Evidence-based surgery for cesarean hysterectomy secondary to placenta accreta spectrum: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: In this systematic review, we aim to propose evidence-based management for perioperative care to improve outcomes at the time of planned cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum, a procedure associated with significant maternal and neonatal morbidity. DATA SOURCES: We conducted a literature search for studies published in MEDLINE (via Ovid), Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane/CENTRAL up until February 25, 2022. The search included free-text and controlled-vocabulary terms for cesarean section, cesarean delivery, and hysterectomy. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included randomized controlled trials, prospective cohort, retrospective cohort, and case-control studies published in English that reported on a perioperative intervention in the performance of a planned CH for PAS. Studies must have included a comparator group. Of the 8,907 studies screened in this systematic review, 79 met the inclusion criteria. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: Articles examining each step or intervention of the CH were grouped together and reviewed qualitatively as a group. Evidence levels and recommendations were made by consensus of all authors according to the terminology of the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). We synthesized the results of 79 articles, and provided 28 recommendations. RESULTS: Based on USPSTF criteria, 21.4 % of the recommendations were level B (n = 6), 39.3 % were C (n = 11), 10.7 % were D (n = 3) and 28.6 % were I (n = 8). The interventions with the highest level of recommendation included delivery at a hospital with high cesarean hysterectomy volume, implementation of a standardized hospital protocol, delivery via a planned procedure, neuraxial anesthesia, and transverse skin incision (all level B recommendations by USPSTF criteria). CONCLUSIONS: Development of a standardized hospital protocol, delivery at a center with high CH surgical volume, and utilization of neuraxial anesthesia garnered B evidence levels. Recommendations were limited due to the lack of prospective trials. Further research into the technical aspects of this high-risk procedure is warranted.

Drug use associated tricuspid valve infective endocarditis in pregnancy.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: We report a case of intravenous drug use associated tricuspid valve endocarditis in a 28-year-old pregnant female at 26-week gestation. METHODS: Patient management required a multidisciplinary collaboration between cardiac surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and neonatal critical care. RESULTS: Despite appropriate intravenous antibiotics, the patient developed life-threatening complications and underwent planned cesarean delivery at 28 weeks 6 days gestation followed by interval tricuspid valve replacement 1 week later. CONCLUSIONS: Both the patient and her infant were successfully managed through the perioperative period.

Adjuvant Hormonal Therapy for Low-Grade Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma.

OBJECTIVE: To compare aromatase inhibitors (AIs) with progestins as adjuvant hormonal therapy(AHT) for low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas (LGESSs). METHODS: We reviewed cases with LGESS at our institution from 1984 to 2017. Disease recurrence and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were assessed among patients who received AI, progestins, or no AHT. RESULTS: Among 39 patients with LGESS, 18 received progestins, 13 received AI, and 8 received no AHT. Thirty patients had stage I disease, and 9 had stage II to IV disease. All underwent hysterectomies. Disease recurred in 70% (7/10) of stage I patients who received no AHT, compared to 14.3% (1/7) receiving AI, and 7.7% (1/13) receiving progestins ( P = .003). Among stage I patients taking AI, mean RFS was 153.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 110-195.6) versus 306.2 months (95% CI: 259.7-352.6) for progestin patients and 90.8 months (95% CI: 56.8-124.9) for those who received no AHT. In stage II to IV patients, mean RFS was 148.5 months (95% CI: 148.5-148.5) and 120.8 months (95% CI: 55.8-185.9) for the AI and progestin groups, respectively. All stage II to IV patients received AHT. Among stage I patients, median follow-up time for RFS was 159.1 months for progestin patients, 52.6 months for AI, and 53.1 months for those who received no AHT. Of this, 69% of stage I patients taking progestins reduced/stopped treatment prematurely due to side effects. None of the patients taking AI discontinued treatment early. CONCLUSION: Aromatase inhibitor is associated with longer RFS in patients with advanced LGESS, is better tolerated than progestins, and can be primary AHT for LGESS.

Cesarean Scar Pregnancy, Incidence, and Recurrence: Five-Year Experience at a Single Tertiary Care Referral Center.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the treatment and subsequent pregnancy outcomes in patients with cesarean scar pregnancies at a single institution over 5 years. METHODS: This is a case series of all cesarean scar pregnancies diagnosed from May 2013 to March 2018 at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Data were collected on each patient using electronic medical record review and included patient demographics; medical, surgical, and obstetric history; pregnancy characteristics; treatment modalities used; response to therapy; complications; and subsequent pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS: Thirty cases of cesarean scar pregnancies were diagnosed in 26 patients, including one recurrence in one patient and three recurrences in another. Forty-six percent of cesarean scar pregnancies were in Hispanic women. The median number of prior cesarean deliveries was two. Mean gestational age at the time of diagnosis was 46 days (SD±10). Fetal cardiac activity was detected in 18 cases. Three patients initially were erroneously diagnosed with a viable intrauterine pregnancy and failed medical termination. Others opted for termination through systemic methotrexate alone (n=4), systemic and local methotrexate (n=12), systemic and local methotrexate with potassium chloride injected into the gestational sac (n=3), potassium chloride injection with laparotomy and wedge resection (n=1), methotrexate with bilateral uterine artery embolization (n=2), or intrauterine balloon (n=4). Five patients who underwent expectant management or methotrexate therapy had retained products of conception and required hysteroscopy and curettage. One patient opted for hysterectomy after failed curettage. After complete resolution of cesarean scar pregnancies, there were 10 subsequent spontaneous conceptions in eight patients, including four recurrent cesarean scar pregnancies, four term pregnancies, and one spontaneous abortion. One viable normally located pregnancy is ongoing. CONCLUSION: There is a wide array of treatment modalities available for cesarean scar pregnancies. Women with a cesarean scar pregnancy are at risk for its recurrence in the future, although normal pregnancy after a cesarean scar pregnancy is also possible. Safe outcomes depend on timely diagnosis and multidisciplinary care by skilled clinicians.

Impact of a clinical interventions bundle on uptake of HPV vaccine at an OB/GYN clinic.

INTRODUCTION: HPV vaccine uptake is lowest among young adults. Little is known about the most effective way to decrease missed opportunities (MO) and increase uptake of the vaccine in this vulnerable population. OBJECTIVES: To determine the impact of a clinical intervention bundle on the rate of MO and uptake of the vaccine among young adult women. METHODS: From 2/2014 to 7/2015, an intervention bundle (designating physician and nurse champions, pre-screening patients' charts, empowering nurses to recommend immunization, providing no-cost vaccinations, placing prompts in clinic note templates, eliminating requirement for pre-vaccination pregnancy test) was implemented at an urban, hospital-based OB/GYN clinic. Medical records were reviewed for all vaccine-eligible (non-pregnant, 11-26 years) women seen between 2/2013 and 9/2016. Impact of the bundled interventions on the monthly rates of MO and vaccine uptake was estimated by analyzing immunization trends with an interrupted time-series model using counterfactual comparison groups in order to control for pre-existing trends. RESULTS: There were 6,463 vaccine-eligible visits during our study period. The prevalence of women who had both completed and initiated the series was significantly higher, 20.3% and 29.7% respectively, in the last month, compared to their counterfactuals (p < 0.01). In the last study month, the rate of MO was significantly lower than its counterfactual (19.73 per 100 encounters lower, p < 0.01). Hispanic women had attributable reductions in their rates of MO that were twice that of White women. Statistically significant attributable reductions were also seen among Spanish speakers, publicly insured, and uninsured women. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of this intervention bundle effectively reduced the monthly rate of MO and increased the prevalence of women who had initiated and completed the HPV vaccine series. The reduction of MO was most drastic among Hispanic, publicly insured and uninsured women compared to White and privately insured.

Isolated port site recurrence of node-negative clinical stage IB1 cervical adenocarcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Port site metastasis after laparoscopic surgery for cervical cancer is a rare phenomenon. METHODS: We present a case report of isolated port site recurrence 4 years following laparoscopic surgery in a patient with node-negative, clinical stage IB1 cervical adenocarcinoma. RESULTS: A 44 year-old woman presented with a necrotic cervical lesion. A biopsy of the mass revealed invasive endocervical adenocarcinoma. She underwent a robotic-assisted radical hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy, and pelvic lymph node dissection with bilateral oophoropexy. All lymph nodes were placed in an Endocatch bag prior to removal via the 12 mm assistant port. There was no clinical evidence of metastatic disease and final pathology revealed negative surgical margins and lymph nodes. Four years later, she re-presented with a soft tissue mass in her abdominal wall underlying the site of the prior laparoscopic assistant port. This was confirmed by transcutaneous biopsy to be metastatic adenocarcinoma of endocervical origin. Further work-up revealed no other evidence of metastatic disease. The recurrence was excised and all margins were negative. CONCLUSION: This is the first case report describing an isolated port site recurrence in a patient who underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery for early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma with negative margins and negative lymph nodes. The mechanism underlying this isolated recurrence remains unknown.

Behavioral outcomes in children exposed prenatally to lamotrigine, valproate, or carbamazepine.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate adaptive behavior outcomes of children prenatally exposed to lamotrigine, valproate, or carbamazepine, and to determine if these outcomes were dose-dependent. METHODS: Data were collected from women enrolled in the North American Anti epileptic Drug (AED) Pregnancy Registry who had taken lamotrigine, valproate, or carbamazepine monotherapies throughout pregnancy to suppress seizures. The adaptive behavior of 252 exposed children (including 104 lamotrigine-exposed, 97 carbamazepine-exposed, and 51 valproate-exposed), ages 3- to 6-years-old, was measured using the Vineland-II Adaptive Behavior Scales, administered to each mother by telephone. Mean Adaptive Behavior Composite (ABC), domain standard scores for communication, daily living, socialization and motor skills, and adaptive levels were analyzed and correlated with first trimester drug dose. RESULTS: After adjusting for maternal age, education, folate use, cigarette and alcohol exposure, gestational age, and birth weight by propensity score analysis, the mean ABC score for valproate-exposed children was 95.6 (95% CI [91, 101]), versus 100.8 (95% CI [98, 103]) and 103.5 (95% CI [101, 106]) for carbamazepine- and lamotrigine-exposed children, respectively (ANOVA; p=0.017). Significant differences were observed among the three drug groups in the ABC (p=0.017), socialization (p=0.026), and motor (p=0.018) domains, with a trend toward significance in the communication domain (p=0.053). Valproate-exposed children scored lowest and lamotrigine-exposed children scored highest in every category. Valproate-exposed children were most likely to perform at a low or moderately low adaptive level in each category. Higher valproate dose was associated with significantly lower ABC (p=0.020), socialization (p=0.009), and motor (p=0.041) scores before adjusting for confounders. After adjusting for the above variables, increasing VPA dose was associated with decreasing Vineland scores in all domains, but the relationships were not statistically significant. No dose effect was observed for carbamazepine or lamotrigine. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike carbamazepine and lamotrigine, prenatal valproate exposure was associated with adaptive behavior impairments with specific deficits in socialization and motor function, along with a relative weakness in communication. Increasing valproate dose was associated with a decline in adaptive functioning. This finding of a linear dose-dependent teratogenic effect suggests that valproate should be avoided at any dose during pregnancy. However, some women with epilepsy controlled only by valproate will decide, in consultation with their provider, that the benefits of continuing valproate during pregnancy outweigh the fetal risks. Faced with difficult choices, clinicians should be supportive as these patients consider their options.