Office hysteroscopic metroplasty with diode laser for septate uterus: a multicenter cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of office hysteroscopic metroplasty by diode laser for the treatment of septate uteri. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a prospective cohort study including 41 nulliparous women diagnosed with septate uterus and a history of primary infertility or recurrent miscarriage. All patients underwent hysteroscopic metroplasty for the treatment of the uterine septum, which was performed in-office setting using a 4.3 mm continuous-flow hysteroscope and a 15-watt diode laser at 1470 nm. Surgical and reproductive outcomes after 2 years of follow-up are reported. RESULTS: The procedure was well tolerated by 93% of patients. No surgical complications were reported. Thirty women out of 38 (78.9%) became pregnant: 17 (56.7%) pregnancies were spontaneously conceived, and 13 (43.3%) were obtained with assisted reproductive techniques. Twenty-four (80%) of the 30 pregnant women had a live birth, with a cumulative live birth of 63.2% among the 38 women (95% CI: 45.9-78.2%). There were no cases of post-partum hemorrhage or uterine rupture among 14 (58.3%) women who had vaginal deliveries. CONCLUSION: Office hysteroscopic metroplasty for septate uterus using diode laser appears to be a feasible and safe alternative to other available techniques and has sufficient efficacy in terms of reproductive outcomes to be considered for further investigations.

Group prenatal care versus individual prenatal care: a systematic review and meta-analyses.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of group prenatal care (GPC) and individual prenatal care (IPC) on perinatal health outcomes, including our primary outcomes of preterm birth (PTB < 37 weeks) and low birth weight (< 2500 g). DATA SOURCES: We searched Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and the references of selected articles. STUDY SELECTION: Two reviewers independently performed each step of the systematic review. Of the 4178 non-duplicate titles and abstracts identified, 77 were selected for full-text review. An additional eight full-text articles were selected from reference lists. Overall, 85 full-text articles were reviewed. Studies included assessed maternal or infant health outcomes. DATA EXTRACTION AND DATA SYNTHESIS: Two reviewers independently extracted data from eligible full-text articles. Statistical analyses were completed using Review Manager, version 5.0 (Copenhagen: The Nordic Cochrane Centre, Cochrane Collaboration, 2011), whereby dichotomous variables and continuous outcomes were analyzed using relative risk and mean difference, respectively. The random effects model was employed to pool data. Where available, adjusted data were used to assess the independent effect of GPC. Eight studies of mostly low quality (three randomized controlled trials and five cohort studies) were included, involving 3242 women, most at high risk. Women randomized to GPC had lower rates of PTB (RR 0.71; 95% CI 0.52 to 0.96), no difference in rates of LBW (RR 0.91; 95% CI 0.65 to 1.27) or IUGR (RR 0.85; 95% CI 0.61 to 1.19), fewer Caesarean sections (RR 0.80; 95% CI 0.67 to 0.93), and slightly higher rates of breastfeeding (RR 1.08; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.14). CONCLUSION: Studies comparing GPC with IPC are mostly of low quality and in high-risk groups, although two randomized studies, one a secondary analysis, showed improvement in some outcomes, including rates of PTB in women participating in GPC. In order to determine generalizability, more high-quality studies of GPC are needed.

Office hysteroscopic myomectomy without myoma extraction: A multicenter prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of leaving the submucous myoma (SM) in the uterine cavity after office hysteroscopic enucleation. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective multicenter study including patients who had a single SM diagnosed by transvaginal ultrasounds with surgical indication. Office hysteroscopic enucleation of the SM was performed using a 5 mm continuous flow office hysteroscope with a 2.9 mm rod lens optical system and a 5 Fr operative channel. After the SM was released preserving the pseudo capsule using cold instruments, it was left into the uterine cavity. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients without evidence of the myoma at the transvaginal ultrasound performed after 90 days from surgery. RESULTS: Between January 1st, 2018, and March 31st, 2020, a total of 204 patients were enrolled. Most patients were nulliparous and reported abnormal uterine bleeding as the leading symptom. 76.5 % of enucleated myomas had a diameter ranging between 1.5 and 2.5 cm, and 81.4 % of SMs were of G0 or G1. Hysteroscopic procedures had a mean duration of 23.2 ± 10.5 min. The operative time was associated with the SM grade and size. All hysteroscopic procedures were completed. A vasovagal reaction was observed in 3 women (1.5 %), and minimal post-operative bleeding was reported after 7 procedures (3.4 %). None reported pelvic pain or vaginal discharges/bleeding during follow-up. The average patient satisfaction from surgery was 4.59 (5-points Likert scale). The level of patient satisfaction was not associated with the grade and the size of the myoma. In 192 (94.12 %; 98 %CI: 89.03-96.93 %) out of 204 patients, the SM was absent at the transvaginal ultrasound performed at the follow-up end. A higher prevalence of G2 SMs and lower prevalence of G1 SMs were observed among patients with evidence of the myoma after 90 days from the surgery. CONCLUSION: Office hysteroscopic myomectomy with SM enucleation without mass extraction appears safe, well-tolerated, and effective in at least 89 % of patients. G2 SMs may be the factor associated with the procedure's failure.

Office Hysteroscopic Laser Enucleation of Submucous Myomas without Mass Extraction: A Case Series Study.

Background and Objectives. A new two-step hysteroscopic myomectomy carried out in the office setting and without anesthesia was feasible for the excision of submucous myomas. The objective of this study was to assess whether removal of submucous myomas from the uterine cavity after hysteroscopic laser enucleation is necessary. Methods. Between June 2009 and April 2013, all outpatients with symptomatic myomatosis (bleeding, pelvic pain, and infertility) assessed ultrasonographically were eligible to participate in a prospective study. All patients underwent office hysteroscopic enucleation of submucous myomas. Enucleated myomas were left in the uterine cavity. Neither anesthesia nor antibiotic prophylaxis was used. Results. Sixty-one women (mean age: 47.3 years) were included. Regardless of hysteroscopic localization and grading, all myomas were enucleated. The mean (standard deviation, SD) diameter of the myoma as measured by the ultrasound scan was 22.6 (8.5) mm. In 29 cases (47.5%), the diameter of the resected myoma was >20 mm and in 10 cases (16.4%) >30 mm. After a mean follow-up of 68.2 (16.5) days, none of the patients showed a residual myoma inside the uterine cavity. Conclusions. The present results indicate that leaving laser-enucleated submucous myoma in the uterine cavity is a feasible and safe therapeutic option.

Do psychiatric medications, especially antidepressants, adversely impact maternal metabolic outcomes?

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric illnesses, particularly depression, are some of the most common complications of pregnancy. Accordingly, pharmacologic treatment of these illnesses is prevalent and increasing. Systematic reviews on psychiatric medication use during pregnancy have shown effects on obstetrical and neonatal outcomes and non-systematic reviews of maternal outcomes suggest higher weight gain and an increased risk of gestational diabetes. However, to date there has not been a systematic review of the effects of these medications on maternal metabolic outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between psychiatric medication use during pregnancy and adverse maternal metabolic outcomes [gestational weight gain (GWG), gestational diabetes (GDM) and postpartum weight retention (PPWR)]. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis were used. We searched Medline, EMBASE, PsychInfo and references. Two reviewers independently performed each step of the systematic review, following the MOOSE guidelines. RESULTS: Of 3080 non-duplicate titles and abstracts, 175 articles underwent full text review. Two moderate quality cohort studies were included. No differences were found for GWG, GDM and PPWR. LIMITATIONS: There were only two studies which met our inclusion criteria, making it difficult to make any definitive conclusions regarding the effects of psychiatric medication on maternal metabolic outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the suggestions in non-systematic reviews that psychiatric medication use during pregnancy results in adverse maternal metabolic sequelae, in this systematic review, we found no evidence of an increased risk of GWG, GDM or PPWR in women with psychiatric illness who took psychiatric medications compared to non-medicated women with psychiatric illness. However, more, high quality studies are needed in this area to determine if there is an association between psychiatric medication use and maternal metabolic outcomes.

Fiber for the treatment of hemorrhoids complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of laxatives on a wide range of symptoms in patients with symptomatic hemorrhoids. METHODS: We searched using the following sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and CENTRAL, BIOSIS, AMED, Papers First and Proceedings; study authors, industry, and experts in the field. We included all published and unpublished parallel group randomized controlled trials comparing any type of laxative to placebo or no therapy in patients with symptomatic hemorrhoids. Two reviewers independently screened studies for inclusion, retrieved all potentially relevant studies, and extracted data on study population, intervention, prespecified outcomes, and methodology. RESULTS: Seven trials randomized 378 patients to fiber or a nonfiber control. Studies were of moderate quality for most outcomes. Meta-analyses using random effects models suggested that fiber has an apparent beneficial effect. The risk of not improving/persisting symptoms decreased by 47% in the fiber group (RR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.38-0.73) and the risk of bleeding by 50% (RR = 0.50, 95% CI 0.28-0.89). Studies with multiple follow-ups, usually at 6 wk and at 3 months, showed consistent results over time. Results are also compatible with large treatment effects in prolapse, pain, and itching, but even in the pooled analyses confidence intervals were wide and compatible with no effect (RR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.37-1.67; RR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.07-1.65; and RR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.24-2.10, respectively). One study suggested a decrease in recurrence. Results showed a nonsignificant trend toward increases in mild adverse events in the fiber group (RR = 6.0, 95% CI 0.57-64.8). CONCLUSIONS: Trials of fiber show a consistent beneficial effect for symptoms and bleeding in the treatment of symptomatic hemorrhoids.

Endometrial hyperplasia with secretory changes.

OBJECTIVE: Secretory changes in endometrial hyperplasia are uncommon. The aim of this study is to review the morphologic and clinical findings of 24 cases of endometrial hyperplasia with secretory changes. METHODS: In 24 patients diagnosed with endometrial hyperplasia with secretory changes during 6 years, clinical characteristics such as menopausal status and hormone treatment were correlated with morphological features. A matched age control group of 24 women with conventional endometrial hyperplasia was used to compare the hormonal effect. RESULTS: Nineteen patients were premenopausal. Nine women showed simple hyperplasia without atypia and 15 complex hyperplasia, 7 of them with atypia. Seventeen women were under hormonal treatment at the time of diagnosis, 10 of them with progestins. In 7 patients endometrial adenocarcinoma could be seen, 5 coexisting with endometrial hyperplasia with secretory changes and in 2 appearing after 1 and 4 months. In control group only 2 patients were undergoing progestin hormonal treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Secretory changes can be found in hyperplastic endometrium, particularly in premenopausal women under hormonal treatment with progestins, with the risk of misdiagnosis.