Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies Two Novel Loci Associated with Female Stress and Urgency Urinary Incontinence.

PURPOSE: Genome-wide association studies have not identified replicable genetic risk loci for stress or urgency urinary incontinence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out a discovery stage, case control, genome-wide association study in 3 independent discovery cohorts of European women (8,979) for stress incontinence, urgency incontinence, and any incontinence phenotypes. We conducted replication in 6 additional studies of European ancestry (4,069). We collected bladder biopsies from women with incontinence (50) to further investigate bladder expression of implicated genes and pathways and used symptom questionnaires for phenotyping. We conducted meta-analyses using inverse variance fixed effects models and whole transcriptome analyses using Affymetrix® arrays with replication with TaqMan® polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: In the discovery stage, we identified 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms genotyped or imputed at 5 loci that reached genome-wide significance (p <5×10-8). In replication, rs138724718 on chromosome 2 near the macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO) gene (replication p=0.003) was associated with stress incontinence. In addition, rs34998271 on chromosome 6 near the endothelin 1 (EDN1) gene (replication p=0.0008) was associated with urgency incontinence. In combined meta-analyses of discovery and replication cohorts, associations with genome-wide significance for these 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms were confirmed. Transcriptomics analyses showed differential expression of 7 of 19 genes in the endothelin pathway between stress and urgency incontinence (p <0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: We uncovered 2 new risk loci near the genes endothelin 1 (EDN1), associated with urgency incontinence, and macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO), associated with stress incontinence. These loci are biologically plausible given their roles in smooth muscle contraction and innate host defense, respectively.

Identification of the Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 and the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-7 cutoff scores in urinary incontinent women.

PURPOSE: Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 (UDI-6), Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-7 (IIQ-7) and The International Consultation on Incontinence (ICIQ-SF) Short Form are used to diagnose individuals with urinary incontinence (UI) and to assess the impact of the dysfunction on patient quality of life. While ICIQ-SF has fixed cutoff values-UDI-6 and IIQ-7 do not. We aimed to find the cutoff scores for UDI-6 and IIQ-7 in women with UI. METHODS: The study involved 205 women aged between 31 and 83 years-155 with, and 50 without UI symptoms. All participants completed all three questionnaires: ICIQ-SF, UDI-6 and IIQ-7. Patients were categorized according to their ICIQ-SF scores, as symptomatic ICIQ-SF ≥ 6 (n = 134) and asymptomatic ICIQ < 6 (n = 60). The Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve was used to test how well UDI-6 allowed a discrimination between patients suffering from UI and those who do not. Area under Curve (AUC) statistic was calculated to measure the UDI-6 and IIQ-7 Total Score efficiency. RESULTS: The cutoff values were selected. On the basis of the ROC curve analysis, the UDI-6 Total Score of 33.33 and IIQ-7 Total Score of 9.52 were determined to be the optimal cutoff for distinguishing between symptomatic and asymptomatic women (AUC = 0.94-UDI-6 and 0.91-IIQ-7). CONCLUSIONS: For UDI-6 scores more than 33.33 indicate higher distress caused by UI symptoms. Moreover, the higher impact of UI on health- related quality of life is seen in women who scored 9 or more in the IIQ-7 questionnaire, and such women felt impaired quality of life. Trial registration number NCT04433715, 11.06.2020 "retrospectively registered".

International Urogynecology Consultation Chapter 1 Committee 5: relationship of pelvic organ prolapse to associated pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms: lower urinary tract, bowel, sexual dysfunction and abdominopelvic pain.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: This article from Chapter 1 of the International Urogynecology Consultation (IUC) on Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) establishes the prevalence of lower urinary tract disorders, bowel symptoms, vulvo-vaginal/lower abdominal/back pain and sexual dysfunction in women with POP. METHODS: An international group of nine urogynecologists/urologists and one medical student performed a search of the literature using pre-specified search terms in Ovid, MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL from January 2000 to March 2019. Publications were eliminated if not relevant or they did not include clear definitions of POP or the symptoms associated with POP. Definitions of POP needed to include both a physical examination finding using a validated examination technique and the complaint of a bothersome vaginal bulge. Symptoms were categorized into symptom groups for ease of evaluation. The Specialist Unit for Review Evidence (SURE) was used to evaluate for quality of the included articles. The resulting list of articles was used to determine the prevalence of various symptoms in women with POP. Cohort studies were used to evaluate for possible causation of POP as either causing or worsening the symptom category. RESULTS: The original search yielded over 12,000 references, of which 50 were used. More than 50% of women with POP report lower urinary tract symptoms. Cohort studies suggest that women with POP have more obstructive lower urinary tract symptoms than women without POP. Pain described in various ways is frequently reported in women with POP, with low back pain being the most common pain symptom reported in 45% of women with POP. In cohort studies those with POP had more pain complaints than those without POP. Sexual dysfunction is reported by over half of women with POP and obstructed intercourse in 37-100% of women with POP. Approximately 40% of women have complaints of bowel symptoms. There was no difference in the median prevalence of bowel symptoms in those with and without POP in cohort studies. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of lower urinary tract disorders, bowel symptoms, vulvo-vaginal/lower abdominal/back pain and sexual dysfunction in women with POP are common but inconsistently reported. There are few data on incidence of associated symptoms with POP, and cohort studies evaluating causality are rare or inconsistent. Obstructive voiding, lower abdominal and pelvic pain, and sexual dysfunction are most frequently associated with POP.

An association of circulating Tregs and Th17 cells producing IL-21 and IL-22 with the ROMA in ovarian cancer patients.

The purpose of the present study was to assess the association of regulatory T cells (Tregs; CD4+ FOXP3+) and helper T lymphocytes (Th17) releasing interleukin (IL)-21 and IL-22, with the Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm (ROMA). Similar association was made with two additional tumour markers, human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) from patients serum. The presence of Tregs and Th17 was determined both in the peripheral blood and in the tissue of epithelial ovarian tumors. Mononuclear cells obtained from patient's peripheral blood (PBMCs) and from ovarian tissue were isolated by density gradient centrifugation. As a control group patients who had undergone surgery for infertility without ovarian pathology were selected. The percentage of Tregs and Th17 releasing IL-21 or IL-22 cells from both peripheral blood and tumor tissue was measured by flow cytometry. No differences in demographic parameters like body mass index, age, or gravidity were observed among the studied groups. However, an increased concentration of marker HE4 and value of ROMA was identified in individuals with ovarian cancer when compared with women with cystadenomas. Furthermore, a negative correlation between the ROMA value in the serum and Tregs from the peripheral blood of patients with cystadenoma ovarian tumors was detected. The presented work documents, for the first time, the negative association between peripheral blood Tregs and ROMA evaluation based on the tumour markers present in the serum of women with ovarian cystadenoma. Such an effect might result from the negative impact of Tregs on the inflammation process and on tumorigenesis caused by the persistent inflammation.

Current trends in urogynecological surgeries in Poland.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) treatment has become more common in the world's health care systems, and the demand for pelvic floor disorder rehabilitation has been projected to increase by 35% between 2010 and 2030. Restitution procedures vary, but after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notifications, the global use of mesh in vaginal surgeries has significantly decreased. The aim of this study is to show trends in urogynecological surgeries in Poland. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed of data obtained between 2009 and 2017 from the National Health Fund Information Centre website. Vaginal hysterectomies (VH), POP and urinary incontinence (UI) surgeries were considered. RESULTS: In the study, 327,294 hospitalizations between 2009 and 2017 were considered: 29,821 VH, 265,147 POP and 53,328 UI procedures. Between 2009 and 2015, a rapid increase in the number of POP procedures was observed (r2 = 0.94, b = 1711, p < 0.001). The following years, however, were characterized by a marked decline in the number of POP surgeries. In addition, the number of vaginal suspensions with mesh dropped by 24.7%, posterior and anterior repair by 8.5%, and posterior repair by 7.5%, but the number of anterior repair procedures increased slightly by 1.5%. Moreover, between 2015 and 2017, the number of vaginal hysterectomies decreased by 9%. The number of UI surgeries had increased between 2011 and 2015 and then remained at a relatively stable level. A similar trend was observed for tape procedures, whereas the popularity of colposuspension has declined noticeably. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of FDA notifications has been observed in Poland as a decrease in TVM surgeries.

Long-Term Follow-Up of Sexual Dysfunction in Women Following Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Chronic graft-versus-host disease is the most common late complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The aim of this study was to present the outcomes of two successful vaginal reconstructions. Patient 1 received chemotherapy for leukemia and underwent bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The patient was sexually inactive for 9 years. In 2012, she was diagnosed with complete vaginal obliteration and underwent vaginal reconstruction. Patient 2 underwent chemotherapy (myeloablative therapy), was sexually inactive for 3 years and was then diagnosed with complete vaginal obliteration. In January 2013, she had vaginal reconstruction with cervical dilatation. Hormonal replacement therapy was administered to both patients. The results of dedicated questionnaires revealed decent quality-of-life and normal sexual functioning and continence status after surgery. Obliteration of the vagina after BMT can be prevented, but if it occurs, vaginal reconstruction surgery should be offered to any patients suffering from obliteration. Our results show that this therapy enables patients to have normal sexual lives without compromising their continence status.

Reliability of the Polish version of the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) questionnaire : Correlation of the OABSS with urodynamic study and the UDI-6 and IIQ-7 questionnaires.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Overactive bladder (OAB) and mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) are significant problems worldwide. Their broad definition makes them difficult to diagnose; therefore, specialists need a tool to confirm diagnosis. The Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) is used in the objective diagnosis of OAB. We aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of OABSS for patients in Poland suffering from OAB and MUI and to correlate it with UDI-6 and IIQ-7. METHODS: A total of 824 women suffering from urinary incontinence (UI) aged between 18 and 75 years were included. SUI (n = 290); OAB (n = 285) and MUI (n = 249) were confirmed by medical history and urodynamic study. Of the subjects, 821 women completed the Polish version of OABSS on two separate visits: weeks 0 and 2. In addition, they undertook UDI-6 and IIQ-7 during Week 2. The Cronbach's alpha (α) was used to estimate the internal consistency. Scores were compared using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: We observed statistically significant differences (p < 0.0005) between mean scores of OABSS among patients from the study groups OAB-SUI and MUI-SUI. We did not observe statistically significant differences between patients from the MUI and OAB groups (p > 0.11). Analysis also did not show statistically significant differences between visits. The internal consistency was very good: α = 0.89 (SUI); = 0.9 (OAB); = 0.82 (MUI). In all groups, test-retest reliability was excellent; ICC was >0.99. CONCLUSIONS: The Polish version of the OABSS is a reliable tool for females suffering from UI. However, OABSS does not distinguish patients with MUI from patients with OAB.

Prevention and treatment of uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections in the era of increasing antimicrobial resistance-non-antibiotic approaches: a systemic review.

PURPOSE: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the more common infections encountered in everyday clinical practice. They account for 10-20% of all infections treated in primary care units and 30-40% of those treated in hospitals. The risk of UTI in the female population is considered to be 14 times higher than in the male population. The prevalence of bacterial etiology results in a large consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics, which in turn leads to increased rates of resistant uropathogens. Therefore, non-antibiotic prevention and treatment options are now of great importance. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed for the last 20 years (1999-2019) and the efficiencies of these eight different non-antibiotic interventions were analysed and discussed. RESULTS: This article provides an overview on non-antibiotic options for management of UTI, including the application of cranberry products, the phytodrug Canephron N, probiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), D-mannose, estrogens, vitamins, and immunotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: The last 20 years of research on non-antibiotic approaches in UTI have not brought conclusive evidence that antibiotic usage can be replaced completely by non-antibiotic options. Hence, antibiotics still remain a gold standard for UTI treatment and prevention. However, changing the therapeutic strategy by including non-antibiotic measures in the management of UTI could be successful in avoiding antimicrobial resistance at least to some extent.

Does gender influence the outcome of ischemic heart disease?

Diseases of the cardiovascular system (myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, cardiomyopathy) account for 40% of all deaths in men and up to 49% of all deaths in women. For a long time it was thought that the clinical picture of ischemic heart disease in men and women was similar. Now, however, there are more reports suggesting that diverse manifestations of the symptoms of ischemic disease may be related to differences between sexes. The disparity between women and men is also evident in the diagnostic process, and various pathological mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases, in particular myocardial ischemia in men and women, affect the differences in the results of diagnostic tests. Vasomotor dysfunction is particularly frequent in women, as their coronary vessels are more sensitive to the catecholamines released during mental stress, resulting in spasm and ischemic myocardium. Moreover, a much lower dose of acetylcholine induced vasoconstriction, which indicates that women are more sensitive to this neurotransmitter. Therefore, coronary vasomotor disorders in the form of epicardial and microvascular dysfunction are more often seen in women. All these mentioned factors resulted in higher mortality and poorer quality of life of women suffering from ischemic heart disease.

Transobturator midurethral sling: What should patients expect after surgery?

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Midurethral sling (MUS) surgeries are minimally invasive procedures; however, they are not free of postoperative complications. The aim of the study was to assess the occurrence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) (urgency, nocturia, frequency, splitting/spraying, hesitancy, terminal dribbling, and subjective feeling of postvoid residual) in patients suffering from stress (SUI) or mixed (MUI) urinary incontinence with a predominant SUI component before and after transobturator MUS placement. METHODS: The study group consisted of 88 women with SUI and 18 with MUI who underwent transobturator MUS. All participants were questioned with a self-developed questionnaire before and after surgery regarding the presence of LUTS. RESULTS: Seven days after surgery, 62 patients (58.5%) noted voiding and postmicturition symptoms, whereas 67 (63.2%) reported problems in storage. The more commonly reported LUTS at week 1 after surgery were urgency (52.8%), splitting/spraying (41.5%), and feeling of incomplete bladder emptying (34.0%). Patients perceived that splitting/spraying was the most bothersome. After 6 months, the most common LUTS reported were hesitancy (14.1%), terminal dribbling (10.4%), and splitting/spraying (9.4%). We noticed a decrease in the number of urgency episodes >2.7 times (p < 0.001) compared with baseline. After 6 months, 97 (91.5%) patients reported the lack of incontinence episodes. CONCLUSIONS: A vast majority of patients after MUS suffer from LUTS in the early postoperative period; however, the majority of undesired symptoms resolve spontaneously within the first 6 months postsurgery.

Candida lusitaniae - a case report of an intraperitoneal infection.

Candida lusitaniae is a rare opportunistic yeast which is known for its resistance to amphotericin B (AmB). It is responsible for about 19.3% of all infections caused by non-Candida albicans species, and for about 1.7% of all cases of genitourinary candidiasis brought about by the entire spectrum of Candida species. Most commonly it occurs in patients with hematologic malignancies, especially when a patient is receiving chemotherapy. Candida lusitaniae infection usually presents with fungemia; however, only 7.3% of all patients will develop peritonitis. This case study describes an immunocompetent female patient with an intraperitoneal infection caused by C. lusitaniae after laparoscopic hydrosalpinx surgery. The patient was treated with fluconazole according to susceptibility testing. Fluconazole was implemented both orally and by transvaginal injection into the space after the evacuated pseudocyst. Conservative treatment resulted in a temporary improvement of the patient's condition and a reduction of the pseudocyst. Candida lusitaniae is very similar to other Candida species in generating systemic and local infections - mainly in compromised patients. It is also unique in its ability to develop resistance to AmB. Proper identification and quick implementation of selective therapy with the right anti-fungal drug are crucial for successfully treating infected patients. Surgery should always be considered as a final treatment option.

Can botox improve night-time overactive bladder symptoms in women?

AIMS: Despite the efficacy of intravesical onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) therapy for urgency, urgency incontinence, and daytime frequency, its value in treatment of nocturia remains unclear. The aim of the prospective observational study was to assess the effect of onabotulinumtoxinA on night-time symptoms in women with overactive bladder (OAB), including nocturia, night-time urgency incontinence, and nocturnal voided volume as end-points. METHODS: Women with idiopathic OAB (with at least one episode of urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) per day, ≥8 micturitions per 24 hr, and ≥2 nocturia episodes per night) were enrolled. Patients with nocturnal polyuria were excluded. Botox (100 U) was administered in 20 intra-detrusor injections. Post-void residual volumes (PVR) were checked at 2, 4, and 12 weeks. Participants completed a 3-day bladder diary and the King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) before and 12 weeks after treatment, and reported the efficacy of the treatment on visual analog scale (VAS) at the final follow-up visit. RESULTS: Seventy-six women completed the study. Botox injections were effective in the reduction of nocturia episodes (mean -0.98; P < 0.001) and night-time UUI episodes (-0.37; P < 0.001) compared to the baseline. The increase of mean voided volume of the night-time micturitions was 92.6 ml (P < 0.001). Patients reported a mean 58 points of improvement on the VAS. Urinary retention, which required self-catheterization, was observed in three patients. CONCLUSIONS: Intravesical Botox injection provides significant benefit for night-time symptoms in OAB patients. Our results are applicable for women without nocturnal polyuria, and should prove useful when counseling patients about the risks and benefits of Botox. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:648-652, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Impact of intravesical onabotulinumtoxinA on sexual function in women with OAB.

AIMS: Urgency urinary incontinence (UUI), and the symptoms of overactive bladder (OAB) have a negative impact on female sexual function. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of intravesical onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) injection on sexual function in women with OAB, using the multi domain Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. METHODS: Sixty-eight sexually active women with idiopathic OAB with at least one episode of UUI and ≥8 micturitions per 24 h were recruited. Patients completed the FSFI questionnaire before and 12 weeks after treatment with intravesical onabotulinumtoxinA injections. Baseline scores were compared with a control group of age-matched healthy women. RESULTS: Fifty-six women completed the study. At baseline OAB patients reported decreased quality of sexual function in all domains measured with FSFI, in comparison to healthy women (median 21.8 vs. 26.3, P < 0.001). Over 90% of participants reported clinically relevant improvements in sexual function, with statistically significant changes in mean scores in all six domains. CONCLUSIONS: Intravesical Botox injections provide improvement in sexual function in women with OAB. Neurourol. Urodynam. 9999:XX-XX, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Urinary retention in female OAB after intravesical Botox injection: who is really at risk?

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Intravesical onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) injections are effective for the treatment of idiopathic overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms. The aim of our study was to assess the predisposing factors for urinary retention in women with OAB after intravesical Botox injection. METHODS: All participants were women of European descent with idiopathic OAB. OnabotulinumtoxinA (100 U) was administered in 20 intra-detrusor injections. Analysis was performed based on the results of safety assessments made during follow-up (FU) visits on weeks 2, 4 and 12, in 208 women who were treated with Botox injections for refractory OAB and who completed all FU visits. RESULTS: Women who required clean intermittent self-catheterisation (CISC) and those with post-void residual (PVR) greater than 200 ml were older in comparison with patients with PVR between 50 and 200 ml. Patients who required CISC were also characterised by higher parity and particularly by a higher number of vaginal deliveries. Other factors such as body mass index or comorbidities did not significantly influence PVR and the risk of CISC. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly and/or multiparous women are at increased risk of urinary retention after intravesical 100-U Botox injections. The risk of new onset urine retention in our study has completely disappeared 2 weeks after Botox injections. Based on our results of the way in which the PVRs have changed over time, we can conclude that OAB patients should be optimally assessed during the first 2 weeks after Botox injections.

Perspectives for the pharmacological treatment of overactive bladder syndrome.

It has been found that antimuscarinic drugs, viewed as the "gold standard" in overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) treatment, have an unsatisfactory tolerance profile and limited clinical effectiveness. This fact has given a clear impetus to search for new options in OAB pharmacotherapy. The conducted pre-clinical trials have led to the development of new solutions for the treatment of OAB, which stand a good chance of being applied in clinical practice. The said compounds are characterised by higher receptor and organ specificity than currently used medications.

Effectiveness of botulinum toxin injection in the treatment of de novo OAB symptoms following midurethral sling surgery.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Intravesical onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox®) is effective for idiopathic overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms. Our primary objective was to compare the efficacy of onabotulinumtoxinA for women with de novo OAB after midurethral sling (MUS) surgery and women with idiopathic OAB. METHODS: Women enrolled in this prospective study had idiopathic (n = 53) or de novo (n = 49) OAB symptoms after MUS, with at least one episode of urgency urine incontinence per day. OnabotulinumtoxinA (100 U) was administered in 20 intradetrusor injections. Postvoid residual volumes were checked at 2, 4 and 12 weeks. Participants completed a 3-day bladder diary and the King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) before and 12 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: After 12 weeks, 22 patients (41.5 %) in the idiopathic OAB and 19 patients (38.8 %) in the de novo OAB groups were completely dry. OnabotulinumtoxinA injections had a significant benefit within both groups (p <0.001) to decrease both the daily numbers of voids (-2.39 and -2.0) and incontinence episodes (-1.38 and -1.44), with no significant difference between groups. We observed an increase of mean voided volume of >90 ml in both groups. Urinary retention was observed in four patients. CONCLUSIONS: We observed similar improvement in OAB symptoms after intravesical onabotulinumtoxinA injections within both groups. The rates of retention and requirement for catheterization even for women with a prior MUS were acceptable. These observational data provide evidence that onabotulinumtoxinA can effectively treat patients with OAB following stress urinary incontinence surgery.

Prevalence of common comorbidities among urogynaecological patients.

OBJECTIVES: Due to prolonged life expectancy, regardless of the fact that elderly women are more likely to suffer from comorbidities, urogynaecologists worldwide should expect a growing demand for counseling and effective treatment for patients with pelvic floor defects. The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence of popular comorbidities among urogynaecological patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The retrospective analysis included clinical data of 4,065 consecutive female patients who under-went surgical treatment in the 2nd Department of Gynaecology at the Medical University of Lublin due to urogynaecological disorders between January 2005 and December 2014. Patients were divided into two groups (< 65 years and ≥ 65 years). The vast majority of patients affected by stress urinary incontinence were treated with mid-urethral slings. Most of patients affected by pelvic organ prolapse underwent reconstructive vaginal surgery with reinforcement using anterior and/or pos-terior meshes. Statistical analysis was performed using STATISTICA 10.0 PL (unpaired Student t-test, U Mann Whitney, χ2 test). RESULTS: In both study groups, overweight and obesity were the most common disorders affecting urogynaecological patients (72.6% overall). Furthermore, the elderly patients suffered more often from the most common comorbidities, such as hypertension (p < 0.01), coronary artery disease (p < 0.001) and diabetes mellitus (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Common comorbidities such as overweight and obesity, followed by hypertension and coronary heart diseases, are usual among urogynaecological patients. Changes in lifestyle leading to a decrease in obesity should be considered as an important line treatment when counselling urogynaecological patients.

Hysterectomy trends for benign indications over a 15-year period in an academic teaching center in Poland: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate changes in the operative trends for various types of hysterectomy due to benign indications, between 2001 and 2015, at the 2nd Department of Gynecology, Medical University of Lublin, as compared to the National Health Service (NHS) registry in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Data from the Internal Hospital Discharge Registry and Pathological Results Registry have been compared to the NHS database, which has been available nationwide since 2009. RESULTS: The study group included 5629 women who underwent hysterectomy due to benign indications. During the study period, the following number of procedures were performed: total abdominal hysterectomy - 344 (6.11%), total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy - 1760 (31.27%), total vaginal hysterectomy - 563 (10.00%), subtotal abdominal hysterectomy - 2536 (45.05%), and laparoscopically-assisted subtotal hysterectomy (LASH) - 426 (7.57%). The abdominal route, with the preference for subtotal abdominal hysterectomy, was the main approach to hysterectomy. Symptomatic fibroids were the most common indication for the procedure. Comparison of data collected over the last five years revealed a significant difference in the approach to hysterectomy in favor of subtotal abdominal hysterectomy (SAH) and LASH. CONCLUSIONS: Less invasive techniques of hysterectomy (LASH, SAH), which are the preferred choice at the 2nd Department of Gynecology (Lublin), are safe and effective options of treating benign conditions. We are of the opinion that these ap-proaches should be offered to patients instead of more radical techniques. Proper training of physicians may influence the decision-making process in favor of minimally invasive techniques.

Urinary incontinence after hysterectomy- does type of surgery matter?

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of different types of hysterectomy on the development of postoperative urinary incontinence (UI). Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of 392 women who underwent supracervical laparoscopic hysterectomy (SLH), total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH), supervical abdominal hysterectomy (SH), or vaginal hysterectomy (VH) for benign indications 2010 and 2013. The patients reported no UI-related complaints before surgery. UI status was assessed 12 months postoperatively using the cough test and the 24-hour pad test. Results: UI developed within 12 months after surgery in 149 (38%) out of 392 women. No statistically significant correlation between the type of treatment and UI incidence was detected. The percentage of patients affected by UI did not differ between the study groups. Conclusions: Hysterectomy constitutes a risk factor for the development of urinary incontinence but the occurrence of postoperative UI does not depend on the type of surgery.

Power morcellation for women undergoing laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy - safety of procedure and clinical experience from 426 cases.

OBJECTIVES: Minimally invasive gynaecological surgeries are performed for several malignant and nonmalignant indications. The aim of our study was to evaluate the rate of unexpected malignancies among women who underwent laparoscopical supracervical hysterectomy (LASH) with power morcellation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The retrospective analysis included clinical data of 426 consecutive female patients who underwent LASH with power morcellation due to presumed benign disorders (78.4% - symptomatic uterine fibromas, 12.7% - abnormal uterine bleeding, 8.9% - suspicion of uterine adenomyosis) between January 2011 and December 2015. Pre-malignant or malignant preoperative abnormalities in the cervix and the uterine corpus were contraindications for LASH. RESULTS: The unexpected malignancies were found in four patients from study group: one ovarian cancer located on the inner part of simple ovarian cyst and 3 endometrial carcinomas (0.9%) were documented. All these patients underwent abdominal reoperations and no histological abnormalities were detected in the extirpated cervix and adnexa. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of unintended endometrial carcinoma in morcellated uterus after LASH was relatively small. However, careful pre-operative counseling should be undertaken in order to exclude the possibility of any malignant disease in uteri among women scheduled to power morcellation.