Single-incision slings for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence: efficacy and adverse effects at 10-year follow-up.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Single-incision slings are not considered a first-choice surgical treatment owing to a lack of data about long-term outcomes. We aimed to assess the long-term results of urinary incontinence treatment after single-incision sling implantation at 10 years' follow-up and to investigate possible deterioration over time. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed women with subjective and urodynamically proven stress urinary incontinence who underwent single-incision sling procedure. The objective cure rate was assessed with a 300-ml stress test. The subjective cure rate was determined by the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) questionnaire. International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) questionnaire scores and self-answered patient-satisfaction scales were collected to assess symptom severity. Findings were compared with short-term outcomes in the same patients, available through our previous database, in order to detect possible outcome deterioration over time. RESULTS: The records of 60 patients were analyzed. Nine patients (15%) were lost to follow-up. A total of 51 patients completed the evaluation, with a mean follow-up of 10.3 ± 0.7 years. Objective and subjective cure resulted 86.3% and 88.2% respectively. Mean PGI-I scores and ICIQ-SF were 1.5 ± 1.0 and 3.2 ± 4.8 respectively. Patients' satisfaction scored 8.6 ± 2.6 out of 10. No long-term complications occurred. Comparison of short-term (2.6 ± 1.4 years after surgery) and long-term follow-up did not show a significant deterioration of outcome over time. CONCLUSIONS: Single-incision slings were shown to be a procedure with a great efficacy and safety profile at very long-term follow-up. Cure rates and functional outcomes did not show any deterioration over time compared with short-term results.

Antihypertensive therapy during pregnancy: the prescription pattern in Italy.

Drug use during pregnancy should be evidence-based and favor the safest and most appropriate prescription. The Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) coordinates a network focusing on monitoring medication use in pregnancy. Hypertensive disorders are common medical complication of pregnancy and antihypertensive therapy is prescribed to reduce the risk of adverse feto-maternal complications. The objective of this study is to highlight the prescription pattern of antihypertensive drugs before pregnancy, during pregnancy and in the postpartum period in Italy and to evaluate their use with a specific attention to the prescription pattern of drugs considered safe during pregnancy. A multi-database cross-sectional population study using a Common Data Model (CDM) was performed. We selected all women aged 15-49 years living in eight Italian regions who gave birth in hospital between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2018. In a cohort of 449.012 women, corresponding to 59% of Italian deliveries occurred in the study period, the prevalence of prescription of antihypertensive drugs in the pre-conceptional period was 1.2%, in pregnancy 2.0% and in the postpartum period 2.9%. Beta-blockers were the most prescribed drugs before pregnancy (0.28%-0.30%). Calcium channel blockers were the most prescribed drugs during pregnancy, with a prevalence of 0.23%, 0.33%, 0.75% in each trimester. Alfa-2-adrenergic receptor agonists were the second most prescribed during pregnancy with a prevalence of 0.16%, 0.26% and 0.55% in each trimester. The prescription of drugs contraindicated during pregnancy was below 0.5%. Only a small percentage of women switched from a contraindicated drug to a drug compatible with pregnancy. The analysis showed little variability between the different Italian regions. In general, the prescription of antihypertensive drugs in the Italian Mom-Network is coherent with the drugs compatible with pregnancy.

Outcome of patients with stage I immature teratoma after surveillance or adjuvant chemotherapy.

Objective: Immature teratomas are rare malignant ovarian germ cell tumours, typically diagnosed in young women, where fertility-sparing surgery is the treatment of choice. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage I disease remains controversial. We evaluated the impact of surveillance versus chemotherapy on the recurrence rate in stage I immature teratomas. Methods: We collected a single centre retrospective series of patients with stage I immature teratomas treated with fertility-sparing surgery at San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy, between 1980 and 2019. Potential risk factors for recurrence were investigated by multivariate logistic regression. Results: Of the 74 patients included, 12% (9/74) received chemotherapy, while 88% (65/74) underwent surveillance. Median follow-up was 188 months. No difference in recurrence was found in stage IA/IB and IC immature teratomas [10% (6/60) vs. 28.6% (4/14) (P=0.087)], grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 [7.1% (2/28) vs. 14.3% (4/28) vs. 22.2% (4/18) (p=0.39)], and surveillance versus chemotherapy groups [13.9% (9/65) vs. 11.1% (1/9)) (p = 1.00)]. In univariate analysis, the postoperative approach had no impact on recurrence. The 5-year disease-free survival was 87% and 90% in the surveillance and chemotherapy groups, respectively; the overall survival was 100% in both cohorts. Conclusions: Our results support the feasibility of surveillance in stage I immature teratomas. Adjuvant chemotherapy may be reserved for relapses. However, the potential benefit of chemotherapy should be discussed, especially for high-risk tumours. Prospective series are warranted to confirm our findings. What is already known on this topic: To date, no consensus has been reached regarding the role of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage I immature teratomas of the ovary. Some studies suggest that only surveillance is an acceptable choice. However, guidelines are not conclusive on this topic. What this study adds: No difference in terms of recurrence was observed between the surveillance and the adjuvant chemotherapy group. All patients who relapsed were successfully cured with no disease-related deaths. How this study might affect research practice or policy: Adjuvant chemotherapy should be appropriately discussed with patients. However, it may be reserved for relapse according to our data.

Hysterectomy by transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery: An Italian initial experience.

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the initial feasibility, safety, and outcomes of hysterectomy performed by transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES) at three institutions in Italy. Materials and methods: All women who underwent vNOTES hysterectomy ± salpingo-oophorectomy for benign indications at three tertiary referral medical centers between July 2019 and April 2021 were included in a retrospective analysis. All vNOTESs were performed with the use of Alexis® and Vpath Gel paths® (Applied Medical). Perioperative data were extracted from patient records. Patient satisfaction and dyspareunia were prospectively inquired about at 60 days and 6 months. Results: Forty-six patients underwent vNOTES in the study period. Indications for surgery included myomas ± metrorrhagia (52.2%), H-Sil/in situ cervical cancer (10.7%), adenomyosis ± metrorrhagia (8.7%), BRCA 1-2 mutations (6.5%), endometrial hyperplasia (6.5%), ovarian cyst + history of breast cancer (6.5%), metrorrhagia (6.5%), and hydatidiform mole (2.2%). The mean operation time was 91.1 (±32.6) minutes. The mean hemoglobin drop was 1.2 (±0.8). The mean visual analog scale at 24 h for post-operative pain was 3.3 (±1.8). Secondary to our limited experience with the surgical technique, we favor discharge only from day 1. The mean length of hospital stay was 2 (±1.4) days. Two conversions to conventional laparoscopy were reported (4.3%), due to an obliterated pouch of Douglas and a preoperative complication. Two post-operative complications were reported (4.3%). Overall, our data on peri- and post-operative outcomes are similar to those already published for vNOTES. Conclusion: Our initial experience suggests that introducing vNOTES as an alternative to conventional surgery is feasible and may offer some advantages in selected women.