Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pediatric and Adolescent ASCVD Risk Factors.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In this review, we provide insight into and raise awareness of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevalence of acquired atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk factors in adolescents. We highlight data that could be used to guide the response to a future pandemic with the goal of reducing premature cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related morbidity and premature mortality. RECENT FINDINGS: During the global COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals, including youth, voluntarily or were mandated to alter the usual lifestyle in order to limit exposure and reduce the spread of the virus. Some of these changes resulted in unintended consequences, particularly acquisition of risk factors such as excessive weight gain, insulin resistance/diabetes, and dyslipidemia, commonly associated with ASCVD. A study from China examined changes in the prevalence of obesity and found a 2.4% rise attributable to the pandemic. Adequate daily physical activity plays an important role in ASCVD risk reduction. A systematic review and meta-analysis showed a 20% (90% CI, -34 to -4%) reduction in physical activity from before vs. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another study of patients with type 2 diabetes found the mean HbA1c was significantly elevated during the COVID-19 pandemic (7.53 ± 1.02% in 2020) compared with the previous 2 years. In addition, there has been an alarming rise of childhood mental health concerns and suicide during the pandemic. Early identification and optimum management of CVD risk factors play an important role helping prevent future cardiovascular disease. Following the rapid spread of the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11th, 2020. In an attempt to avoid infection and reduce the spread of the virus, many alterations in lifestyle were adopted on an international scale. While necessary, these modifications resulted in many adverse unintended health consequences in children and adolescents. This paper reviews the impact of the pandemic and the associated lifestyle changes on the prevalence of acquired atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk factors in youth. In addition to providing insight, we hope to raise awareness of the pandemic's impact, and highlight specific data that could be used to guide the response to a future pandemic.

Maternal and neonatal outcomes of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with increased pregnancy complications. Despite effective vaccination strategies for the general population, the evidence on the safety and efficacy of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations in pregnancy is limited due to a lack of well-powered studies. The present study compares the maternal, neonatal, and immunological outcomes between vaccinated pregnant and unvaccinated pregnant women using a systematic review and meta-analysis approach. We included 37 studies with a total of 141,107 pregnant women (36.8% vaccinated) spread across all outcomes. Our evidence indicates a higher rate of cesarean section in the 1898 vaccinated pregnant women compared to the 6180 women who did not receive vaccination (OR = 1.20, CI = (1.05, 1.38), P = 0.007, I2 = 45%). Regarding immunological outcomes, the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy or postpartum was significantly reduced in 6820 vaccinated pregnant women compared to 17,010 unvaccinated pregnant women (OR = 0.25, CI = 0.13-0.48, P < 0.0001, I2 = 61%), as evident from qualitative assessment indicating significantly higher postpartum antibody titers compared to that observed in both unvaccinated mothers and mothers who have recently recovered from a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our analysis represents high quality evidence showing that COVID-19 vaccination effectively raises antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2. This may confer protection against infection during pregnancy and the postpartum period. In addition to being protective against SARS-CoV-2, the vaccine was associated with decreased odds of preterm delivery. Furthermore, COVID-19 vaccination may also be associated with higher odds of cesarean section.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of gabapentin in chronic female pelvic pain without another diagnosis.

Background: While widely used for the treatment of chronic pelvic pain, limited data exists on efficacy of gabapentin, especially in the subgroup of women suffering from chronic pelvic pain without a known diagnosis, such as endometriosis. Objective: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of gabapentin when administered to women with chronic pelvic pain without another diagnosis. Study Design: We performed a Systematic Review and Meta Analysis including all controlled clinical trials addressing the use of gabapentin for the treatment of chronic pelvic pain without another diagnosis. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.Gov, MEDLINE, and The Cochrane Library from inception of each database to April 30, 2021. We included all the studies that fulfilled the following criteria: (1) population: women suffering from chronic pelvic pain without another identified diagnosis (such as endometriosis); (2) intervention: gabapentin (regardless of the dosage); (3) comparator:placebo; (4) outcomes: pain score (visual analog scale) after 3 months and pain score (visual analog scale) after 6 months as primary outcomes; and (5) study design: we only included randomized or controlled clinical trials. Our exclusion criteria included (1) uncontrolled clinical trials, (2) studies that did not report data or measures for any of our selected outcomes, (3) studies that included patients with surgically or clinically diagnosed endometriosis, or (4) studies with no full-text manuscript available. Risk of bias assessment was performed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. We analyzed dichotomous outcomes as percentages and totals, whereas continuous outcomes were analyzed using mean difference, standard deviations, and relative 95% confidence intervals using the inverse variance method. Results: We included 4 placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials. Analysis was hindered because half of the studies (n=2) used the visual analog scale pain score and the other half (n=2) used the numerical rating scale. The analysis showed that when compared with the placebo, gabapentin significantly lowered the visual analog scale pain score at 3 months (mean difference, 0.79; 1.23 to 0.35; P=.005) and 6 months (mean difference, 1.68; 2.30 to 1.05; P=.001) and the numerical rating scale pain score at 3 months (mean difference, 0.20; 0.25 to 0.15; P=.001). However, in terms of the numerical rating scale pain score after 6 months, the 2 groups showed no significant difference (mean difference, 0.27; 0.80 to 0.26; P=.32). CONCLUSION: Gabapentin may hold benefit for the management of chronic pelvic pain, with significant improvement in pain seen in both scales at 3 months when compared with the placebo, but only in the visual analog scale group at 6 months of usage. Secondary to the differences in the nature of the 2 scales, a further weighted combined analysis was not possible.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of COVID-19 maternal and neonatal clinical features and pregnancy outcomes up to June 3, 2021.

OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 is a rapidly changing and developing emergency that requires constant re-evaluation of available data. We report a systematic review and meta-analysis based on all published high-quality data up to and including June 3, 2021 on the maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women infected with COVID-19. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, SCOPUS, MEDLINE, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Web of Science databases were queried from inception up to June 3, 2021. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included all clinical studies (prospective and retrospective cohort studies, case-control studies, case series, and rapid communications) that reported data on any maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnant women with COVID-19. METHODS: The data were analyzed as pooled proportions or odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals in meta-analysis models. RESULTS: We included 111 studies enrolling 42,754 COVID-19-positive pregnant women. From COVID-19-positive pregnant women, the incidence rates were 53.2% (95% confidence interval, 48-58.4) for cesarean delivery, 41.5% (95% confidence interval, 36.3-46.8) for spontaneous vaginal delivery, and 6.4% (95% confidence interval, 4.5-9.2) for operative delivery. The rates of some adverse neonatal events, including premature delivery (16.7%; 95% confidence interval, 12.8-21.5) and low birthweight (16.7%; 95% confidence interval, 12.8-21.5) were relatively high in mothers infected with COVID-19. Vertical transmission (3.5%; 95% confidence interval, 2.7-4.7), neonatal death (3%; 95% confidence interval, 2-4), stillbirth (1.9%; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-2.4), and maternal mortality (0.012%; 95% confidence interval, 0.010-0.014) were rare adverse events. The mean birthweight was 3069.7 g (95% confidence interval, 3009.7-3129.8 g). In the comparative analysis, COVID-19 significantly increased the risk of premature delivery (odds ratio, 1. 48 [95% confidence interval, 1.22-1.8]), preeclampsia (odds ratio, 1.6 [95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.1]), stillbirth (odds ratio, 2.36 [95% confidence interval, 1.24-4.462]), neonatal mortality (odds ratio, 3.35 [95% confidence interval, 1.07-10.5]), and maternal mortality (odds ratio, 3.08 [95% confidence interval, 1.5-6.3]). The pooled analyses were homogenous, with mild heterogeneity in premature delivery and preeclampsia outcomes. CONCLUSION: The data must be interpreted with caution as limited data are available, and no complete assessment of bias is possible at this time. Our data suggest that pregnant women who test positive for COVID-19 seem to be at a higher risk of lower birth weights and premature delivery. There is no evidence at this time of the sharply increased maternal mortality that was seen previously with both the 2003 SARS and 2012 MERS pandemics.

Efficacy of laparoscopic and trans-abdominal cerclage (TAC) in patients with cervical insufficiency: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cervical insufficiency (CI) may result in preterm delivery. We sought out to perform this review and analysis to compare the efficacy of laparoscopic and open transabdominal cerclage (TAC) in patients suffering with CI. METHODS: Our search included PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, ClinicalTrials.Gov, Cochrane and Web of Science. We analyzed the data with Open Meta-Analyst Software as well as Review Manager Software. We included observational and randomized controlled trials that included patients with CI that underwent laparoscopic cerclage or TAC. RESULTS: We included a total of 43 studies. Laparoscopic and TAC had a positive effect by increasing gestational age (GA); for the laparoscopic group (mean deviation (MD)) = 14.86 weeks (W), 95% CI [10.67, 19.05], P < 0.001) and TAC (MD = 12.79 W, 95% CI [10.97, 14.61], P < 0.001). Furthermore, improvements in all outcomes assessed (total fetal survival rate, neonatal weight, and prevention of delivery at a gestational age of<24 weeks) were all significant with the exception of the prevention of all preterm deliveries<37 weeks; for both laparoscopic at (RR = 0.116, 95% CI [-0.006, 0.238], P = 0.063) and TAC at (MD = 1, 95% CI [0.45, 2.24], P = 1), and for prevention of deliveries<34 weeks for the laparoscopic group (RR = 0.446, 95% CI [-0.323, 1.215], P = 0.256) only. CONCLUSIONS: Although limited data prevented pregnancy and prepregnancy subgroups as well as a head-to-head comparison, we still found that in patients suffering from CI, both TAC and laparoscopic approaches to cerclage revealed a positive effect in preserving the pregnancy.

Birth Outcomes of Neonates Exposed to Marijuana in Utero: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: While some studies have found an association between marijuana use and adverse neonatal outcomes, results have not been consistent across all trials. Objective: To assess available data on neonatal outcomes in marijuana-exposed pregnancies. Data Sources: PubMed, Medline, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from each database's inception until August 16, 2021. Study Selection: All interventional and observational studies that included pregnant women who were exposed to marijuana compared with pregnant women who were not exposed to marijuana and that reported neonatal outcomes were included. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Reporting followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guideline. Data were extracted by 2 authors for all outcomes, which were pooled using a random-effects model as mean difference or risk ratio (RR) and 95% CI. Data were analyzed from August through September 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures: All outcomes were formulated prior to data collection. Outcomes included incidence of birth weight less than 2500 g, small for gestational age (defined as less than the fifth percentile fetal weight for gestational age), rate of preterm delivery (defined as before 37 weeks' gestation), gestational age at time of delivery, birth weight, incidence of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, Apgar score at 1 minute, Apgar score at 5 minutes, incidence of an Apgar score less than 7 at 5 minutes, fetal head circumference, and fetal length. Results: Among 16 studies including 59 138 patients, there were significant increases in 7 adverse neonatal outcomes among women who were exposed to marijuana during pregnancy vs those who were not exposed during pregnancy. These included increased risk of birth weight less than 2500 g (RR, 2.06 [95% CI, 1.25 to 3.42]; P = .005), small for gestational age (RR, 1.61 [95% CI, 1.44 to 1.79]; P < .001), preterm delivery (RR, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.16 to 1.42]; P < .001), and NICU admission (RR, 1.38 [95% CI, 1.18 to 1.62]; P < .001), along with decreased mean birth weight (mean difference, -112.30 [95% CI, -167.19 to -57.41] g; P < .001), Apgar score at 1 minute (mean difference, -0.26 [95% CI, -0.43 to -0.09]; P = .002), and infant head circumference (mean difference, -0.34 [95% CI, -0.63 to -0.06] cm; P = .02). Conclusions and Relevance: This study found that women exposed to marijuana in pregnancy were at a significantly increased risk of some adverse neonatal outcomes. These findings suggest that increasing awareness about these risks may be associated with improved outcomes.

Two-Port Laparoscopic Removal of Large Ovarian Cystadenoma.

An ovarian mucinous cystadenoma is a common benign tumour of the ovary that tends to reach very large sizes. Although traditional morcellation in the abdominal cavity is largely avoided in gynaecologic surgery, several authors have proposed other systems and techniques for the removal of large masses without resorting to laparotomy. We proposed an extremely minimally invasive technique to remove a large mass with a very low suspicion of malignancy, and created a video demonstration of the procedure. In this short film we illustrate our novel technique using only 2 laparoscopic ports, which maximizes both cosmesis and speed of recovery. The technique is not a completely closed system, therefore the potential for spreading an undiagnosed malignancy still exists. Accordingly, the authors do not suggest this technique for masses with a high potential for malignancy. However, in properly consented patients where there is very little suspicion for malignancy, our technique may be a reasonable option to promote fast recovery and provide excellent cosmesis.

Efficacy of hyoscine in pain management during hysteroscopy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant clinical trials from full-text, scientific journal archives to assess the efficacy of hyoscine for the management of pain during in-office hysteroscopy (OH) procedures. Cochrane CENTRAL, ClinicalTrials.Gov, MEDLINE, PubMed, SCOPUS and the Web of Science were searched for all clinical trials that matched our search criteria. A full assessment of bias was made using the Cochrane Group tool-set. The following outcomes were included: visual analogue scale (VAS) score for postoperative pain, postoperative need for analgesia, and procedure time. In the case of homogeneous data, the analysis was performed using a fixed effects system, and the random effects system was used with heterogeneous data. Inclusion criteria included only randomized clinical trials, and interventions that included patients receiving hyoscine-N-Butyl Bromide during OH, regardless of dose or mode of administration, and compared this with placebo. Three clinical trials were included. The actual mean difference (MD) of the VAS pain score showed no significant difference between hyoscine or placebo [MD: -0.28 (-1.08, 0.52), (p=0.49)]. For postoperative analgesia, the overall MD showed no significant difference between hyoscine or placebo [MD: 0.43 (0.16, 1.14), (p=0.09)]. For procedure time, the combined effect estimate failed to show any significant difference between hyoscine and placebo [MD: -0.66 (-2.77, 1.44) (p=0.54)]. Contrary to previously published data, our meta-analysis using the latest available RCTs fails to show hyoscine as being effective in reducing pain or the need for other forms of anesthesia in OH.

Contained and uncontained morcellation in hysterectomy and myomectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

We sought to analyze all high-quality studies available regarding the possible differences in contained and uncontained techniques for morcellation of fibroids and uteri. We systematically searched PubMed, Cochrane Central, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.Gov, MEDLINE and Web of Science from September 2010 to September 2020 for our search terms. We included studies that specifically enrolled patients undergoing power morcellation myomectomy or power morcellation hysterectomy procedures. In our search, we had no restriction to age, country, or publication date. We extracted data related to study design, baseline characteristics of patients, and perioperative outcomes such as total operative time, total blood loss, and duration of hospital stay. We found no substantial difference in total operative time between contained power morcellation and uncontained manual morcellation myomectomy (p=0.52), but contained power morcellation had a significantly longer total operative time than uncontained power morcellation for hysterectomy and myomectomy [135.50 vs. 93.33 minutes, (p=0.003)]. Total blood loss was comparable for contained power morcellation versus uncontained manual morcellation myomectomy (p=0.32) and contained power morcellation versus uncontained power morcellation myomectomy or hysterectomy (p=0.91). Contained power morcellation and uncontained manual morcellation myomectomy had comparable hospital stay periods (p=0.5). Contained power morcellation leads to a longer operating time than uncontained power morcellation for both hysterectomy and myomectomy. No differences were found in comparisons of blood loss, operative time, or comparison to manual methods of morcellation.

Effect of single- and double-layer cesarean section closure on residual myometrial thickness and isthmocele - a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: To determine the incidence of isthmocele, its effect on residual myometrial thickness (RMT), and other complications of Cesarean delivery (CD) in relation to single- and double-layer CD closure. We searched PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library for relevant clinical trials assessing the use of single- and double-layer uterine closure in patients undergoing cesarean sections from inception through to March 2021. Materials and Methods: Our population was women undergoing cesarean section with uterine closure by any double-layer method, compared with those undergoing uterine closure through a single-layer method. RMT (in mm) was measured at 6 weeks, niche/isthmocele existence at 6 weeks, RMT (in mm) at 6-24 months and niche/isthmocele existence at 6-24 months. In order to present the highest quality evidence, we only included clinical trials in our analysis. To perform this review, we reported dichotomous outcomes using percent and total, while continuous outcomes were reported using mean ± standard deviations, and relative 95% confidence intervals using the inverse variance method. Results: We found that the RMT in the double-layer closure group was significantly higher at six weeks [mean difference (MD)=-0.43 (-0.77, -0.09)], (p=0.01) and at 6-24 months of follow-up [MD=-1.27 (-2.28, -0.25)], (p=0.01). The incidence of isthmocele in the two groups, as well as the other investigated outcomes were similar across the different groups. Conclusion: High-quality evidence shows that double-layer closure results in a higher RMT compared with a single-layer closure, despite no significant difference in isthmocele formation.

Complications and objective outcomes of uterine preserving surgeries for the repair of pelvic organ prolapse versus procedures removing the Uterus, a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Several authors have recently compared the outcomes and complications of surgical procedures that preserve or remove the uterus in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Following the publication of several high quality randomized control trials on this topic we performed a new systematic review and meta analysis of this data. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature search in ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, EBSCO host, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Cochrane CENTRAL for randomized controlled and cohort trials of uterine sparing prolapse repair (hysteropexy) versus hysterectomy with suspension. A total of 1285 patients from 14 studies were included in our systematic review and meta-analysis. RESULTS: Uterine sparing procedures (hysteropexy) were comparable to hysterectomy with suspension for recurrence rates (RR = 0.908, 95% CI [0.385, 2.143]), reoperation rates (RR = 1.517, 95% CI [0.802, 2.868]), length of hospital stay, (SMD =  - 0.159 days, 95% CI [-0.375, 0.057]), voiding dysfunction (RR = 1.089, 95% CI [0.695, 1.706]), and intraoperative blood loss (SMD =  - 0.339, 95% CI [-0.631, 0.047]). However, hysteropexy had shorter operative time than hysterectomy with suspension (SMD =  - 1.191 h, 95% CI [-1.836, -0.545]), and fewer visceral injuries (RR = 0.421, 95% CI [0.244, 0.725]). CONCLUSION: We found no significant differences in the outcomes or major complications of uterine preserving surgical procedures versus those which include hysterectomy in the treatment of POP. Hysteropexy procedures may be associated with a shorter operative time and fewer visceral injuries. This is consistent with older analyses.

Systematic review of the effect of implementing enhanced recovery after surgery on selected attributes of surgical recovery in gynecology

This study aimed to systematically review the available literature on enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) following gynecologic procedures performed either as an open surgery or as a minimally invasive gynecological surgery (MIGS) in terms of outcomes. This review revealed the results of published literature and assessed the benefits and diverse outcomes of ERAS implementation in patients undergoing MIGS or other gynecologic surgeries. In this review, we sought to examine the efficacy of entire ERAS protocols, faithfully performed, to determine whether they were successful in improving individual attributes of surgical recovery. Electronic databases of PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, Scopus, MEDLINE, and ClinicalTrials.gov were systematically searched in January 2021 for relevant studies. Data were extracted from eligible studies including LOS, change in the quality-of-life and recovery over time, postoperative complications including nausea and vomiting, opioid or anesthesia use, hospital cost, patient satisfaction, postoperative pain, and readmission rate as outcomes. Many of the included studies reported a significant reduction in the LOS as well as in readmission rates, hospital cost, and occurrence of nausea and vomiting postoperatively. Moreover, a clinically significant increase was noted in patient satisfaction in studies that have used tools that measure patient satisfaction. No studies have reported a significant increase in the overall quality of recovery using appropriately validated tools. Following ERAS implementation, patients' postoperative rehabilitation, including postoperative discomfort, readmission rates, and satisfaction, showed a clinically significant improvement.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Intraperitoneal Bupivacaine in Laparoscopic Gynecologic Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: We set out to evaluate whether the instillation of bupivacaine versus a saline solution into the peritoneal cavity at time of laparoscopic gynecologic surgery will reduce postoperative pain and postoperative opioid consumption. DATA SOURCES: We searched six databases: Web of Science, SCOPUS, Cochrane CENTRAL, ClinicalTrials.Gov, MEDLINE and PubMed. Our search strategy had no restriction on time or languages and included all studies that met our search algorithm up to March of 2021. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: We included only randomized trials that met our search strategy for the outcomes of 1) pain intensity 24 hours after surgery, 2) pain intensity 6 hours after surgery, and 3) length of hospital stay. TABULATION INTEGRATION AND RESULTS: We analyzed continuous data using mean difference (MD) with relative 95% confidence interval (CI). We included 8 randomized clinical trials. We found that intraperitoneal bupivacaine showed significant difference from the saline group regarding pain intensity 24 hours after surgery (MD= -0.73 [-1.10, -0.36]) (P = 0.01) and pain intensity 6 hours after surgery (MD= -1.12 [-2.22, -0.02]) (P = 0.05). Overall, patients allocated to the placebo group seemed to need other analgesics earlier than patients allocated to the bupivacaine group (MD=145.08 [51.37, 238.79] (P = 0.02)). There was no significant difference regarding the length of hospital stay (MD= -0.44 [-1.44, 0.56]) (P = 0.39). CONCLUSION: Bupivacaine significantly reduced the visual analog pain score for pain compared with that of the placebo at 6 and 24 hours postoperatively. There was no significant difference in hospital stay. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42021254268.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of all randomized controlled trials comparing gynecologic laparoscopic procedures with and without robotic assistance.

OBJECTIVE: Following the publication of several high quality randomized controlled trials regarding the comparison of similar laparoscopic gynecologic procedures being performed with or without robotic assistance, we aimed to perform a systematic review to identify any differences in patient safety and expected incidence of complications in these procedures. DATA SOURCES: Articles on ClinicalTrials.Gov, Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were retrieved and screened for eligibility up to April 1st 2021. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: In addition to meeting our screening algorithm, we included studies that met all the following: randomized control trials (RCT), enrolling patients for indicated laparoscopic gynecologic procedures, and comparing Robotic Surgery (RS) with Laparoscopic Surgery (LS) in terms of safety or complications. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: Data was pooled as mean difference (MD) or risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Ultimately, six studies were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled data revealed that RS and LS have similar risk for intraoperative complications (RR = 0.87; 95% CI [0.23, 3.36], P = 0.84), postoperative complications (RR = 1.07; 95% CI [0.57, 2.01], P = 0.83), significant intraoperative hemorrhage (RR = 1.40; 95% CI [0.59, 3.34], P = 0.44), postoperative hemorrhage (RR = 0.43; 95% CI [0.15, 1.22], P = 0.11), vaginal cuff dehiscence (RR = 1.13; 95% CI [0.24, 5.41], P = 0.88), postoperative wound infection, urinary tract infection, and urinary bladder or ureteral injury. RS had "surgeon declared" lower estimated blood loss (MD = 85.27; 95% CI [46.45, 124.09], P < 0.00001) and shorter postoperative hospital stay (MD = 1.20; 95% CI [0.38, 2.01], P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: There was a statistically significant decrease in hospital stay and "surgeon declared" blood loss seen in the RS group. There was no statistically significant increase in risk of developing other postoperative complications between the LS and R groups.

The Efficacy of Acetominophen for Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Despite limited data, acetaminophen, along with other agents, is commonly included in enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols following laparoscopic hysterectomy. We aimed to systematically review the efficacy of acetaminophen on the management of postoperative pain after laparoscopic hysterectomy. METHODS: We searched PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for relevant clinical trials investigating the role of acetaminophen in the management of pain after laparoscopic hysterectomy. We performed the risk of bias according to Cochrane's risk of bias tool. We performed the analysis of homogeneous data under the fixed-effects model during the analysis of heterogeneous data under the random-effects model. The primary outcome was the assessment of pain score after 2, 6, 12, and 24 h. RESULTS: A total of 495 patients in 13 trials were included in our meta-analysis. Acetaminophen was not superior at reducing postoperative pain scores. Further analysis at progressive temporal points revealed no further significance; effect size at after 2 h (SMD = -0.020, 95% CI (-0.216; 0.176)), 6 h (SMD = -0.115, 95% CI (-0.312; 0.083)), 12 h (SMD = -0.126, 95% CI (-0.277; 0.025)), or 24 h (SMD = 0.063, 95% CI (-0.065; 0.191)). Pooled analysis was heterogeneous (P < 0.1); therefore, we conducted a sensitivity analysis yielding homogeneous results. The drug did not reduce opioid need (MD = -0.16, 95% CI (-2.39, 2.06), P = 0.89). CONCLUSION: We conclude that acetaminophen is not beneficial for reducing pain after laparoscopic hysterectomy. Other alternatives have better results. Caution should be given to the inclusion of acetaminophen in ERAS protocols designed for laparoscopic hysterectomy, especially as a single agent or to reduce opioid consumption.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Intraoperative Bupivacaine in Gynaecologic Surgery After 24 Hours or 9 Half-Lives.

OBJECTIVE: To review all high quality available evidence regarding the effect of intraoperative bupivacaine 24 hours (or 8.9 half-lives) after intraoperative administration at time of gynaecologic surgery and to ascertain whether a second mechanism of action, beyond the initial prevention of sodium channel depolarization and blockade of nerve impulses, may be occurring. DATA SOURCES: We searched all major databases with an algorithm designed to include all randomized trials that used any form of local bupivacaine, regardless of dose or route of administration, at the time of any gynaecologic surgery and compared its use with saline placebo. RESULTS: As expected, we found that bupivacaine showed a significant improvement for all gynaecologic surgeries with respect to pain intensity at 6 hours after surgery when compared with a saline group (mean difference [MD] -1.28; 95% CI -1.96 to -0.61], P = 0.07). We also found a significant difference at 24 hours after surgery, giving evidence to the possibility of a second mechanism of action (MD -0.57; 95% CI -1.10 to -0.05], P = 0.01). Further subgroup analysis for pain levels at 24 hours showed significant decreases in pain for the laparoscopy (MD -0.74; 95% CI -0.93 to -0.54, P < 0.01) and laparotomy (MD -2.60; 95% CI -2.93 to -2.27, P < 0.01)) subgroups but not for the vaginal hysterectomy (MD 0.20; 95% CI -0.69 to 1.09, P = 0.66) or prolapse surgery (MD -0.11; 95% CI -0.41 to 0.19, P = 0.48) subgroups. There was no significant difference with respect to the length of hospital stay (MD -0.11; 95% CI -0.59 to 0.38, P = 0.67). CONCLUSION: As expected, bupivacaine significantly reduced visual analog pain scores when compared with placebo at 6 hours after surgery, but also showed a significant difference at 24 hours after surgery, giving evidence of a second mechanism of action following the initial sodium channel blockade.

Systematic review of the safety and efficacy of tramadol during office hysteroscopy

Office hysteroscopy (OH) is a common procedure in gynecology. Pain is the most frequently reported problem in OH. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of tramadol administration in relieving pain in women undergoing OH. We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for relevant clinical trials based on our search terms. We included randomized controlled trials and included all published trials in all six searched databases from their inception until February 28th 2021. We included pain as the primary outcome, and the incidence of adverse events of tramadol as secondary outcomes. We performed the analysis of continuous data using mean difference (MD) and dichotomous data using risk ratio (RR). We found that tramadol led to significantly less pain during the actual procedure [MD=-1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): (-1.66, -0.88); p<0.001], immediately after the procedure [MD=-1.03, 95% CI: (-1.40, -0.67); p<0.001], and 30 minutes after the procedure [MD=-0.74, 95% CI: (-1.06, -0.41); p<0.001]. Regarding safety endpoints, no significant difference was noted for dizziness [RR=1.88, 95% CI: (0.79, 4.47); p=0.16] or vomiting [RR=1.80, 95% CI: (0.40, 8.18); p=0.45]. Based on the available data, we conclude that tramadol administration seems to be both effective and safe for patients undergoing office hysteroscopy.

Novel oxytocin receptor antagonists for tocolysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available data on the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of retosiban.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of retosiban-a novel tocolytic unavailable in the US-in the management of preterm labor. METHODS: We searched ClinicalTrials.Gov, MEDLINE, PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for relevant clinical trials using the terms "retosiban" and "preterm labor" through 09/2020. We included all published randomized clinical trials (three) that compared retosiban to placebo for preterm labor, excluding conferences, books, reviews, posters, case reports, and animal studies. We analyzed homogeneous data under the fixed-effects model and heterogeneous data under the random-effects model. RESULTS: We included all randomized clinical trials addressing this topic, which ultimately resulted in three trials with a total of 116 patients. There were no significant differences between retosiban and placebo in births at term (RR = 0.41, p = .02), births ≤7 days from the first study treatment (RR = 0.59, p = .23), or administration of rescue tocolytic (RR = 0.36, p = .07); the maternal adverse events of headache, anemia, constipation, or urinary tract infection (p > .05); or neonatal outcomes of Apgar score at 1 min (p = .88) or 5 min (p = .69), weight (p = .23), head circumference (p = .55), malnutrition (p = .27), hyperbilirubinemia (RR = 0.56, p = .21), jaundice (RR = 1.21, p = .84), respiratory distress (RR = 0.53, p = .49), or tachypnea (RR = 0.40, p = .42). CONCLUSION: With the limited high quality evidence available, retosiban demonstrates no clear benefit over placebo in the management of preterm labor. Nevertheless, its favorable safety profile, oral bioavailability, and novel mechanism of action and the limited number of studies available for review warrant further analysis.

Complete Laparoscopic Removal and Staging of a Large Ovarian Malignancy: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Advances in minimally invasive surgery are essential for the improvement of patient care, overall health care efficiency, and total cost reductions. Morcellation, the technique used in the present case, is often used to aid minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures, whereby larger tissue specimens are broken down and divided to be removed via smaller incisions. Morcellation has become controversial in the medical community owing to the risk of the procedure spreading an occult malignancy. CASE REPORT A 47-year-old woman with obesity presented with right-sided pelvic pain and suspicion of ovarian torsion. The patient experienced severe acute pain and was taken to the operating room for laparoscopy to remove the left-sided adnexal mass seen on imaging. During surgery, there was no evidence of torsion, and the mass was perfused. During removal of the entire tumor, blunt instruments were utilized for in-bag manual morcellation to avoid spillage of the contents of the bag, which were then sent for frozen section analysis, and a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the ovary was made. Once the tumor was removed, a board-certified gynecologic oncologist was consulted to assist with the remainder of the procedure. Following this, the ovarian cancer staging procedure was able to be completed laparoscopically. CONCLUSIONS This technique of in-bag manual morcellation using blunt instruments allows laparoscopic procedures to be performed on large tissue specimens with potential malignancies without spreading cancerous tissue, overcoming the associated risks of dissemination of malignancy. This technique is therefore more beneficial to patients.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of ropivacaine use in laparoscopic hysterectomy.

To assess the efficacy of all forms of ropivacaine administration for the management of pain and opioid use, specifically in patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy. We searched PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and SCOPUS for relevant clinical trials matching our eligibility criteria. Outcomes of interest included: Pain intensity (measured either by visual analog scale score or by numerical rating scale score), QoR-40 score (Overall quality of recovery tool, designed to measure physical comfort, physical independence, pain, emotional status, and need for support), and the need for opioid rescue. We performed the analysis under the fixed-effects model for homogeneous data and random-effects model for heterogeneous data. Most heterogeneous data were solved by the leave-one-out method, in cases where this was not successful, we then proceeded to conduct at least one subgroup meta-analysis in an attempt to solve heterogeneity. We assessed the risk of bias using Cochrane's risk of bias tool. A total of five clinical trials were included. Regarding the pain score, there was no significant difference between either group [standardized mean difference=-0.17, 95% confidence interval (CI): (-0.56, 0.23); p=0.41]. The analysis of the overall RoQ40 scores favored the ropivacaine group over the control group significantly [mean difference (MD)=17.68, 95% CI: (1.48, 33.87); p<0.001]. Regarding the use of opioids, the analysis revealed no significant difference between either group [MD=-2.57, 95% CI: (-6.62, 1.49); p=0.21]. Ropivacaine administration by any method does not seem to be effective in reducing pain or reducing the need for opioid use after laparoscopic hysterectomy procedures; however, the administration did show a significant improvement in the patient's "overall quality of recovery," as measured using the QoR-40 tool.