Abnormal Pathology Following Vaginal Hysterectomy for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Repair.

Objective: Uterine-sparing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair has shown good results, but the potential negative implications of leaving the uterus in place are yet to be fully defined. We aimed to assess the risk of unanticipated abnormal gynecological pathology at the time of reconstructive pelvic surgery. Methods: A retrospective consecutive case series including women who underwent vaginal hysterectomy for POP repair at a tertiary medical center in 2006-2020. All patients were offered a free Pap smear test at the age of 65 years as part of a national screening program. Transvaginal ultrasound was routinely performed preoperatively. Standard 3 pedicle hysterectomy was performed with/without bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO). Results: The study comprised 462 women of mean age 63 ± 9.3 years without previous known malignant or premalignant pathology. Benign pathology was observed in 286 patients (61.9%). Endometrial malignancy was found in three patients (0.7%) and significant premalignant pathology in 15 patients (3.2%), including cervical intraepithelial neoplasia stage 2-3 in seven patients (1.5%) and complex hyperplasia with atypia in eight patients (1.7%). All these pathologies were found in postmenopausal women. None had preoperative clinical symptoms or endometrial thickness of ≥5 mm on preoperative ultrasound. In the 35 patients after BSO, adnexal findings were normal (77.2%) or benign (22.8%). Conclusions: Premenopausal women with uterovaginal prolapse and normal preoperative evaluation have a minimal risk of significant abnormal uterine pathology. In postmenopausal women, the risk of unanticipated malignant uterine pathology is 0.7% and 3.2% for significant premalignancy.

Symptomatic corpus luteum hemorrhage in adolescent females with ITP.

Patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) usually present with minor mucocutaneous bleeding. Corpus luteum hemorrhage (CLH) is generally asymptomatic but may, rarely, lead to severe intraperitoneal bleeding, mostly in patients with coagulation disorders. CLH causing intraperitoneal bleeding has only been described in few individuals with ITP. The objective of this retrospective observational study was to assess the clinical course and incidence of symptomatic CLH in adolescent females with newly diagnosed or chronic ITP. Additionally, a comprehensive literature review was conducted to scrutinize cases of pediatric female patients with ITP, complicated by CLH. We identified three patients with ITP and hemoperitoneum secondary to CLH. They presented with acute abdominal pain, had severe thrombocytopenia (platelet counts below 20 × 109/L), and required blood transfusions as well as ITP-directed therapy. All the patients were hemodynamically stable and did not require emergency surgical intervention.  Conclusion: CLH could potentially pose a significant complication in the context of adolescent females with ITP, requiring a strong index of suspicion to direct expedient therapy. What is Known: • Immune thrombocytopenia is typically associated with minor bleeding tendency. • Corpus luteum hemorrhage is generally asymptomatic; however, in women with bleeding disorders, it has the potential to result in substantial intra-abdominal bleeding. What is New: • Corpus luteum hemorrhage leading to intra-abdominal bleeding is a potential severe complication of immune thrombocytopenia in adolescent females.

Long-term risk of adnexal operation after vaginal hysterectomy for pelvic organs prolapse repair.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if women who undergo vaginal hysterectomy for pelvic floor prolapse repair without concomitant opportunistic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy are at increased risk of further complications related to the remaining adnexa later in life. STUDY DESIGN: The database of a tertiary university medical center was searched for all women who underwent vaginal hysterectomy as part of the treatment for pelvic organ prolapse, without opportunistic adnexectomy, from 2006 to 2015 to provide adequate time for long-term evaluation. Demographic and clinical data including surgeries performed during the long-term follow-up were collected from all medical insurer electronic medical records. RESULTS: The cohort included 427 women of mean age 63 ± 9.3 years; 90.9 % were postmenopausal. Mean duration of follow-up was 10.7 ± 2.6 years. During the follow-up period, only 3 patients (0.7 %) were re-operated for left adnexal pathology, non-malignant in all cases. CONCLUSION: In women undergoing vaginal hysterectomy for pelvic organ prolapse without opportunistic adnexectomy, preservation of the adnexa poses only a very low risk for adnexal pathology or need for reoperation later in life.

[PERI- AND POST-MORTEM CESAREAN SECTION].

INTRODUCTION: Cesarean section has been practiced since the 2nd millennium BC. It received its name due to the manner of the birth of Julius Caesar, who allegedly yet incorrectly, was born in this way. The main indications for Cesarean section were "king's law" for the implementation of inheritance rights and later because of the doctrine of the Catholic Church that mandated separate burial of the fetus for the purpose of his soul to reach heaven after being baptized. As of the late 19th Century, Cesarean section became safer, hence it gained popularity and nowadays it is quite prevalent as a mode of delivery worldwide. Furthermore, the massive rise in law suit claims against obstetricians also plays its role in the popularity of cesarean section as a mode of delivery. In this review article, the issue of special and rare types of Cesareans, i.e. peri- and post-mortem Cesarean sections is discussed.

[ACTIVE AND SECONDHAND (PASSIVE) SMOKING DURING PREGNANCY].

INTRODUCTION: Quite a few people of both genders are still smoking today, although their number is decreasing in the developed countries. In Israel, people who smoke constitute 22% of the adult population and the ratio between male and female smokers is 4:1. Jewish women smoke 1.8 times more in comparison with Arab women. Smoking is known to constrict small blood vessels and hence there exists a more prevalent outcome of prematurity and small-for-gestational-age fetus in pregnant women who are exposed to secondhand (passive) smoking during their pregnancy. In the relevant literature, it is claimed that secondhand smoking is responsible for delivery at early stages, as well as low birth weight of newborns for women who were exposed to it. However, these findings were not found as such in a number of studies in which the question of a relation between passive smoking and adverse pregnancy outcomes was not proven. Moreover, exposure to passive smoking by other smokers is considered only one of the many pollutants that exist in our industrial and overcrowded world, hence focusing on that one variable only ignores the effect of many other pollutants that may possibly do harm to the fetus as well as to the pregnant woman. The relation between passive smoking and adverse effects on the fetus leads to the restriction of smoking in public places with no evident proof of its benefit on pregnant women.

[THE RIDDLE OF FEMALE ORGASM].

INTRODUCTION: Female orgasm is not necessary for coitus and reproduction from an evolutionary point of view. Furthermore, many women have difficulties in achieving an orgasm. In the present review, the authors discuss the possible benefits of female orgasm, the ability to have an orgasm in different times of the woman's life cycle and in various states of health. We further explore the effect of hormones on orgasm and evaluate different types of treatments for the improvement of female orgasm. Based on the current literature, so far there is no well-established information regarding the precise physiologic causes of female orgasm, hence the bulk of research on this theme comes from psychology or sociology sources. This, of course, does not promote the physiologic, as well as the hormonal knowledge of female orgasm. Therefore, to date, female orgasm still remains a riddle to medicine.

Outcome of vaginal mesh reconstructive surgery in multiparous compared with grand multiparous women: Retrospective long-term follow-up.

We aimed to compare the long-term surgical outcome and complications of multiparous and grand multiparous women undergoing reconstructive surgery with vaginal mesh implants for repair of pelvic organ prolapse. This retrospective, long-term follow-up (28.17±20.7 months) comprised 113 women who underwent surgical reconstructive surgery with vaginal polypropylene mesh in a high parity rate population medical center. The women were divided into 2 groups (multiparous and grand multiparous) and each group was evaluated for objective and subjective surgical outcome. Patient demographics and surgical data were retrieved from electronic medical records. Outcome measure included POP-Q exam as objective outcome and validated Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory questionnaire (PFDI) to assess subjective outcome. Average age of patients was 62±7.9 (range 42-83) years. Average parity was 5.6±3.1 (range 1-14). There were 54 (47.7%) multiparous women and 59 (52.3%) grand multiparous women. The grand multiparous women were younger than the multiparous women and had a significantly higher degree of prolapse. At the last follow-up, the only significant difference was related to symptoms of an overactive bladder. In conclusion, long-term follow-up demonstrates that vaginal mesh surgery in grand multiparous women offers anatomical and subjective cure rates comparable to multiparous women.

Anatomical diversity of the female external genitalia and its association to sexual function.

OBJECTIVE: To provide data on the anatomical dimensions of adult female genitalia and to investigate the possible association of vulvar morphology and sexual function. STUDY DESIGN: This cross-sectional prospective cohort study, using measurements of the external genitalia was performed in a day-care unit of a tertiary, university-affiliated medical center from 2013 to 2014. Thirty-two premenopausal women aged 20-51 years, undergoing gynecological procedures under general anesthesia (not involving the external genitalia) were asked to respond to both a local general data questionnaire and a validated sexual function questionnaire (PISQ-12). Based on reported orgasmic performance during sexual intercourse, patients were divided into two groups, and the measured genital features were compared. RESULTS: Age, body mass index, parity and sexual activity history were recorded. A wide range of values was noted for each measurement. There was no statistically significant association between external genitalia measurements and age, parity or sexual activity. There was no statistically significant difference in any of the external genitalia measurements between the groups. CONCLUSION: Wide variability exists in the appearance of female external genitalia. Sexual function does not appear to be associated with genital dimensions. This information is important for both women and surgeons when considering cosmetic vulvar surgery.

Effectiveness of medical treatment with methotrexate for interstitial pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: In the last three decades, systemic methotrexate (MTX) has become widely accepted as the primary treatment for unruptured tubal pregnancy. This has prompted investigations into the use of MTX in the management of interstitial pregnancy. AIM: To determine the effectiveness of methotrexate for treatment of interstitial pregnancy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 17 haemodynamically stable women admitted to our tertiary, university-affiliated medical centre with an intact interstitial pregnancy from January 2003 through February 2013. First-line treatment consisted of intramuscular MTX 1 mg/kg/day x4 alternating with folinic acid 0.1 mg/kg or, in cases of low beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG) and no embryonic pole, one dose of 50 mg/m(2) body surface area. Uterine artery MTX injection was administered on the ipsilateral side of the pregnancy followed by uterine artery embolisation as second-line treatment. Failure criteria were <15% decrease in ß-hCG or sonographic evidence of pregnancy development. Second-line failures were referred for surgery. RESULTS: Twelve women (70.5%) underwent successful first-line treatment and 5 (29.5%) required second-line treatment. Baseline characteristics were similar except for a higher rate of two previous ectopic pregnancies in the first-line failures (80% versus 8.3%, P = 0.01). Two women eventually required surgery, both with two previous ectopic pregnancies. Of the three women with fetal cardiac activity on admission, two had successful first-line treatment and one required surgery. CONCLUSION: Systemic MTX is effective for treatment of intact interstitial pregnancy in haemodynamically stable women. The success rate is increased with uterine artery MTX injection as second-line treatment.

The impact of pregnancy on the accuracy and delay in diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy and the delay in diagnosis of presumed acute appendicitis in pregnancy. METHODS: Pregnant women undergoing appendectomy for presumed acute appendicitis were compared to non-pregnant age-matched women in a 3:1 ratio undergoing appendectomy in a tertiary medical center from 2001 to 2012. RESULTS: Out of 1618 women who underwent appendectomy during the study period, 81 (4.2%) were pregnant who were compared to 243 age-matched non-pregnant women. There was a significantly shorter interval between admission to the hospital and surgery and shorter surgery length (10.2 versuss 15.7 h, 1.2 ± 0.4 versus 1.4 ± 0.5 h, respectively, p < 0.001) in the pregnant group with similar rates of negative appendectomy (19.8% versus 21.8%, respectively, p = 0.86). The positive and negative predictive values of ultrasonography (US) for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis were 88.2% and 100%, and 92.9% and 57.1%, among the pregnant and the non-pregnant group, respectively. In multivariate analysis, early gestational age was found to be independently associated with higher rate of accurate US results (OR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.85-0.99, p = 0.39). CONCLUSION: Pregnant women undergoing appendectomy have shorter admission to surgery interval and surgical length with similar negative appendectomy rates compared to non-pregnant women. Ultrasound is an accurate tool for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis during pregnancy, especially during early gestation.