Comparison of clinical and ultrasound examinations in assessing the parametria in patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis: a multicentre prospective study.

RESEARCH QUESTION: How do clinical rectovaginal examination and transvaginal ultrasound examination perform in the diagnosis of parametrial infiltration in patients with endometriosis? DESIGN: This was a multicentre prospective observational study. Patients with suspected deep endometriosis at clinical examination and/or at ultrasound evaluation and scheduled for surgery were included. Following multicentre multidisciplinary meetings, consensus was obtained on terms and methodology to define the parametrium at pelvic anatomy, ultrasound and surgery. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative likelihood ratios were calculated for clinical and ultrasound examinations with respect to surgery. RESULTS: In total, 195 women were selected for the present study and 164 were included in the analysis. Ultrasound examination had good to high specificity (>80%) for all parameters, except the left lateral parametrium (78.8%). The sensitivity of ultrasound examination was good to high for fixity of the right and left ovaries, uterosacral ligaments, retrocervix and rectovaginal space; and low for the anterior and lateral parametria, vagina, bladder and bowel. Clinical examination had good to high specificity for fixity of the left ovary, anterior parametrium, right uterosacral ligament, retrocervix and vagina; and low specificity for fixity of the right ovary, lateral parametrium, left uterosacral ligament and rectovaginal space. The sensitivity of clinical examination was good for the uterosacral ligaments and rectovaginal space, and low for the remaining parameters. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound examination provided good specificity for all the parameters, but sensitivity was low for the anterior and lateral parametria. Clinical examination provided good specificity for the anterior and posterior parametria, but sensitivity was low for the anterior and lateral parametria. Further prospective studies are needed to validate this methodology and confirm the results.

End-to-end versus side-to-end anastomosis after bowel resection for deep infiltrating endometriosis: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Deep infiltrating endometriosis(DIE) of the bowel may require segmental bowel resection. The subsequent reconstruction can be performed through an end-to-end(E-E) or a side-to-end (S-E)anastomosis, the latter being used in low resection due to the reduced risk of anastomotic leakage. This study aims at comparing those two anastomosis techniques in women submitted to bowel resection for DIE, in terms of post-operative morbidity and functional outcomes. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective study on women undergoing laparoscopic rectal resection for deep infiltrating endometriosis with subsequent E-E or S-E anastomosis performed according to the level of rectal resection. The two groups were compared for postoperative complication rates and functional outcomes by means of validated questionnaires. RESULTS: The study population included 30 patients undergoing a S-E anastomosis (group A), and 49 cases undergoing an E-E anastomosis (group B). No differences were found between the two groups in terms of length of hospital stay, anastomotic leakages, protective ileostomies and short-term complications. At follow up no differences were found between the two groups in terms of bowel function and pain symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: A S-E anastomosis in case of low rectal resections for DIE presents similar complication rates and functional outcomes compared with an E-E anastomosis.

Preservation of the inferior mesenteric artery in laparoscopic nerve-sparing colorectal surgery for endometriosis.

Laparoscopic rectosigmoid resection for endometriosis is usually performed with the section of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) distal to the left colic artery (low-tie ligation). This study was to determine outcomes in IMA-sparing surgery in endometriosis cases. A single-center retrospective study based on the analysis of clinical notes of women who underwent laparoscopic rectosigmoid segmental resection and IMA-sparing surgery for deep infiltrating endometriosis with bowel involvement between March the 1st, 2018 and February the 29th, 2020 in a referral hospital. During the study period, 1497 patients had major gynecological surgery in our referral center, of whom 253 (17%) for endometriosis. Of the 100 patients (39%) who had bowel endometriosis, 56 underwent laparoscopic nerve-sparing rectosigmoid segmental resection and IMA-sparing surgery was performed in 53 cases (95%). Short-term complications occurred in 4 cases (7%) without any case of anastomotic leak. Preservation of the IMA in colorectal surgery for endometriosis is feasible, safe and enables a tension-free anastomosis without an increase of postoperative complication rates.

Ultrasound Differential Diagnosis in Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis of the Urinary Tract.

Endometriosis of the urinary tract is a rare condition that may lead to severe complications. At present, the major challenge appears to be the ultrasound differential diagnosis with diseases that can afflict the ureter and the bladder. Preoperative scan findings were compared with surgical and histologic records. Twenty-three cases were selected as being of interest, as they were referred for suspected endometriosis, whereas second-level ultrasound revealed a different disease in some cases. This case series aims to help in becoming familiar with the possible differential diagnosis of lesions of the urinary tract that resemble endometriosis.

Imaging Modalities for Diagnosis of Deep Pelvic Endometriosis: Comparison between Trans-Vaginal Sonography, Rectal Endoscopy Sonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. A Head-to-Head Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: A meta-analysis, with a head-to-head approach, was carried out to compare the three most common techniques for a deep pelvic endometriosis (DPE) diagnosis. We focused on: transvaginal-sonography (TVS), magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI), and rectal-endoscopy-sonography (RES). METHODS: Electronic databases were searched from their inception until December 2018. All prospective and well-defined retrospective studies carried out in tertiary referral centers were considered. This review was reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Synthesizing Evidence from Diagnostic Accuracy Tests (SEDATE) guidelines. We considered only papers in which at least two imaging modalities were compared in the same set of patients (head-to-head approach). Meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) was performed separately for each location of interest. Bivariate or univariate approach has been applied when appropriate. We analyze the DTA of TVS vs. MRI, TVS vs. RES, and MRI vs. RES. RESULTS: Our meta-analysis (17 studies included) showed high-to-moderate DTA of TVS for all endometriosis locations (apart from recto-vaginal septum (RVS)) that were not statistically different from MRI and RES for those localized in the posterior compartment. RES results were more accurate than MRI for RS lesions but less accurate than TVS for other pelvic locations, except for RVS. CONCLUSIONS: All approaches provide good accuracy with specific strong points. Ultrasonography demonstrated a diagnostic accuracy not inferior to MRI and RES; therefore, it must be considered the primary approach for DPE diagnosis. MRI has to be considered as a valuable approach in settings where highly skilled sonographers are not available. Keypoints: (1) We confirmed the non-inferiority of TVS compared to MRI and RES for the diagnosis of specific pelvic anatomic location of endometriosis lesions. (2) Ultrasonography could be considered the primary approach for DPE diagnosis (less invasive than RES and less expensive than MRI). (3) MRI has to be considered as a valuable approach in settings where skilled sonographers are not available.

Sonographic Differential Diagnosis in Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis: The Bowel.

Up to one-third of fertile-age women with severe endometriosis suffer from colonic involvement. Transvaginal ultrasonography has become a first-line diagnostic tool for the study of the pelvis and more specifically for the diagnosis of pelvic endometriosis. Accuracy of pelvic ultrasound for deep endometriosis increases with operator experience, but the difficulties in the differential diagnosis with diseases that can afflict the bowel tract remain a challenge. We reviewed noteworthy cases referred for secondary level diagnosis suspected of bowel endometriosis in which the subsequent ultrasound led to an alternative diagnosis. This case series aims to highlight awareness for both experts and less-experienced operators the possible differential diagnoses of bowel lesions that initially resemble endometriosis.

Exploring strengths and limits of urinary D-chiro inositol phosphoglycans (IPG-P) as a screening test for preeclampsia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Preeclampsia is a severe complication of human pregnancy as it leads to significant maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity worldwide. A prompt recognition of women that develop this syndrome can improve clinical management, increase surveillance and, finally, improve outcomes. Different methods (based on history, ultrasound, serum and urinary biomarkers) were proposed a screening tests for this disease but their performance showed limited results. Urinary inositol phosphoglycans P-type (IPG-P) were shown to identify in advance most of the women who will develop preeclampsia in case-control and longitudinal studies, so we undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies. Seven studies met the entry criteria so were evaluated. All case-control studies showed excellent statistical performances in a quality statistical assessment. The meta-analysis considered three longitudinal, prospective studies that showed high sensitivity and specificity with ranges of 0.82- 0.99 and 0.90-1.00, respectively. Univariate measures of accuracy revealed a positive and negative likelihood ratio respectively of 3.61 (95% CI 1.56-5.67) and -2.35 (95% CI -3.79 to -0.91). By univariate approach, we found a pooled logarithm of diagnostic odds ratio of 6.15 (95% CI 2.64-9.67). A limitation of this analysis is that, although conducted in different settings (UK, Italy, France, South Africa, and Mauritius) and different clinical groups, they were based on a single academic group. According to our findings, IPG-P test showed very encouraging results as a rapid noninvasive screening test for preeclampsia. Further studies are needed to verify and to validate the reported findings.

Isthmocele: From Risk Factors to Management.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to perform a comprehensive review of the literature to provide a complete and clear picture of isthmocele-a hypoechoic area within the myometrium at the site of the uterine scar of a previous cesarean section-by exploring in depth every aspect of this condition. METHODS: A comprehensive review of the literature was performed to identify the most relevant studies about this topic. RESULTS: Every aspect of isthmocele has been studied and described: pathophysiology, clinical symptoms, classification, and diagnosis. Its treatment, both medical and surgical, has also been reported according to the actual literature data. CONCLUSION: Cesarean section is the most common surgical procedure performed worldwide, and one of the consequences of this technique is isthmocele. A single and systematic classification of isthmocele is needed to improve its diagnosis and management. Further studies should be performed to better understand its pathogenesis.

OBJETIVO: O objetivo do presente estudo foi realizar uma revisão abrangente da literatura a fim de fornecer um quadro completo e claro da istmocele­uma área hipoecoica dentro do miométrio no local da cicatriz uterina de uma cesariana anterior­aprofundando todos os aspectos desta condição MéTODOS: Uma revisão abrangente da literatura foi realizada para identificar os estudos mais relevantes sobre este tema. RESULTADOS: Todos os aspectos da istmocele foram estudados e descritos: fisiopatologia, sintomas clínicos, classificação e diagnóstico. Os tratamentos médico e cirúrgico também foram relatados de acordo com os dados reais da literatura. CONCLUSãO: A cesárea é o procedimento cirúrgico mais comum realizado em todo o mundo, e uma das consequências desta técnica é a istmocele. Uma classificação única e sistemática da istmocele é necessária para melhorar seu diagnóstico e manejo. Novos estudos devem ser realizados para melhor entender sua patogênese.

Isthmocele: from risk factors to management / Istmocele: de fatores de risco ao manejo

Abstract Objective The aim of the present study was to perform a comprehensive review of the literature to provide a complete and clear picture of isthmocele-a hypoechoic area within themyometriumat the site of the uterine scar of a previous cesarean section-by exploring in depth every aspect of this condition. Methods A comprehensive review of the literature was performed to identify the most relevant studies about this topic. Results Every aspect of isthmocele has been studied and described: pathophysiology, clinical symptoms, classification, and diagnosis. Its treatment, both medical and surgical, has also been reported according to the actual literature data. Conclusion Cesarean section is the most common surgical procedure performed worldwide, and one of the consequences of this technique is isthmocele. A single and systematic classification of isthmocele is needed to improve its diagnosis and management. Further studies should be performed to better understand its pathogenesis.

Resumo Objetivo O objetivo do presente estudo foi realizar uma revisão abrangente da literatura a fim de fornecer um quadro completo e claro da istmocele-uma área hipoecoica dentro domiométrio no local da cicatriz uterina de uma cesariana anterior- aprofundando todos os aspectos desta condição Métodos Uma revisão abrangente da literatura foi realizada para identificar os estudos mais relevantes sobre este tema. Resultados Todos os aspectos da istmocele foram estudados e descritos: fisiopatologia, sintomas clínicos, classificação e diagnóstico. Os tratamentos médico e cirúrgico também foram relatados de acordo com os dados reais da literatura. Conclusão A cesárea é o procedimento cirúrgico mais comum realizado em todo o mundo, e uma das consequências desta técnica é a istmocele. Uma classificação única e sistemática da istmocele é necessária para melhorar seu diagnóstico e manejo. Novos estudos devem ser realizados para melhor entender sua patogênese.

Prevalence of Infections After In-Office Hysteroscopy in Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Women.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of infection after diagnostic and operative hysteroscopic procedures performed in an in-office setting with different distension media (saline solution or CO2). DESIGN: Prospective, multicenter, observational study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: Tertiary women's health centers. PATIENTS: A total of 42,934 women who underwent hysteroscopy between 2015 and 2017. INTERVENTIONS: Of the 42,934 patients evaluated, 34,248 underwent a diagnostic intervention and 8686 underwent an operative intervention; 17,973 procedures used CO2 and 24,961 used saline solution as a distension medium. Patients were contacted after the procedure to record postprocedure symptoms suggestive of infection, including 2 or more of the following signs occurring within the 3 weeks after hysteroscopy: fever; lower abdominal pain; uterine, adnexal, or cervical motion tenderness; purulent leukorrhea; vaginal discharge or itchiness; and dysuria. Vaginal culture, clinical evaluation, transvaginal ultrasound, and histological evaluation were completed to evaluate symptoms. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Operative hysteroscopies comprised polypectomies (n = 7125; 82.0%), metroplasty (n = 731; 15.0%), myomectomy (n = 378; 7.8%), and tubal sterilization (n = 194; 4.0%). Twenty-five of the 42,934 patients (0.06%) exhibited symptoms of infection, including 24 patients (96%) with fever, 11 (45.8%) with fever as a single symptom, 7 (29.2%) with fever with pelvic pain, and 10 (41.7%) with fever with dysuria. In 5 patients with fever and pelvic pain, clinical examination and transvaginal ultrasound revealed monolateral or bilateral tubo-ovarian abscess. In these patients, histological examination from surgical specimens revealed the presence of endometriotic lesions. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that routine antibiotic prophylaxis is not necessary before hysteroscopy because the prevalence of infections following in-office hysteroscopy is low (0.06%).

Effects of adenomyosis on obstetric outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Several studies investigated the correlation between adenomyosis and adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, the role of adenomyosis as a risk factor for adverse outcomes has yet to be established. The aim of this systematic review is to clarify the possible association between uterine adenomyosis and poor obstetrical outcomes. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Numerous studies have demonstrated that adenomyosis increased miscarriage rate, preterm birth and preterm premature rupture of membranes. We conducted a systematic review on the effects of adenomyosis during pregnancy on obstetric outcomes. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Four studies were included for qualitative analysis, we excluded the studies in which adenomyosis was associated to endometriosis. Overall, included studies showed that the patients with adenomyosis have an increased risk of some poor obstetrical outcomes, such as miscarriage, preterm birth, premature rupture of membrane, small gestational age, hypetensive disorders and malpresentation. CONCLUSIONS: The potential consequences of adenomyosis during pregnancy are difficult to evaluate because, now, there are few data available concerning adenomyosis and major obstetrical complications and because the study populations of those studies were small. Our results suggest that women with adenomyosis have needed of a prenatal management in a tertiary center.

Primary Vaginal Adenosarcoma With Sarcomatous Overgrowth Arising in Recurrent Endometriosis: Feasibility of Laparoscopic Treatment and Review of the Literature.

We report a case of a primary vaginal adenosarcoma with sarcomatous overgrowth in a postmenopausal 58-year-old woman with recurrent endometriosis. In the past 5 years she underwent several biopsies of a polypoid lesion on the vaginal cuff, and the last histologic examination of the biopsy showed an adenosarcoma with "sarcomatous overgrowth" in a background of endometriosis. There was no evidence of distant metastatic disease on the diagnostic workup, and we performed a laparoscopy to remove the pelvic mass. We reviewed the literature on the electronic databases Medline, Embase, and Science Direct on articles published in English from 1990 to 2015. We identified 5 articles in which the surgical treatment was performed via a laparotomic approach. The present case is the first in the literature to report feasibility of laparoscopic treatment for this kind of pathology with a detailed description of the surgical technique.

A New Hysteroscopic Risk Scoring System for Diagnosing Endometrial Hyperplasia and Adenocarcinoma.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To develop a new hysteroscopic morphologic scoring system that helps physicians, especially those who have less experience, to make a differential diagnosis among normal endometrium (NE), endometrial hyperplasia, and endometrial carcinoma. DESIGN: A retrospective study (Canadian Task Force Classification II). SETTING: An office hysteroscopy service. PATIENTS: A total of 435 endometrial biopsies were included in the study: 201 NE, 160 endometrial hyperplasia without atypia (EH), 30 atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH), and 44 endometrial cancer (EC). INTERVENTIONS: The authors retrospectively evaluated all videos of diagnostic hysteroscopies performed before endometrial biopsies to note endometrial morphologic parameters suggestive of pathology. Principal significant variables were selected by means of the chi-square test (p < .05) and integrated into an ordinal multivariate analysis. Through the estimate of the beta coefficient, a score was obtained to be appointed to each of the selected variables, and characteristic intervals of each of the endometrial lesions were created. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The scoring system showed a sensitivity and specificity of 71.1% and 80%, 48.7% and 82.5%, 63.3% and 90.4%, and 95.4% and 98.2% regarding NE, EH, AEH, and EC, respectively. The positive predictive values and negative predictive values, respectively, were 76.8% and 80% for NE, 62% and 73.5% for EH, 32.7% and 97% for AEH, and 85.7% and 99.5% for EC. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed scoring system showed good diagnostic performance, especially in relation to endometrial cancer, and may represent a useful diagnostic tool, mainly for operators with less experience.

Laparoscopic Radiofrequency Thermal Ablation for Uterine Adenomyosis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Symptomatic uterine adenomyosis, unresponsive to medical therapy, is a challenging condition for patients who desire to preserve their uterus. This study was an evaluation of the feasibility and efficacy of laparoscopic radiofrequency thermal ablation of symptomatic nodular uterine adenomyosis. METHODS: Fifteen women with symptomatic nodular adenomyosis, who had no plans for pregnancy but declined hysterectomy, underwent radiofrequency thermal ablation. Ultrasonography was performed at baseline and at postoperative follow-ups at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. The impact of uterine adenomyosis-related symptoms was assessed according to the visual analog scale. RESULTS: The median number of nodular lesions treated per patient was 1 (range, 1-2). The median baseline volume of the adenomyosis area was 60 cm(3) (range, 18-128). The median reduction in volume was 32, 49.4, 59.6, and 65.4% at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, respectively. A significant progressive improvement in the symptoms score was observed at the 4 follow-ups. CONCLUSION: In this study, laparoscopic radiofrequency thermal ablation reduced uterine adenomyosis-related symptoms and volume, with significant relief of symptoms.

Rare case of giant cystic adenomyoma mimicking a uterine malformation, diagnosed and treated by hysteroscopy.

We describe a case of giant cystic uterine adenomyoma that was diagnosed and treated by hysteroscopy. In a 27-year-old woman with menometrorrhagia, severe dysmenorrhea, and chronic pelvic pain, pelvic ultrasonography revealed an enlarged uterine cavity filled with homogeneous low echogenic fluid content. A large cornual hematometra of 8.0 cm in diameter in a bicornuate uterus was suspected, and this hypothesis was also supported by magnetic resonance imaging findings. On the contrary, hysteroscopy revealed a bilocular huge cystic lesion of the posterior uterine wall that was removed by means of monopolar loop resection. The operative finding and the histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of cystic adenomyoma of the uterus. Hysteroscopy may represent a valid tool for diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment of cystic adenomyoma, including those of large volume. Its use is helpful in differential diagnosis between cystic adenomyoma and uterine malformations as a possible cause of pelvic pain.

Cyclic sciatica in a patient with deep monolateral endometriosis infiltrating the right sciatic nerve.

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVE: To show by case presentation, the potential for endometriosis to infiltrate the somatic nerves causing lower extremity neuropathic pain and to discuss possible surgical remedy and the effectiveness of laparoscopic neurolysis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Pelvic endometriosis may infiltrate the pelvic wall and somatic nerves causing severe neuropathic symptoms. METHODS: We report a case of a 41-year-old woman with a history of severe dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and chronic pelvic pain with concomitant monolateral right sciatica because of deep infiltrating pelvic endometriosis involving the sciatic nerve and pelvic wall. RESULTS: The patient was treated by laparoscopic neurolysis of the involved somatic nerves according to the Possover operation. CONCLUSIONS: Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease, potentially infiltrating the somatic nerves. Laparoscopic neurolysis is a therapeutic aetiological therapy, which can relieve neurological symptoms deriving from nerve infiltration/compression.

Laparoscopical management of cornual pregnancies: a report of three cases.

OBJECTIVE: Cornual pregnancy refers to the implantation and development of a gestation in one of the upper and lateral portions of the uterus; authors report their experience in laparoscopic therapeutic procedures on three singleton cornual pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN: Three healthy women were admitted in General Hospitals with suspect of cornual pregnancies by clinical examination, increasing of beta-hCG value and transvaginal ultrasonography. One of them had a haemoperitoneum. Surgeons performed all operative laparoscopies, by incision and enucleating of ectopic cornual mass, coagulating of its surrounding vessels and suturing of the uterine incision site. RESULTS: Patients were successfully treated only by laparoscopy, post-operative recovery period was normal in all women, with no further therapeutically intervention in the follow-up course. The aftermath was uneventful at the follow-up of 2 years. CONCLUSION: In cornual pregnancies, the minimally invasive surgical treatment by salpingotomy or resection of the cornual region of the uterus and the suturing of the incision site, should be the option in women interested in future fertility.