Socioemotional health, trauma exposure, and internalizing symptoms in students attending an alternative high school.

Students attending alternative schools often present with internalizing symptoms, likely related to high rates of trauma. Little is known about factors that buffer the relationship between trauma exposure and internalizing symptoms in this population. The present study examined the role of internal (i.e., self-efficacy, self-awareness, persistence) and external resources (i.e., peer support, family coherence, school support) as buffers in the association between trauma exposure and symptoms of depression and anxiety in 113 students (55% female, 91% Black, 8% Hispanic or Latinx, Mage = 18.0, SD = 1.5) attending an alternative school in a large, southeastern city. Results showed that trauma exposure was positively associated with depression and anxiety symptoms, while self-awareness and family coherence were negatively associated with depression and anxiety symptoms. Additionally, significant interactions revealed that trauma exposure was associated with depression symptoms at low but not high levels of self-awareness, and at low but not high levels of family coherence. Understanding strengths to support alternative high school students exposed to trauma is a valuable component of mental health intervention. Future research should investigate ways to cultivate self-awareness and enhance family coherence to address the complex needs of alternative school students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Strong Association Between Endometriosis and Symptomatic Leiomyomas.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The relationship between leiomyoma and endometriosis is poorly understood. Both contribute to considerable pain and may cause subfertility or infertility in women. We conducted this retrospective study to assess the rate of coexistence of endometriosis in women with symptomatic leiomyoma. The primary outcome measured was the coexistence of histology-proven endometriosis in women with symptomatic leiomyoma. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of a data-based collection of medical records of 244 patients treated at a tertiary medical center, who were evaluated for symptomatic leiomyoma from March 2011 through December 2015. Of those, 208 patients underwent laparoscopic or laparoscopic-assisted myomectomy or hysterectomy. All patients provided consent for possible concomitant diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. The remaining 36 patients underwent medical therapy and were excluded from the study. All patients who had myomectomy or supracervical hysterectomy underwent minilaparotomy for extracorporeal morcellation and specimen removal beginning in April 2012. RESULTS: Of the 208 patients with the presenting chief concern of symptomatic leiomyoma and who underwent surgical therapy, 181 had concomitant diagnoses of leiomyoma and endometriosis, whereas 27 had leiomyoma. Of the 27 patients, 9 also had adenomyosis. Patients with only fibroid tumors were, on average, 4.0 years older than those with endometriosis and fibroids (mean age, 44 vs 40 ± SD). Patients with both pathologies were also more likely to present with pelvic pain and nulliparity than those with fibroid tumors alone. CONCLUSIONS: In our patient population, 87.1% of patients with a chief concern of symptomatic fibroids also had a diagnosis of histology-proven endometriosis, which affirms the need for concomitant diagnosis and intraoperative treatment of both conditions. Overlooking the coexistence of endometriosis in women with symptomatic leiomyoma may lead to suboptimal treatment of fertility and persistent pelvic pain. It is important for physicians to be aware of the possibility of this association and to thoroughly evaluate the abdomen and pelvis for endometriosis at the time of myomectomy or hysterectomy in an effort to avoid the need for reoperation.

Robotic-assisted laparoscopy vs conventional laparoscopy for the treatment of advanced stage endometriosis.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare robotic-assisted laparoscopy with conventional laparoscopy for treatment of advanced stage endometriosis insofar as operative time, estimated blood loss, complication rate, and length of hospital stay. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II2). All procedures were performed by one surgeon between January 2004 and July 2012. Data was collected via chart review. SETTING: Tertiary referral center for treatment of endometriosis. PATIENTS: Four hundred twenty women with advanced endometriosis. INTERVENTIONS: Fertility-sparing surgery to treat advanced endometriosis, either via conventional or robotic-assisted laparoscopy. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patient demographic data, operative time, estimated blood loss, complication rate, and length of hospital stay were compared between the 2 groups. Two hundred seventy-three patients underwent conventional laparoscopy and 147 patients underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopy for fertility-sparing treatment of advanced stage endometriosis. Patients in both groups had similar characteristics insofar as age, body mass index, and previous abdominal surgeries. There were no significant differences in blood loss or complication rate between the 2 groups. Mean operative time in the conventional laparoscopy group was 135 minutes (range, 115-156 minutes), and in the robotic-assisted laparoscopy group was 196 minutes (range, 185-209 minutes), with a mean difference in operative time of 61 minutes (p < .001). Length of hospital stay was also significantly increased in the robotic-assisted laparoscopy group. Most patients who underwent conventional laparoscopy were discharged to home on the day of surgery. Of 273 patients in the conventional laparoscopy group, only 63 remained in the hospital overnight, and all 147 patients in the robotic-assisted laparoscopy group were discharged on postoperative day 1. CONCLUSION: Conventional laparoscopy and robotic-assisted laparoscopy are excellent methods for treatment of advanced stages of endometriosis. However, use of the robotic platform may increase operative time and might also be associated with longer hospital stay.

Advanced gynecologic laparoscopy in a fast-track ambulatory surgery center.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: It has been shown that major gynecologic laparoscopy is safe in hospital ambulatory settings, but there is little data to suggest the same in freestanding ambulatory surgery centers. This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of advanced gynecologic laparoscopic surgery using a fast-track model in freestanding ambulatory surgery centers and discusses our institution protocols. METHODS: Retrospective, multicenter review was conducted of major gynecologic surgeries from August 1st 2010 to September 30th 2011 in 3 surgical centers with one primary surgeon. All patients were treated for symptomatic uterine leiomyomas and/or endometriosis. Primary outcome measures were unplanned admissions and discharge within 23 hours. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-four patients underwent major laparoscopic gynecologic surgery with a total of 160 procedures: 77 stage IV endometriosis treatment including 7 disk excisions of endometriosis from the large bowel, 3 ureteroneocystostomies and 1 partial bladder resection, 38 myomectomies, and 34 hysterectomies including 12 modified radical hysterectomies. The overall unplanned admission rate was 4.5%. One hundred and thirty-one patients (97.7%) were discharged within 24 hours after surgery. Three patients (2.2%) were transferred to the hospital postoperatively: 1 patient for observation of postoperative anemia and 2 patients for postoperative fever. Three patients (2.2%) were admitted to the hospital after discharge: 1 patient for postoperative ileus, 1 patient for postoperative fever, and 1 patient with septic pelvic thrombophlebitis. These postoperative issues all resolved without complication, and all patients had an uneventful follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: With appropriate resources and an experienced surgeon, advanced laparoscopic surgery can be safely performed in a fast-track ambulatory surgery center with a high rate of discharge within 23 hours and low unplanned readmission rate.