The association of endosalpingiosis with chronic pelvic pain.

BACKGROUND: Endosalpingiosis is a pathologic diagnosis of ectopic epithelium resembling the fallopian tubes. It has been described with clinical characteristics that are similar to endometriosis. The primary objective is to determine if endosalpingiosis (ES) has a similar association with chronic pelvic pain when compared to endometriosis (EM). METHODS: This is a retrospective case-control analysis of patients with a histologic diagnosis of endosalpingiosis or endometriosis at three affiliated academic hospitals between 2000 and 2020. All ES patients were included, and 1:1 matching was attempted to obtain a comparable EM cohort. Demographic and clinical data were obtained, and statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 967 patients (515 ES and 452 EM) were included. ES patients were significantly older than EM patients (median age 52 vs. 48 years, P<0.001), but other demographic variables were similar. Fewer ES patients had baseline chronic pelvic pain than EM patients (25.3% vs. 47%, P<0.001), and patients with ES were less likely to undergo surgery for the primary indication of pelvic pain (16.1% vs. 35.4%, P<0.001). Pelvic pain as the surgical indication remained lower in the ES group in multivariable analysis (OR=0.49, P<0.001). There were similar rates of persistent postoperative pain between ES and EM groups (10.1% vs. 13.5%, P=0.109). CONCLUSIONS: Although endosalpingiosis can be associated with chronic pelvic pain, the incidence of pain is significantly lower than in patients who have endometriosis. These findings suggest that ES is a unique condition that differs from EM. Further research including long-term follow-up and patient-reported outcomes is imperative.

Robot-assisted Laparoscopic Excision of Abdominal Wall Endometrioma Utilizing Intraoperative Ultrasound and Transabdominal Needle Placement.

OBJECTIVE: In patients with endometriosis, extra pelvic endometriosis is estimated to have an incidence of 11% and a rare subset of extra pelvic lesions include abdominal wall endometriosis with an incidence of 0.03% to 3.5% [1,2]. Evaluation for and surgical management of abdominal wall endometriosis are an essential skill set for the advanced gynecologic surgeon. In this video, we demonstrate a surgical technique for robot-assisted laparoscopic excision of abdominal wall endometriosis with intraoperative ultrasound-guided needle placement. DESIGN: Description and demonstration of surgical technique. SETTING: A patient with previous history of 2 cesarean sections and right lower quadrant cyclic abdominal wall pain; a tertiary care, academic center. INTERVENTIONS: Intraoperative ultrasound-guided needle placement to map location and boundaries of the lesion followed by minimally invasive resection of the lesion with the intermittent advancement and withdrawal of needles to confirm clear margins. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive resection of abdominal wall endometriosis using intraoperative ultrasound-guided needle placement is an effective technique to guide surgical dissection and allow for clear surgical margins and successful treatment of this rare condition.

The association of endosalpingiosis with gynecologic malignancy.

OBJECTIVE: Endosalpingiosis is a poorly understood condition of ectopic epithelium resembling the fallopian tubes. It has been described as an incidental pathology finding, a disease similar to endometriosis, and in association with malignancy. The objective of this study is to determine if endosalpingiosis (ES) has an increased association with gynecologic malignancy when compared to endometriosis (EM). METHODS: This is a retrospective case-control analysis of patients with a histologic diagnosis of endosalpingiosis or endometriosis at three affiliated academic hospitals between 2000 and 2020. All ES patients were included, and 1:1 matching was attempted to obtain a comparable cohort of EM patients. Demographic and clinical data were obtained, and statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 967 patients (515 ES and 452 EM) were included. ES patients were significantly older than EM patients (median age 52 vs 48 years, p < 0.001). The ES group had significantly more cancer diagnoses at surgery than the EM group (40.1% vs 18.1%, p < 0.001); this difference persisted in a sub-analysis excluding patients with known or suspected malignancy (20.9% vs 5.6%, p < 0.001). ES patients had lower overall survival (10-year freedom from death: 77.0% vs 90.5%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for confounders, multivariable analysis showed that ES patients had increased cancer diagnosed at surgery (OR = 2.48, p < 0.001) and greater risk of death (OR = 1.69, p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Endosalpingiosis was found concurrently with malignancy in 40% of cases, and this effect was preserved in multi-variable and sub-group analyses. Further research consisting of longer follow-up and exploration of molecular relationships between ES and cancer are forthcoming.

Thoracic and diaphragmatic endometriosis: an overview of diagnosis and surgical treatment.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Thoracic endometriosis is a rare disease that can lead to a variety of clinical manifestations. There are currently no guidelines for optimal diagnosis and management of the disease. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the diagnosis and surgical treatment of thoracic endometriosis. RECENT FINDINGS: Various imaging modalities, including computed tomography (CT), MRI and ultrasound, have been reported in the detection of thoracic endometriosis. MRI is the most sensitive imaging study and may aid in preoperative planning. Histopathology of a biopsied lesion remains the gold standard for diagnosis. Surgical management of thoracic endometriosis may involve laparoscopy and/or thoracoscopy, and surgical planning should include preparation for single ventilation capability. A multidisciplinary approach involving a gynaecologic surgeon and thoracic surgeon may be considered. Repairing diaphragm defects and pleurodesis are shown to decrease recurrent symptoms. SUMMARY: Although optimal diagnostic testing remains uncertain, a high clinical suspicion for thoracic endometriosis is critical to ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment in order to prevent recurrent symptoms and progression to more serious sequalae. Minimally invasive surgical techniques are becoming increasingly utilized and allow for thorough evaluation and treatment of thoracic endometriosis.

Impact of timing of preoperative gabapentin administration on postoperative somnolence.

CONTEXT: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is a multimodal protocol aimed to improve quality of postoperative recovery, minimize complications, and optimize overall self-regulation. Preoperative gabapentin decreases postoperative pain but can be associated with prolonged postoperative somnolence and respiratory depression risk. Although it is known that gabapentin affects the postoperative course, it is unclear if the timing of preoperative administration affects this finding. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess the optimal preoperative timing for gabapentin administration in patients undergoing gynecologic surgery to minimize postoperative somnolence risk. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study evaluated patients who underwent major gynecologic surgery and received preoperative gabapentin. Patients were grouped based on timing from gabapentin administration to surgical incision (<4 h group vs. ≥4 h group). Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were abstracted and compared. Univariate associations between the timing of gabapentin administration and the patient and surgical characteristics and outcomes were tested utilizing two-sample equal-variance t-tests, linear model ANOVA, or Fisher's exact tests. Associations between the timing of gabapentin administration and the time until the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS) score of 0 were modeled utilizing linear regression, adjusted for age, initial postoperative anesthesia care unit (PACU), RASS score, and postoperative narcotics. RESULTS: Each group contained 127 patients. Demographics were similar except for age (<4 h group mean=44.2 years; ≥4 h group mean=40.5 years; p=0.021), chronic pain (<4 h group=17.6%; ≥4 h group=43.3%; p<0.001), and surgical indication (<4 h group=pelvic pain [29.1%]; ≥4 h group=pelvic pain [51.2%]; p=0.007). The <4 h group had a similar postoperative narcotic administration (<4 h group mean morphine milligram equivalents [MME]=3.667; ≥4 h group mean MME=4.833; p=0.185). The minutes from surgical closure until the patient received a RASS score of 0 and initial PACU pain score (Visual Analogue Scale [VAS]) were similar. The initial PACU oxygen administration volume, hours from surgical closure until the patient transitioned to room air, and initial PACU respiratory rate were similar. The PACU duration, admission secondary to somnolence, and initial PACU Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score showed no difference. Postoperative nausea/vomiting was decreased in the ≥4 h group (<4 h group=24.4%; ≥4 h group=13.4%; p-value=0.036), and urinary retention (<4 h group=14.2%; ≥4 h group=5.5%; p-value=0.033) was decreased in the ≥4 h group. CONCLUSIONS: The timing of gabapentin administration less than or more than 4 h preoperatively in patients ≥18 years does not significantly affect postoperative somnolence or respiratory depression. Further, it does not have a significant effect on GCS scores or VAS scores.

Evaluating Surgical Complexity of Endoscopic Hysterectomy: An Inter-rater and Intra-rater Agreement Study of Novel Scoring Tool.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Evaluate inter-rater and intrarater reliability of a novel scoring tool for surgical complexity assessment of endoscopic hysterectomy. DESIGN: Validation study. SETTING: Academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Total of 11 academic obstetrician-gynecologists with varying years of postresidency training, clinical practice, and surgical volumes. INTERVENTIONS: Application of a novel scoring tool to evaluate surgical complexity of 150 sets of images taken in a standardized fashion before surgical intervention (global pelvis, anterior cul-de-sac, posterior cul-de-sac, right adnexa, left adnexa). Using only these images, raters were asked to assess uterine size, number, and location of myomas, adnexal and uterine mobility, need for ureterolysis, and presence of endometriosis or adhesions in relevant locations. Surgical complexity was staged on a scale of 1 to 4 (low to high complexity). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Number of postresidency years in practice for participating surgeons ranged from 2 to 15, with an average of 8 years. A total of 8 obstetrician-gynecologists (72.7%) had completed a fellowship in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. Six (54.6%) reported an annual volume of >50 hysterectomies. Raters reported that 95.4% of the images were satisfactory for assessment. Of the 150 sets of images, most were found to be stage 1 to 2 complexity (stage 1: 23.8%, stage 2: 41.6%, stage 3: 32.8%, stage 4: 1.8%). The level of inter-rater agreement regarding stage 1 to 2 vs 3 to 4 complexity was moderate (κ = 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42-0.56). Moderate inter-rater agreement was also found between surgeon raters with an annual hysterectomy volume >50 (κ = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.40-0.57) as well as between surgeon raters with fellowship experience (κ = 0.50; 95% CI, 0.42-0.58). Intrarater agreement averaged 80.2% among all raters and also achieved moderate agreement (mean weighted κ = 0.53; range, 0.38-0.72). CONCLUSION: This novel scoring tool uses clinical assessment of preintervention anatomic images to stratify the surgical complexity of endoscopic hysterectomy. It has rich and comprehensive evaluation capabilities and achieved moderate inter-rater and intrarater agreement. The tool can be used in conjunction with or instead of traditional markers of surgical complexity such as uterine weight, estimated blood loss, and operative time.

Sex and Racial/Ethnic Diversity in Accredited Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialty and Subspecialty Training in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To compare trends in racial and gender diversity in Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) residency and fellowship programs from beginning of program accreditation in 2012 to the most recently published report for 2018. DESIGN: Data was abstracted in August 2020 from publicly available reports on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) website. Reports from 2012 to 2018 were compared with Chi-square tests and the Cochran-Armitage trend test assessed trends over time. PARTICIPANTS: U.S. medical residents and fellows, with a focus on those in accredited OBGYN fellowship programs (Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS), Gynecologic Oncology (GYNONC), Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM), and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI)). RESULTS: From 2012 to 2018 men in all residency programs increased 0.88% (from 53.92% male to 54.80%, p < 0.0001). Across all years there were less men in OBGYN (16.89%) compared to all residency programs (54.39%, p < 0.0001). All OBGYN fellowships combined had more men proportionately than OBGYN residencies (24.14% vs. 16.89%, p < 0.0001). MFM had the most men (26.7%) then GYNONC (25.18%), FPMRS (21.36%), and REI (20.09%) (p = 0.024). There were no statistically significant trends in sex or race over time. From 2012 to 2018 residents overall were 42.96% white. OBGYN residents overall were 54.20% white. GYNONC had the highest percentage of white trainees (73.45%), followed by MFM (67.8%), REI (65.62%), then FPMRS (60%) (p = 0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: According to ACGME core competencies, residents are expected to demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to diverse patient populations (professionalism) and advocate for improvements to systems-based practice. These results may suggest systemic issues in the recruitment of women and people of color into competitive sub-specialty programs. Such deficiencies in representation can impact patient care. Future research is needed to assess trends over time as data become available and to evaluate specific barriers to applications and selection of minority applicants.

Changing US trends in contraceptive choices.

Long-acting reversible contraceptives (ie, intrauterine devices and the etonogestrel subdermal implant) have become increasingly popular methods of contraception because of their convenience and safety profile. At the same time, the use of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, one of the most prescribed contraceptives in the United States since its approval in 1992, is on the wane. The history and pros and cons of these contraceptive methods are reviewed.

Impact of Legislation on Opioid Prescribing following Hysterectomy and Hysteroscopy in Arizona and Florida.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the oral morphine equivalents (OMEs) prescribed and refill rates following hysterectomy and hysteroscopy in the setting of opioid prescribing practice changes in 2 states. DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort analysis consisting of 2,916 patients undergoing hysterectomy or hysteroscopy between July 2016 and September 2019 at 2 affiliated academic hospitals in states that underwent legislative changes in opioid prescribing in 2018. METHODS: Participants were identified using the Current Procedural Terminology procedure codes in Arizona and Florida. Hysterectomy was chosen as the most invasive gynecologic procedure, while hysteroscopy was chosen as the least invasive. Medical records were abstracted to find opioid prescriptions from 90 days before surgery to 30 days after discharge. Patients with opioid use between 90 and 7 days before surgery were excluded. Prescriptions were converted to OMEs and were calculated per quarter year. Statistical analysis included Wilcoxon rank sum t tests for OMEs and χ2 t tests for refill rates. Interrupted time-series analysis was used to determine significant change in OMEs before and after legislative change. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). RESULTS: In Arizona, 1,067 hysterectomies were performed; 459 (43%) vaginal, 561 (52.6%) laparoscopic/robotic, and 47 (4.4%) abdominal. There were 530 hysteroscopies. Overall median OMEs decreased from 225 prior to July 2018 to 75 after July 2018 (p < 0.0001). The opioid refill rate remained unchanged at 7.4% (p = 0.966). In Florida, there were 769 hysterectomies; 241 (31.3%) vaginal, 476 (61.9%) laparoscopic/robotic, and 52 (6.8%) abdominal. There were 549 hysteroscopies. Overall median OMEs decreased from 150 prior to July 2018 to 0 after July 2018 (p < 0.0001). The opioid refill rate was similar (7.8% before July 2018 and 7.3% after July 2018; p = 0.739). LIMITATIONS: Limitations include involvement of a single hospital institution with a total of 10 fellowship-trained surgeons and biases inherent to retrospective study design. CONCLUSIONS: Legislative and provider-led changes coincided with decreases in opioid prescribing after 2018 in both states without increasing rates of refills and showed actual data reflected in the medical record. Gynecologists must actively participate in safe prescribing practices to decrease opioid dependence and misuse.

Surgical Decision Regret in Women Pursuing Surgery for Endometriosis or Chronic Pelvic Pain.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To identify incidence of decision regret associated with surgery for endometriosis or chronic pelvic pain (CPP). DESIGN: Survey study. SETTING: Academic medical center. PATIENTS: All patients undergoing excisional surgery for endometriosis or CPP between January 2016 and June 2019. INTERVENTIONS: The women were contacted to complete 2 validated questionnaires: the Decision Regret and Patient Global Impression of Improvement scales. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 253 patients were contacted, and 154 patients responded (60.8% response rate) to the survey. A total of 137 women (90%) agreed or strongly agreed that having excisional surgery was the right decision; 134 women (87%) indicated that they would choose to have surgery again. The survey responders did not differ from nonresponders in age (years, 33.9 vs 35; p = .25), robotic route of surgery (83.1% vs 78.8%; p = .66), or performance of hysterectomy (27.3% vs 26.3%; p = .85). The responders were more likely to have stage III/IV endometriosis (50.6% vs 29.3%; p <.01), more previous surgeries for endometriosis (median surgeries, 1 vs 0; p = .01), higher complication rate (8.4% vs 2.0%; p = .03), and pathology test results more frequently positive for endometriosis (87.7% vs 77.8%; p = .03). Overall, 25 patients (16.3%) reported some level of regret after excisional surgery for endometriosis or CPP. Regret was not associated with a lower Patient Global Impression of Improvement score (odds ratio [OR] 4.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81-23.7), age (OR 0.98; 95% CI, 0.93-1.04), time since surgery (OR 1; 95% CI, 0.97-1.04), number of previous surgeries (OR 1.08; 95% CI, 0.9-1.31), negative pathology test results (OR 2.82; 95% CI, 0.95-8.32), hysterectomy (OR 1.23; 95% CI, 0.45-3.32), or complications (OR 1.07; 95% CI, 0.22-5.16). CONCLUSION: Most women who pursue excisional surgery for endometriosis or CPP are satisfied with their decision. Regret was not associated with patient-reported lack of improvement, negative pathology test results, hysterectomy, or complications. Gynecologic surgeons should engage in shared decision-making with patients and feel comfortable offering surgical evaluation and management to patients with endometriosis or CPP when clinically indicated.

Cost-effective minimally invasive gynecologic surgery: emphasizing surgical efficiency.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The United States has the highest healthcare costs among developed countries. This review evaluates surgical practices and equipment choices during endoscopic hysterectomy, highlighting opportunities for the gynecologic surgeon to reduce costs and maximize surgical efficiency. RECENT FINDINGS: There are opportunities to economize at every step of the endoscopic hysterectomy. When surgeons are provided education about instrumentation costs, the cost of hysterectomy has been shown to decrease. Colpotomy has been found to be the rate-limiting step in laparoscopic hysterectomy; use of a uterine manipulator likely saves time and money. When evaluating the economic impact of route of surgery, the cost differential between laparoscopic and robotic-assisted hysterectomy has decreased. Robotic-assisted hysterectomy may be more cost-effective in some cases, such as for larger uteri. From a systems-level perspective, dedicating a specific operating room team to the gynecology service can decrease operative time. SUMMARY: The gynecologic surgeon is best equipped to control surgery-related costs by making choices that improve surgical efficiency and decrease operating room time. If a costlier piece of equipment leads to a more efficient case, the choice may be more cost-effective. There are multiple systems-level changes that can be implemented to decrease surgery-related costs.

Is Hysterectomy a Risk Factor for Urinary Retention? A Retrospective Matched Case Control Study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Compare the rates of urinary retention in patients undergoing endoscopic hysterectomy with those of patients undergoing nonhysterectomy endoscopic gynecologic surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective case control study matched by operative time. SETTING: Academic medical center. PATIENTS: All patients undergoing endoscopic gynecologic surgeries between January 2013 and December 2018. INTERVENTIONS: Outpatient endoscopic gynecologic surgery. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 200 endoscopic hysterectomy cases were matched to endoscopic nonhysterectomy gynecologic surgery controls in a 1:1 ratio. The differences in baseline and operative characteristics between the 2 groups included age (48.6 years vs 45.7 years, p = .04), perioperative opioid administration (morphine milligram equivalents, 11.6 mg vs 7.6 mg, p = .01), and estimated blood loss (64.1 mL vs 31.8 mL, p = .001). The rate of urinary retention in the hysterectomy group was double that in the nonhysterectomy group (26.5% vs 13%, p = .01). In the hysterectomy group, age, perioperative opioids, operative time, and estimated blood loss did not differ between those who failed and those who passed the void trial. In the nonhysterectomy group, only operative time was significantly longer in those who failed the void trial (108 minutes vs 94.3 minutes, p = .04). After adjusting for perioperative opioid use and operative time, the relative risk of urinary retention in the hysterectomy group was 2.3 (p = .002, 95% confidence interval, 1.38-3.98). CONCLUSION: Hysterectomy appears to be an independent and major factor contributing to postoperative urinary retention. When compared with nonhysterectomy gynecologic surgical controls with similar operative times, the rate of urinary retention in patients who underwent hysterectomy was doubled.