National survey of surgical practices: Sacropexy in France in 2019.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Sacropexy is a reference surgical treatment for pelvic organ prolapse in women. The great variability in surgical techniques for this procedure is a source of bias that complicates analysis of the results of trials assessing it. Using the French guidelines issued in 2016 by the SCGP, AFU, SIFUD-PP, and CNGOF as a reference, we sought to inventory the surgical practices of the surgeons who perform these procedures. METHODS: In November 2018, a questionnaire about the technical aspects of this procedure was distributed by email to the French physicians performing it. It was distributed to members of several professional societies (CNGOF, SCGP, and SIFUD) and to gynecologists practicing in clinics owned by the ELSAN group. RESULTS: Of the 273 responders, 92% reported that they perform most operations laparoscopically. Overall, 83% of gynecologic surgeons used polypropylene prostheses (mesh); 38% routinely placed a posterior mesh, while the rest did so only in cases of clinical rectocele with anorectal symptoms. A concomitant hysterectomy was performed by 51% of respondents when the uterus was bulky and/or associated with substantial uterine prolapse. Finally, half the surgeons suggested the placement of a suburethral sling for women with stress urinary incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: Although practices are largely consistent with the most recent guidelines, surgical techniques vary widely between surgeons, both in France and internationally.

Methods of detection and prevention of preterm labour and the PAMG-1 detection test: a review.

OBJECTIVES: Preterm labour is the leading cause of hospitalization during pregnancy. In France, it results in more than 60,000 births before 37 weeks of gestation every year. Recent studies suggest that detection of placental α-microglobulin-1 (PAMG-1) in vaginal secretions among women presenting symptoms of preterm labour with intact membranes has good predictive value for the onset of spontaneous preterm delivery within 7 days. The test is especially interesting, in that the repetition of antenatal corticosteroids for foetal lung maturation is no longer recommended in France and the effect of the initial administration is most beneficial in the 24 h to 7 days afterwards. METHODS: We included all studies listed in PubMed and clinicaltrials.gov with the terms "PAMG-1" and either "preterm labor" or "preterm labour", while excluding all studies on the subject of "rupture of the membranes" from 2000 through 2017. Ten studies were thus included. RESULTS: In women who had both the PAMG-1 and foetal fibronectin test, the PAMG-1 test was statistically superior to the measurement of cervical length for positive predictive value (p<0.0074), negative predictive value (p=0.0169) and specificity (p<0.001) for the prediction of spontaneous preterm delivery within 7 days. CONCLUSIONS: The use of PAMG-1 may make it possible to target the women at risk with a shortened cervix on ultrasound (<25 mm) those with an imminent preterm delivery and therefore to adapt management, especially the administration of antenatal corticosteroid therapy.

Effectiveness of nitrous oxide in external cephalic version on success rate: A randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 4% of singleton pregnancies at term are in breech presentation. External cephalic version (ECV) can reduce the risks of noncephalic birth and cesarean delivery, but this maneuver can be painful. Our aim was to analyze the effect of administering inhaled nitrous oxide for analgesia on the ECV success rate. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective, randomized, single-blind, controlled trial included women with singleton pregnancies in breech presentation at term who were referred for ECV in a tertiary care center. Women were assigned according to a balanced (1:1) restricted randomization design to inhale either nitrous oxide (N2 O) in a 50:50 mix with oxygen or medical air during the procedure. The main outcomes reported are the ECV success rate, degree of pain, adverse event rate, and women's satisfaction. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01948115. RESULTS: The study included 150 women (nitrous oxide group: n = 74; medical air: n = 76). Inhaled nitrous oxide was not associated with a higher ECV success rate than medical air (24.3 vs 19.7%, P = 0.51). Among parous women (n = 34 in each group), the ECV success rate appeared higher in the nitrous oxide group, respectively 47.1% (n = 16) vs 23.5% (n = 8) (P = 0.042). Neither the median pain level nor adverse event rates differed significantly in women with inhaled nitrous oxide compared with medical air. CONCLUSIONS: Use of an equimolar mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide during ECV appears safe. Although it does not seem to change the overall success rate, it may increase success in parous women.

The value of a vaginal sample for detecting PAMG-1 (Partosure®) in women with a threatened preterm delivery (the MAPOSURE Study): protocol for a multicenter prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Threatened preterm delivery (TPD) is the leading cause of inpatient admissions during pregnancy. The ability to predict the risk of imminent preterm delivery is thus a major priority in obstetrics. The aim of our study is to assess the diagnostic performance of the test to detect the placental alpha microglobulin 1 (PAMG-1) for the prediction of delivery within 7 days in women with TPD. METHODS: This is a prospective multicenter diagnostic study. Inclusion criteria are singleton pregnancy, gestational age between 24 + 0 and 33 + 6 weeks inclusive, cervical measurement 25 mm or less assessed by transvaginal ultrasound (with or without uterine contractions), clinically intact membranes and cervical dilatation < 3 cm assessed by digital examination. According to the current protocol, when a women presents with TPD and the diagnosis is confirmed by transvaginal ultrasound, a vaginal sample to test for genital infection is performed. At the same time, the midwife will perform the PartoSure® test. To perform this analysis, a sample of cervicovaginal secretions is taken with the vaginal swab furnished in the test kit. The primary outcome is the specificity of the PartoSure® test of women who gave birth more than 7 days after their hospitalization for TPD. The secondary outcomes are the sensitivity, PPV, and NPV of the Partosure® test and the factors associated with false positives (with a univariate logistic regression model). Starting with the hypothesis of an anticipated specificity of 89%, if we want to estimate this specificity with a confidence interval of ± 5%, we will require 151 women who do not give birth within 7 days. We therefore decided to include 400 women over a period of two years to have a larger number of events (deliveries within 7 days). DISCUSSION: The different tests already used such as fetal fibronectin and phIGFBP-1, are not sufficiently relevant to recommend their use in daily practice. The different studies of PAMG-1 described above thus provide support for the use of this substance, tested by PartoSure®. Nonetheless, other larger studies are necessary to validate its use in daily practice and our study could answer this question. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03401255 (January 15, 2018).

Primary hyperparathyroidism during pregnancy.

PURPOSE: Primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) during pregnancy is rare and associated with increased morbidity and mortality for both mother and fetus. This review aims to draw together recent thinking on pregnancy and pHPT. METHODS: We have performed a Pubmed (Medline(®)) search with no time limit using "primary hyperparathyroidism", "pregnancy" or "management" as keywords. We reviewed 37 articles in English and French languages on pHPT characteristics, clinical presentations, pregnancy complications, birth outcomes and management of pHPT during pregnancy. RESULTS: The diagnosis of pHPT is characterized by an elevated serum calcium level associated with an inappropriate increase in the parathyroid hormone level. The clinical manifestations are directly related to the calcium level. Usual techniques to detect parathyroid adenoma or hyperplasia, as computerized tomography and 99mTc-sestamibi scintigraphy, are not recommended in pregnancy. Thus, ultrasonography of the neck is the current first-line investigation during pregnancy for localization of parathyroid diseases. pHPT during pregnancy with mildly elevated calcium levels may be managed with medical treatment: intravenous or oral rehydratation, with or without forced diuresis. Few drugs are available for pHTP during pregnancy; calcitonin and cinacalcet require further study; bisphosphonate should be restricted to life-threatening hypercalcemia. Surgery is the only curative treatment and is recommended when calcium levels are above 2.75 mmol/L. It should be performed in the second trimester and considered in the third trimester if there is inadequate response to medical therapy. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis of pHPT in a pregnant woman, followed by appropriate management and treatment, has been shown to significantly reduce maternal and fetal complications.

Evaluation Tools for Assessing Autonomy of Surgical Residents in the Operating Room and Factors Influencing Access to Autonomy: A Systematic Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Surgical residents in France lack a clear pedagogical framework for achieving autonomy in the operating room. The progressive acquisition of surgical autonomy is a determining factor in the confidence of operators for their future independent practice. Currently, there is no autonomy scale commonly used in Europe. The objective of this study is to identify existing tools for quantifying the autonomy of residents and the factors that influence it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a qualitative systematic review following the recommendations of the Systematic Review Without Meta-Analysis (SWiM) guidelines. Publications were extracted from the MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, and PSYCINFO databases. All publications without date restrictions up to July 2022 were identified. RESULTS: Among the 231 identified publications, 21 met the inclusion criteria. Seventeen publications used a graded autonomy assessment tool by the student and/or the teacher, while 4 used evaluations by an observing third party. We found 8 different autonomy scales, with the Zwisch Scale representing 57.1% of the cases. Factors influencing autonomy were diverse, including the work context, experience, and gender of the resident and their teacher. DISCUSSION: We found heterogeneity in the tools used to "measure" the autonomy of a resident in the operating room. The SIMPL tool or the Zwisch Scale appear to be the most frequently used tools. The relationship between autonomy, performance, confidence, and knowledge may require multidimensional tools that encompass various areas of competence, but this could make their daily application more challenging. The factors influencing autonomy are numerous; and understanding them would improve teaching in the operating room. There is a significant lack of data on surgical autonomy in France, as well as a lack of evaluation in the field of gynecology-obstetrics worldwide.

Prevention of Rhesus-D Alloimmunization in the First Trimester of Pregnancy: Economic Analysis of Three Management Strategies.

Anti-D alloimmunization in the first trimester of pregnancy has long been the subject of prevention with anti-D immunoglobulins during events at risk of fetomaternal hemorrhage. Although the efficacy of preventing anti-D alloimmunization by an injection of immunoglobulin at 28 weeks of gestation (WG) is obvious, the literature provides little evidence of the effectiveness before 12+6 WG and several countries have modified their recommendations. In the presumed absence of a difference in alloimmunization risk between early and late prevention, our objective was to evaluate and compare the cost of treatment for 3 alloimmunization prevention strategies in France, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. This was a single-center retrospective study. Our target population included all women who received anti-D immunoglobulins (Rhophylac) in the first trimester of pregnancy before 12+6 WG at Nantes University Hospital in 2018 (N = 356). Within the target population, 2 other populations were constituted based on British (N = 145) and Dutch (N = 142) clinical practice guidelines (CPG). These 3 populations were analyzed for the comparative cost of treatment for prevention from a health system perspective. The average cost of Rhophylac alloimmunization prevention for 1 episode was €117.8 from a health system perspective. The total cost attributed to prevention in 2018 at Nantes University Hospital (N = 356) was €41,931.4 according to this perspective. If the UK CPG or Dutch CPG had been applied to the Nantes target population, a saving of around 60% would have been achieved. At the national level, the cost according to the health system perspective specifically attributable to induced abortion (N estimated = 26,916) could represent a total cost of €3,170,704. This study highlighted the high cost of the French prevention strategy in the first trimester of pregnancy compared with British or Dutch strategies. The modification of our practices would allow substantial financial savings to the French health system but would also avoid the nonrecommended exposure to a blood product at this term, would allow a faster medical management and a relief of the care system.

[Impact of the mode of follow-up of preterm premature rupture of membranes before 36 weeks of gestation on the latency period]. / Impact du mode de suivi des ruptures prématurées des membranes avant 36 SA sur la durée de latence.

INTRODUCTION: Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) is the main cause of premature delivery, complicating 1-3% of all pregnancies. Conventional hospitalization (CH) is the most frequent mode of follow-up, but homecare (HC) seems to be an alternative. OBJECTIVES: Study of the impact of the monitoring mode on the duration of the latency period and on the latency ratio after PPROM, and analysis of the risk factors modifying this ratio. METHODS: This was a bicentric retrospective cohort study here-abouts including patients who presented a PPROM between 24 and 36weeks of gestation from 2016 to 2018. Patients had a follow-up in HC at Lille University Hospital center (UHC) and in CH at Nantes UHC according to two different follow-up protocols. The latency ratio corresponded to the real latency period divided by the latency period to theoretical term. RESULTS: We included 154 patients: 102 in HC and 52 in CH. The mean latency period was significantly higher in HC: 36.9±21.8 days, corresponding to an 85.5±23.7% latency ratio versus 20.2±12 days, corresponding to an 66.9±29.8% latency ratio in CH (P<0.001). The latency ratio in CH was correlated with term at PPROM (P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The duration of the latency period seems prolonged for PPROM followed by HC management versus CH in selected populations. This study suggests a benefit to HC in stable patients.

Adrenal Gland Necrosis in Pregnancy: How to Manage? Case Series at Nantes University Hospital and Literature Review.

Adrenal necrosis is a rare but serious cause of abdominal pain of thrombotic origin during pregnancy. There is often a delay in diagnosis and treatment. The objective was to specify the clinical and paraclinical signs suggestive of adrenal necrosis, making it possible to improve the delay in diagnostic. The secondary objective was to establish a multidisciplinary protocol regarding management. This is a case report of pregnant women with a radiological diagnosis of adrenal gland necrosis. In parallel, we carried out a systematic review in the same period. We studied these patients' clinical, biological and radiological data. We included eight patients with a computed tomography scan diagnosis of adrenal necrosis and fifteen articles in the literature describing twenty-four cases. All the patients presented with the same symptoms. The treatment was based on curative anticoagulation. The diagnosis of adrenal gland necrosis is worth suggesting in view of the array of sudden morphine-resistant abdominal pain associated with a biological inflammatory syndrome. The diagnosis is based on the computed tomography scan. Three to six months of curative anticoagulation is recommended as well as a thrombophilia and endocrinological assessment to rule out adrenal insufficiency.