Early approach for the iatrogenic vesico-vaginal fistula repair: a video case report.

Background: Vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF) is a rare but debilitating condition, characterised by an abnormal connection between the bladder and vagina. While obstetric-related cases prevail in developing countries, iatrogenic fistulas are more common in industrialised ones, often resulting from pelvic surgeries. Objectives: The optimal timing for surgical correction of VVF remains debated, often leaning towards delayed intervention. Here we report a successful early laparoscopic repair of an iatrogenic VVF following hysterectomy. Materials and Methods: The patient, a 54-year-old woman, presented with VVF after a hysterectomy. The laparoscopic repair was performed promptly upon diagnosis. Main outcome measures: To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of an early repair of a gynaecological-related VVF. Results: First, cystoscopy identified the bladder edge of the VVF. Second, laparoscopy was performed and the vesico-vaginal dissection was carried out. The excision of the previous stitches and of the fibrotic tissue was undertaken to create free flaps for suturing. The bladder was repaired in a double layer, and a single layer was applied to the vagina. Finally, the omentoplasty was done. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 5. No complications occurred. Conclusions: This successful case demonstrates the feasibility and safety of early laparoscopic repair for gynaecological surgery-related vesico-vaginal fistulae. While acknowledging the need for further studies to standardise techniques, this report contributes to the evolving understanding of optimal management for this complex condition.

Practice of laparoscopic prolapse surgery in Europe - ESGE Survey.

Sacrocolpopexy is considered as the "gold standard" for management of women with apical prolapse. Numerous technical variants are being practiced. The first aim of this survey was to determine the habits of practice of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSCP) in Europe. The second aim was to determine whether surgeons who perform laparoscopic pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair are familiar with the practice of alternative techniques and with mesh-less laparoscopic treatment of prolapse. The questionnaire was designed by the Urogynaecology Special Interest Group of the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE). All ESGE-members were invited by email to respond to this survey consisting of 54 questions divided in different categories. Following review of ESGE member's responses, we have highlighted the great heterogeneity concerning the practice of LSCP and important variability in performance of concomitant surgeries. Alternative techniques are rarely used in practice. Furthermore, the lack of standardisation of the many surgical steps of a laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy is mainly due to the lack of evidence. There is a need for training and teaching in both standard and newer innovative techniques as well as the reporting of medium and long-term outcomes of both standard laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy and any of its alternatives.

How to dissect the pelvic nerves: from microanatomy to surgical rules. An evidence-based clinical review.

Background: Advanced gynaecological procedures often include extensive pelvic dissections, with the nervous structures involved in the disease. Nerve-sparing and preservation is a key factor in reducing postoperative morbidity. Objectives: The goal of this review is to describe in detail the structure of the pelvic nerves and to gather information from other surgical specialties to give recommendations for safe nerve dissection applied in different gynaecological subspecialties. Materials and Methods: An extensive literature review was carried out in PubMed and Google Scholar. The search included articles concerning peripheral nerve anatomy, mechanisms of injury and different dissection techniques, with the most exhaustive being analysed for the review. Articles from different fields of medicine like orthopaedics, plastic surgery, maxillofacial surgery dealing with peripheral nerve injuries and repair have been reviewed. Results: The following review demonstrates the in-depth anatomy and mechanism of injury of the peripheral nerves, describes the different techniques for neurolysis and proposes some directions for safe nerve dissection. Conclusion: When performing complex gynaecological surgeries, the surgeon should avoid unnecessary nerve handling, apply nerve-sparing techniques whenever possible and use the new devices to preserve the nervous structures. Advanced gynaecological surgeries should be performed in specialised centres by expert surgeons with comprehensive knowledge in neuropelveology. What is new?: To our knowledge, this is the first article focused on peripheral nerves that collects data from such a wide range of specialties in order to propose the most comprehensive recommendations that could be applied in pelvic surgery.

Pelvic anatomy in laparoscopic surgery for pelvic organ prolapse: dissect your success.

Background: Laparoscopic surgery for pelvic organ prolapse is a complex procedure, requiring high technical skills and great knowledge of the anatomy to perform a safe dissection and achieve the best clinical and surgical outcomes. Objectives: To highlight the anatomical landmarks during dissection in this procedure and give tips for a safer and more effective performance. Materials and Methods: Surgical videos of the dissection involved in laparoscopic surgery for pelvic organ prolapse in a stepwise approach. Main outcome measures: Identification of the most important anatomical landmarks involved in the dissection of the promontory, the para-rectal space, the recto-vaginal space, and the vesico-vaginal space. Advice for acquiring better exposure and the right cleavage planes. Presentation of some difficult cases during dissection. Results: Step-by-step overview of the different steps of dissection involved in laparoscopic surgery for pelvic organ prolapse, specifying the most important anatomical landmarks for reference and at risk of damage and presenting tips to correctly perform the dissection. Conclusion: Besides the great surgical technical skills required, deep knowledge of pelvic anatomy is key for performing laparoscopic surgery for pelvic organ prolapse safely, minimising complications and recurrence and improving quality of life and the overall success of surgery.

Intravesical repair of vesicovaginal fistula guided by cystoscopy.

BACKGROUND: Vesicovaginal fistulas (VVF) are an unusual problem that may significantly affect a patient's quality of life. The main causes for this condition are labour complications (mostly in developing countries) and pelvic surgeries (in industrialised countries). Treatment may be conservative or surgical. Regarding surgical treatment, there is still debate about the best approach and surgical technique. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate a correction of a VVF guided by cystoscopy using intravesical laparoscopic instruments. METHODS: Case report and surgical video of a recurrent VVF treated with a hybrid technique involving direct transvesical insertion of 3 mm laparoscopic trocars and instruments guided by cystoscopy. As far as we know, although there are some reported techniques that use a combination of transvesical laparoscopic instruments and cystoscopy, this is the least invasive and most ergonomic technique described. RESULTS: Two years after surgery, the patient remains asymptomatic and with no fistula recurrence. CONCLUSION: The transvesical approach guided by cystoscopy seems to be an effective, safe and ergonomic minimally invasive procedure for VVF repair.

Equipment failures in laparoscopic surgery: Causes and consequences.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess incidence, causes and consequences of equipment failures in a high volume, advanced endoscopic surgery department. METHODS: This is a prospectical observational single centre study between April and July of 2019 in the Gynecological surgery department of the Estaing University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, France. During the study period, 171 laparoscopies were observed. Data were collected real time by three supernumerary observers. RESULTS: In total, 66 (38.6%) laparoscopies were complicated by equipment failures. The bipolar cable and forceps accounted for 31% of the total amount of malfunctions in laparoscopy. Causes of malfunctions were in 45% due to the instrument per se and in 43% due to the incorrect combination of elements. Less commonly, the equipment was not available or a mismatched was reported. The total length of the surgery increased by 1.35% due to the malfunctions. Human error was identified in 50% of cases. No morbility, neither mortality was reported in this series; however we observed 34 malfunctions that could have led to serious consequences for the patients and 3 incidents induced a real consequence on the operation workflow. CONCLUSIONS: Equipment failure is a common event in endoscopy. On the opposite, time wasted for the malfunctions is low in laparoscopy, as it only accounts for 1.35% of the overall surgical time. Human decisions contributed to malfunctions in almost half of cases. This alarming finding may advise for intensification in training on instruments of the whole surgical team.

Evaluation of the laparoscopic component of GESEA Programme in two different groups: Obstetrics and Gynaecology Residents versus Participants in the Annual GESEA Diploma Course in Clermont Ferrand, France.

BACKGROUND: Structured laparoscopic training courses are important in surgical education. Different programmes have been proposed, but there is currently no evidence available comparing the performance of specialists versus residents in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at these courses. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of the laparoscopic component of Gynaecological Endoscopic Surgical Education and Assessment (GESEA) Training and Certification courses in two different populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective cohort study. Two groups were analysed - participants of the Residents' Courses and participants of the Annual Francophone GESEA Diploma Course. Both groups were evaluated using the GESEA Level 1 laparoscopic standardised exercises and carried out in the International Center of Endoscopic Surgery (CICE), Clermont Ferrand, France in 2019. RESULTS: 57 French residents and 69 participants of the Annual GESEA Diploma were evaluated. The average age of participants in the Residents' Course was lower than those in the Annual Diploma Course (28.4±1.6 versus 35.2±8.0 years, p<0.001). Residents had higher previous experience in laparoscopic surgery (42% vs 36%, p< 0.001), in animal model surgery and in laparoscopic training box (67% vs 36% and 93% vs 67% respectively, p<0.001). Notable improvement was noted in both groups in the camera navigation exercise; first attempt 105±19 vs 117±9 seconds and final attempt 81±15 and 103±20 seconds respectively (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Both groups improved significantly in most of the tests evaluated. French residents had better results in all evaluations, except in one aspect of the suture exercise (maintaining optimal results in performing the knot). After excluding the residents who attended the Annual Diploma Course, all the differences between both groups were statistically more significant.

Pelvic adhesions and fertility: Where are we in 2018?

Peritoneal adhesions remain a major public health problem despite the development of laparoscopy. The rules of microsurgery must be known and followed during any pelvic surgery, even in patients who no longer have a desire for pregnancy. Anti-adhesion products are numerous. All have interest, confirmed by anatomical studies showing a smaller extent or a lesser severity of adhesions associated with their use. No studies, however, show clinical benefit in terms of improved pain or postoperative fertility. Pneumoperitoneum parameters, humidification, and lower abdominal pressure should be optimized to limit peritoneal trauma. Peri-operative corticosteroids, whose benefit has been has been demonstrated in at least one randomized trial, should be systematically used.

[Nerve sparing techniques in deep endometriosis surgery to prevent urinary or digestive functional disorders: Techniques and results: CNGOF-HAS Endometriosis Guidelines]. / Les techniques de préservation nerveuse dans la chirurgie de l'endométriose profonde pour prévenir les séquelles fonctionnelles urinaires et digestives : modalités techniques et résultats. RPC Endométriose CNGOF-HAS.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility and functional urinary and digestive results of nerve sparing techniques in endometriosis surgery. METHODS: A research on the medline/pubmed database using specific keywords (nerve sparing, endometriosis, pelvic nerves) identified 7 publications among about 50 whose purpose was to describe the feasibility, the techniques and the functional results of nerve preservation in this indication. Among them there are: 2 uncontrolled retrospective studies, 3 prospective non-randomized studies, a meta-analysis and a review of the literature. RESULTS: Nerve preservation requires a perfect knowledge of the anatomy of the pelvic autonomic system. The laparoscopic approach is preferred by the different authors due to its anatomical advantage. The feasibility of this technique seems to be demonstrated despite certain limitations in the different studies and depending of the retroperitoneal extension of the lesions. When feasible, it is likely to significantly improve postoperative urinary function (urinary retention) compared to a conventional technique. It is observed no difference regarding digestive function. CONCLUSIONS: Nerve sparing in this indication is a technique the feasibility of which has been demonstrated and is subject to the topography and extent of the disease. In the absence of invasion or entrapment of pelvic autonomic nerves by endometriosis, this technique improves postoperative voiding function (NP3). During pelvic surgery for endometriosis, it is recommended to identify and preserve autonomic pelvic nerves whenever possible (GradeC).

Assessing technical competence in laparoscopic surgery in France: Ratification of the GOALS rating scale.

BACKGROUND: The question of assessing surgical competence is the focus of mainly Anglo-Saxon studies. The GOALS questionnaire (Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills) specific to laparoscopic surgery assessment has been developed since 2005. The aim of the study was to assess the metrological qualities of the GOALS questionnaire after ratification in French language. METHODS: To produce a French version of the GOALS surgical competence assessing tool according to an established method (translation - backward translation - retranslation) and to check the metrological qualities (user satisfaction, acceptability, reliability and validity) of this questionnaire through observing residents while in training program on 22 residents in Gynaecology Obstetrics during the laparoscopy training, with the performance of a nephrectomy on a porcine model. RESULTS: The discrepancies in the initial translations were mainly due literal translations. Only synonymous differences were observed in the two backward translations. Comparison with original version led to 8 minor changes. No changes occurred between the 2 French versions. Satisfaction surveys when using the GOALS questionnaire by both examiners and students are similar. Face and content validity seemed good and there is no significant discrepancy between the examiners and the students (11.5 [9-15]; 12.4 [9-15]; P=0.40). Assessment by examiners showed an median value of 17.8 [9-26] with good correlation (α=0.80). By contrast, self-assessment, although there is no significant discrepancy, showed heterogeneity. GOALS French version was able to prove a significant progression both in self-assessment and external evaluation between the act performed on the first nephrectomy on the first day of the first session of the training and the fourth nephrectomy performed on the first day of the second session of the training. CONCLUSION: Our work allowed obtaining a GOALS French version with acceptable validity, good consistency between the assessments and ability to measure progress.

Trauma and endometriosis. A review. May we explain surgical phenotypes and natural history of the disease?

OBJECTIVE: The study was performed to evaluate whether trauma is an initial event of development of endometriosis. METHOD: Using Medline database from January 1960 up to December 2014, a systematic review was made of all published studies using the keywords trauma, healing, injury, infection, hyperperistaltism, stretch and endometriosis, adenomyosis and trauma. Studies and review articles written in French and/or in English related to the topic were included and reviewed independently by two authors. RESULTS: The role of trauma is well-established for endometriotic lesions diagnosed in surgical scars. Various traumas including delivery, uterine curettage or incision, intraperitoneal hemorrhage, or occult pelvic inflammatory diseases could be involved to explain other localizations of the disease. Many data suggested that the healing process, particularly growth factors and the associated estrogen production, may facilitate the implantation and the growth of ectopic endometrial cells. After the initial, a traumatic event, the phenotype of the disease would depend on the tissue in which the endometriotic lesion grows. CONCLUSIONS: The present literature review may support a potential role of a trauma as an initial event of endometriosis.

[Long-term complication of laparoscopic uterine morcellation: iatrogenic parasitic myomas]. / Complication à long terme du morcellement utérin par voie cœlioscopique: les myomes parasitiques iatrogènes.

OBJECTIVES: Identify parasitic myomas following uterine laparoscopic morcellation and describe the circumstances of diagnosis, management, potential consequences and possible preventive measures. METHODS: Retrospective study of observed cases in a university hospital between 2000 and 2012 and review of the literature. RESULTS: Five cases were identified in our department. Pelvic pain was the main symptom in three patients while one was asymptomatic and one consulted for a cystocele. The average time to diagnosis was 88 months (3-192). Surgical removal was performed in four cases by laparoscopy and vaginally for one case. Histological examination showed typical leiomyomas, but in one case, an atypical leiomyoma with limited experience for a typical primary lesion. In the literature, there are about 50 cases. One required a bowel resection and for another one, after subtotal hysterectomy, histological examination showed complex atypical endometrial hyperplasia for normal endometrium initially. CONCLUSIONS: This study should draw the attention of laparoscopic surgeon. It emphasizes, beyond a potential reoperation, a risk of atypical histological secondary processing. Surgical resection should be discussed even in case of asymptomatic lesions.

[Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery in gynecology: the situation in 2013]. / La laparoscopie par incision unique en gynécologie : état des lieux en 2013.

BACKGROUND: Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) is a recent technic of minimally invasive surgery that arouses a growing interest due to its potential benefits in terms of pain and cosmetic. However, in gynecology as well as in other surgical specialties, preliminary results seem to be controversial. Its feasibility and interest by comparison with conventional laparoscopy (CL) have not been confirmed by randomized multicenter studies. OBJECTIVES: Compare in gynecological surgery, feasibility and surgical outcomes (conversion rate and complications, postoperative pain, duration of surgery, length of hospital stay, appearance and cost) between SILS and CL. PATIENTS AND METHODS: For this, a review of the literature from a PUBMED and Medline databases was conducted. The clinical cases and series with fewer than 10 patients were excluded. Eligible data were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 46 studies including five prospective randomized were studied in gynecology. Conversion rates and complications appear identical to those of the CL. The learning curve is also comparable. The technique is not standardized and some ergonomic problems are described. Operating time and duration of hospitalization seems to be comparable. The postoperative pain assessment found conflicting results. The cosmetic results are in favor of the single incision laparoscopy. Finally, the cost is higher. CONCLUSIONS: According to the literature, the single incision laparoscopy seems feasible and safe, with better cosmetic results. But the cost is increased and associated with no benefit in terms of pain, operating time and duration of hospitalization. Beyond cosmetics results, further randomized studies are needed to identify a possible benefit.

[Interest of a structured laparoscopy training in a simulation center: survey of resident's point of view]. / Intérêt d'un enseignement structuré de la cœlioscopie en centre de simulation : enquête d'opinion auprès des internes.

OBJECTIVE: Assess residents satisfaction within their participation to a short and structured training to laparoscopy, gathering theoretical and practical issues. METHODS: This course was divided in two periods of 3days including an individual prospective evaluation. For each period, the residents have answered to three questionnaires trying to evaluate their experience in laparoscopy and their short term and medium term satisfaction. RESULTS: Three hundred residents from different French university hospitals have been involved in this study. After 4years, half of them were not satisfied with their chirurgical studies. Thirty-seven percent of them never attended to any surgical procedure as main operator. The training course has answered to their expectation for 95% of the residents and 85% said they now feel more confident about laparoscopy then before. According to 76% of them, it should be a compulsory and systematic training course and for 75%, they should be tested regarding their laparoscopy skills level during the resident studies period. The training on animals is the more efficient for 86% of them. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the increasing number of residents and to the legal time for rest, the time spent in the operative room has decreased. People also do not accept easily the training made on true patients. Intensive and tested training are useful and answer to residents needs. They could be systematically integrated in their global curriculum.