twelve patients were diagnosed with PRES. Patients with PRES were significantly younger with a median age of 23 [range 20-30 vs 29 (range 19-37; p = 0.005) years], and more likely to be primiparous (91.7% vs 36.6%; p < 0.001) compared to those without PRES. PRES was significantly more common in patients with eclampsia. Of 12 patients with eclampsia, nine (75%) had evidence of PRES. The maternal and fetal outcome, however, was similar in both groups. Patients with PRES were more likely to have poor sensorium compared to those without PRES (83.3% vs 5.3%; p < 0.01). Eclampsia was found in the independent predictor of PRES (odds ratio, OR 20.9; 95% confidence interval, CI 3.0-147.0, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS:  In this study, patients with PRES were younger and significantly more likely to be primiparous and have eclampsia compared to those without PRES. Headache followed by seizures and altered sensorium were the most common clinical manifestations and subcortical white matter hyperintensities involving fronto-parieto-occipital lobes were the most common radiological finding. Eclampsia emerged as an independent risk factor for PRES.

Implementing the Practice of Birth Companion in Labor During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Quality Improvement Endeavor in India.

Objective We aim to implement the practice of birth companions (BC) (from 0% to 90%) during labor to provide respectful maternity care (RMC) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods This was a prospective quality improvement (QI) study conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh, India. The methodology given by the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Point of Care Continuous Quality Improvement (POCQI) manual was followed, and standard tools of quality improvement were used to attain the objective. Results The QI team conducted a cause and effect analysis to understand the reasons why birth companions were not allowed during childbirth. The Pareto principle derived at three most important causes of the problem: absence of a defined policy, ignorance of guidelines promoting BC even during the pandemic, and relatives could enter wards only after a negative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) report, which could take up to 48 hours. Multiple change ideas were tested by means of Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles that were successful in bringing about desired change and improvement in the delivery of quality healthcare. Conclusion QI methodology was effective in promoting and achieving more than 90% birth companionship in labor and thus helpful in providing respectful maternity care even during the COVID-19 pandemic.