OVA-LEAK: Prognostic score for colo-rectal anastomotic leakage in patients undergoing ovarian cancer surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to define and validate an anastomotic leak prognostic score based on previously described and reported anastomotic leak risk factors (OVA-LEAK: https://n9.cl/ova-leakscore) and to establish if the use of OVA-LEAK score is better than clinical criteria (surgeon's choice) selecting anastomosis to be protected with a diverting ileostomy. MATERIAL & METHODS: This is a retrospective, multicentre cohort study that included patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery for primary advanced or relapsed ovarian cancer with colorectal resection and anastomosis between January 2011 and June 2021. Data from patients already included in the previous predictive model were not considered in the present analysis. To validate the performance of our logistic regression model, we used the OVA-LEAK formula (Annex I: https://n9.cl/ova-leakscore) for estimating leakage probabilities in a new independent cohort. Then, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed and area under the curve (AUC) was used to measure the performance of the model. Additionally, the Brier score was also estimated. 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each of the estimated performance measures were also calculated. RESULTS: 848 out of 1159 recruited patients were finally included in the multivariable logistic regression model validation. The AUC of the new cohort was 0.63 for predicting anastomotic leak. Considering a cut-off point of 22.1% to be 'positive' (to get a leak) this would provide a sensitivity of 0.45, specificity of 0.80, positive predictive value of 0.09 and negative predictive value of 0.97 for anastomotic leak. If we consider this cut-off point to select patients at risk of leak for bowel diversion, up to 22.5% of the sampled patients would undergo a diverting ileostomy and 47% (18/40) of the anastomotic leaks would be 'protected' with the stoma. Nevertheless, if we consider only the 'clinical criteria' for performing or not a diverting ileostomy, only 12.5% (5/40) of the leaks would be 'protected' with a stoma, with a rate of diverting ileostomy of up to 24.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with subjective clinical criteria, the use of a predictive model for anastomotic leak improves the selection of patients who would benefit from a diverting ileostomy without increasing the rate of stoma use.

Utility of Intraoperative Fluorescence Imaging in Gynecologic Surgery: Systematic Review and Consensus Statement.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to review the current knowledge on the utility of intraoperative fluorescence imaging in gynecologic surgery and to give evidence-based recommendations to improve the quality of care for women who undergo gynecologic surgery. METHODS: A computer-based systematic review of the MEDLINE, CENTRAL, Pubmed, EMBASE, and SciSearch databases as well as institutional guidelines was performed. The time limit was set at 2000-2019. For the literature search, PRISMA guidelines were followed. A modified-Delphi method was performed in three rounds by a panel of experts to reach a consensus of conclusions and recommendations. RESULTS: Indocyanine green (ICG) is used primarily in gynecology for sentinel node-mapping. In endometrial and cervical cancer, ICG is a feasible, safe, time-efficient, and reliable method for lymphatic mapping, with better bilateral detection rates. Experience in vulvar cancer is more limited, with ICG used together with Tc-99 m as a dual tracer and alone in video endoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomy. In early ovarian cancer, results are still preliminary but promising. Indocyanine green fluorescence imaging also is used for ureteral assessment, allowing intraoperative ureteral visualization, to reduce the risk of ureteral injury during gynecologic surgery. CONCLUSIONS: For most gynecologic cancers, ICG fluorescence imaging is considered the tracer of choice for lymphatic mapping. The use of this new technology expands to a better ureteral assessment.

Prognostic Value and Therapeutic Implication of Laparoscopic Extraperitoneal Paraaortic Staging in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Spanish Multicenter Study.

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of laparoscopic extraperitoneal paraaortic staging in therapeutic planning and prognosis of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) as compared with imaging staging. METHODS: Retrospective multicenter study of stage IB2 and IIA2 to IVA (FIGO 2009) LACC patients who were candidates for primary chemoradiotherapy. The study (surgical) group included 634 patients undergoing laparoscopic/robotic extraperitoneal paraaortic staging treated with extended-field radiotherapy (EFRT) if lymph node involvement was confirmed. The control (imaging) group included 288 patients treated with EFRT when lymph node involvement was suspected on positron emission tomography-computed tomography scans and/or magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: In the study group, a median of 13 (range 9-17) lymph nodes were removed, with a rate of positive paraaortic nodes of 18%, with metastatic size ≤ 5 mm in 20.4% of cases. Paraaortic EFRT was administered to 18% of patients in the study group and in 58% of controls. In 34% of patients from the surgical group, EFRT was modified according to surgical findings with respect to imaging staging. The median follow-up in the study and control groups was 3.7 and 4.8 years, respectively. In both groups, the overall survival and cancer-specific disease-free survival were similar. The time interval between diagnosis and starting EFRT was 18 days longer in the study group, without differences in overall survival as compared with controls (hazard ratio 1.00, 95% confidence interval 0.998-1.005; p = 0.307). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic extraperitoneal paraaortic staging in LACC patients is safe and modified therapeutic planning, allowing better selection of candidates for EFRT.

Conservative management in ureteric hydronephrosis due to deep endometriosis: Could the levonorgestrel-intrauterine device be an option?

Endometriosis can affect up to 10% of women of reproductive age, in a wide range of clinical presentations that vary from mild to severe or deep endometriosis. Deep endometriosis can affect the urinary tract in 1-5% to 15-25% cases. Even though deep endometriosis' surgeries are usually complex with higher rate of complications, conservative management is not always considered as an option because of its high failure rates. This paper describes two cases of deep endometriosis with ureteric involvement (hydronephrosis) treated conservatively with a double-pigtail stent plus a Levonorgestrel intrauterine device, after conservative surgery, who remained symptom free with no evidence of recurrence at 3 years follow-up, avoiding radical high-risk surgery. Impact statement Several treatments have been described for endometriosis. From a symptomatic perspective, conservative medical management has been proposed with a variable response. Concerning deep endometriosis (affecting the urinary or digestive tract), the definitive treatment has always been thought to be radical surgery. However, this can lead to several complications. To illustrate a possible more conservative approach this paper describes two cases of deep infiltrating endometriosis affecting the ureter, treated conservatively with a temporary pigtail ureter stent plus a Levonorgestrel intrauterine device. The management demonstrates that, in a selected population, conservative treatment solves the urinary disease avoiding the surgical complications and, what is more, improving patients' symptoms in a permanent way. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm whether the introduction of this management in clinical practice would reduce the need for surgery thereby, avoiding high-risk surgery and improving the success rate of conservative management.

Patterns of First Recurrence and Oncological Outcomes in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer Patients: Does Surgical Staging Play a Role?

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine whether surgical aortic staging by minimally invasive paraaortic lymphadenectomy (PALND) affects the pattern of first recurrence and survival in treated locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) patients when compared to patients staged by imaging (noPALND). METHODS: This study was a multicenter observational retrospective cohort study of patients with LACC treated at tertiary care hospitals throughout Spain. The inclusion criteria were histological diagnosis of squamous carcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, and/or adenocarcinoma; FIGO stages IB2, IIA2-IVA (FIGO 2009); and planned treatment with primary chemoradiotherapy between 2000 and 2016. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed before the analysis. RESULTS: After PSM and sample replacement, 1092 patients were included for analysis (noPALND n = 546, PALND n = 546). Twenty-one percent of patients recurred during follow-up, with the PALND group having almost double the recurrences of the noPALND group (noPALND: 15.0%, PALND: 28.0%, p < 0.001). Nodal (regional) recurrences were more frequently observed in PALND patients (noPALND:2.4%, PALND: 11.2%, p < 0.001). Among those who recurred regionally, 57.1% recurred at the pelvic nodes, 37.1% recurred at the aortic nodes, and 5.7% recurred simultaneously at both the pelvic and aortic nodes. Patients who underwent a staging PALND were more frequently diagnosed with a distant recurrence (noPALND: 7.0%, PALND: 15.6%, p < 0.001). PALND patients presented poorer overall, cancer-specific, and disease-free survival when compared to patients in the noPALND group. CONCLUSION: After treatment, surgically staged patients with LACC recurred more frequently and showed worse survival rates.

Oncological outcomes of intraperitoneal chemotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer: BRCA mutation role.

INTRODUCTION: The knowledge of BRCA status offers a chance to evaluate the role of the intraperitoneal route in patients selected by biomolecular profiles after primary cytoreduction surgery in advanced ovarian cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective, multicenter study to assess oncological outcomes depending on adjuvant treatment (intraperitoneal [IP] vs intravenous [IV]) and BRCA status (BRCA1/2 mutated vs. BRCA wild type [WT]). The primary endpoint was to determine progression-free survival. The secondary objectives were overall survival and toxicity. RESULTS: A total of 288 women from eight centers were included: 177 in the IP arm and 111 in the IV arm, grouped into four arms according to BRCA1/2 status. Significantly better PFS was observed in BRCA1/2-mutated patients with IP chemotherapy (HR: 0.35; 95% CI, 0.16-0.75, p = 0.007), which was not present in BRCA1/2-mutated patients with IV chemotherapy (HR: 0.65; 95% CI, 0.37-1.12, p = 0.14). Significantly better OS was also observed in IP chemotherapy (HR: 0.17; 95% CI, 0.06-043, p < 0.0001), but was not present in IV chemotherapy in relation with BRCA mutation (HR: 0.52; 95% CI, 0.22-1.27, p = 0.15). For BRCA WT patients, worse survival was observed regardless of the adjuvant route used. The IP route was more toxic compared to the IV route, but toxicity was equivalent at the long-term follow-up. CONCLUSION: This retrospective study suggests that BRCA status can help to offer an individualized, systematic treatment after optimal primary surgery for advanced ovarian cancer, but is limited by the small sample size. Prospective trials are essential to confirm these results.

Spanish Translation, Transcultural Adaptation, Validation and Clinical Applicability of Female Genital-Self Image Scale (FGSIS).

BACKGROUND: As female genital cosmetic surgeries have significantly increased, appropriate tools to evaluate self-esteem about women's own genitalia are necessary. AIM: to translate, culturally adapt to Spanish women and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS). METHODS: FGSIS was forward and backward translated, culturally adapted into Spanish and its content evaluated through Delphi consensus. One item from the original scale was discarded after expert panel evaluation, developing the final Spanish scale (FGSIS-S) consisting of 6 items. Its psychometric properties were evaluated among 202 women attending gynecological consults through an online survey. The survey included socio-demographic data and FGSIS-S. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Socio-demographic items, psychometric characteristics of the FGSIS-S (construct evaluation, internal consistency and test-retest reliability) were assessed. RESULTS: FGSIS-S proved to relate appropriately with the proposed construct (sum-content validity index 0.9, and significant inverse correlation with women concerned about their genital appearance or considering cosmetic surgery) with a 1-factor solution on exploratory factor analysis. The test proved good internal consistency (McDonald's omega 0.86) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation 0.86, P < .001). In 41.1% of cases, women referred concern about their genital's self-image and in 12.4% had considered undergoing cosmetic surgery. CLINICAL TRANSLATION: The validated version of FGSIS-S can help both professionals and patients, and its implementation can be easily made in gynecological consults. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: The main limitation is a self-selection bias in women attending gynecological consults, who may be more worried about their gynecological/sexual health. The sample is also a relatively homogeneous Caucasian population, with medium-high educational level, coming from gynecological consults. Strengths include the large sample size and the demographic survey that permitted evaluating the performance of FGSIS-S in the context of concern about genitals or consideration of cosmetic surgery. CONCLUSION: FGSIS-S is an adequate scale to measure women's genital image self-perception in Spanish-speaking population of Spain. Bartolomé A, Villalaín C, Bermejo R, et al. Spanish Translation, Transcultural Adaptation, Validation and Clinical Applicability of Female Genital-Self Image Scale (FGSIS). Sex Med 2022;10:100558.

Rectosigmoid deep infiltrating endometriosis and ureteral involvement with loss of renal function.

UNLABELLED: Endometriosis is a complex disease with unclear pathogenesis, defined as the presence of endometrial tissue (glands and stroma) outside its usual location in the uterine cavity. Ureteral involvement is rare, with an estimated frequency of 10-14% in cases of deep endometriosis with nodules of 3 cm or larger. An important complication of ureteral involvement is asymptomatic loss of renal function. In a patient with asymptomatic renal failure the relevance of extrinsic ureteral involvement by deep endometriosis has been taken to account. CASE REPORT: A 32-year-old nulliparous woman presented with chronic pelvic pain associated with severe dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia and digestive problems including diarrhea, occasional constipation and rectal bleeding. She reported no urological symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) identified a 4 cm nodule in the recto-vaginal septum, compressing and infiltrating the rectal wall, and chronic left hydronephrosis. Isotope renogram revealed 91% function in the right kidney and 9% in the left kidney. A multidisciplinary surgical team including consultants from the departments of digestive surgery and urology assessed the patient. The treatment recommended was a joint approach of laparoscopic surgery to perform adhesiolysis, ureterolysis, freeing of the uterus and appendages, resection of the rectovaginal septum nodule, and left nephrectomy. COMMENT: Diagnosis and treatment of deep endometriosis should be performed in specialized centers and in the context of multidisciplinary collaboration. We must be aware of the potential risk of ureteral involvement and the asymptomatic loss of renal function in any patient with endometriosis nodules of 3 cm or larger.

A laparoscopic approach to Nuck's duct endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of uncommon endometriosis located in the Nuck's duct and its laparoscopic resolution. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Gynecologic department at 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Madrid. PATIENT(S): A 35-year-old woman, gravida 1 para 1, presented with an inguinal right mass. She had a right nephrectomy because of acute pyelonephritis. Computed tomography showed a cystic lesion that was suggestive of a Nuck's duct cyst. Fine-needle aspiration cytology was performed, and endometriosis was determined. INTERVENTION(S): Cyst removal and closure of the internal inguinal ring's defect by the laparoscopic approach. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Disease free. RESULT(S): The intervention was successfully performed by laparoscopic approach. The postoperative evolution was good, and the patient was discharged 2 days after surgery. CONCLUSION(S): Inguinal or Nuck's duct are both uncommon locations for endometriosis; therefore, it is difficult to suspect in patients without a surgical history. Once identified, the treatment involves removal of the endometrioma and repair of the internal inguinal ring. A laparoscopic approach should be considered when possible.