Unilateral Partial Absence of the Fallopian Tube in a Female Patient With Infertility: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Unilateral partial absence of the fallopian tube is rare, and its clinical importance in fertility is unclear. A 35-year-old nulligravid female patient with infertility was suspected to have a left hydrosalpinx on hysterosalpingography and sonography. Therefore, the patient underwent diagnostic laparoscopy. The left fallopian tube lacked the ampullary portion, and its proximal end had a hydrosalpinx. A left salpingectomy was performed, and the pathological finding was a unilateral partial absence of the ampullary portion of the fallopian tube with hydrosalpinx. Postoperatively, she conceived via in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer-and delivered a healthy baby. Hydrosalpinx is a well-known cause of infertility and can develop due to the partial absence of a fallopian tube. Furthermore, salpingectomy may be effective in improving fertility in female patients with a unilateral partial absence of the fallopian tube.

Strategies and Outcomes of Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy for Large Uterine Cervical Fibroids.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To present the methods and outcomes of total laparoscopic hysterectomy with debulking surgery for large cervical fibroids. METHODS: This is a single-center study. Twenty-one women who underwent total laparoscopic hysterectomy between October 1, 2012 and November 30, 2020 for large cervical fibroids (diameter ≥10 cm) based on a diagnosis by magnetic resonance imagining were enrolled. Conventional total laparoscopic hysterectomy for large cervical fibroids was initially attempted. If this could not be completed, debulking surgery, such as enucleation of large cervical fibroids or cervical amputation, was performed during total laparoscopic hysterectomy. RESULTS: Total laparoscopic hysterectomy could be completed in all 21 patients with large cervical fibroids without blood transfusion. Conventional total laparoscopic hysterectomy was performed in four patients (19%), and 17 patients (81%) required debulking surgery at the time of total laparoscopic hysterectomy. The median diameter of the major axis of the cervical fibroid, uterine weight, intraoperative blood loss, and operative time were 12 cm, 750 g, 100 mL, and 191 min, respectively. CONCLUSION: Total laparoscopic hysterectomy for large cervical fibroids, although minimally invasive, requires a high level of laparoscopic skill. However, our data suggests that total laparoscopic hysterectomy for large cervical fibroids can be feasible, with an acceptable level of blood loss, by performing debulking surgeries such as enucleation of large cervical fibroids or cervical amputation.

TRAF7 mutations and immunohistochemical study of uterine adenomatoid tumor compared with malignant mesothelioma.

Adenomatoid tumors (ATs) are benign mesothelial tumors with a good prognosis and usually occur in female and male genital tracts, including in the uterus. ATs are genetically defined by tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF) 7 mutations, and a high number of AT cases show immunosuppression. On the other hand, malignant mesotheliomas (MMs) are malignant mesothelial tumors with a very poor prognosis. Genetic alterations in TRAF, methylthioadenosine phosphorylase(MTAP), and BRCA-associated nuclear protein 1 (BAP1) in ATs derived from the uterus and MMs of pleural or peritoneal origin were compared by gene sequence analysis or immunohistochemical approaches. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues derived from patients were used for immunohistochemical staining of L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM), BAP1, MTAP, and sialylated protein HEG homolog 1 (HEG1) in 51 uterine AT cases and 34 pleural or peritoneal MM cases and for next-generation sequencing of the TRAF7 gene in 44 AT cases and 21 MM cases. ATs had a significantly higher rate of L1CAM expression than MMs, whereas MMs had a significantly higher rate of loss of MTAP and BAP1 expression than ATs. There was no difference in the rate of HEG1 expression between the tumor types. Most of the ATs (37/44; 84%) had somatic mutations in TRAF7, but none of the MMs had somatic mutations in TRAF7 (0/21; 0%). In addition, a low number of AT cases were associated with a history of immunosuppression (9/51; 17.6%). TRAF7 mutation is one of the major factors distinguishing the development of AT from MM, and immunosuppression might not be associated with most AT cases.

An evaluation of laparoscopic hysterectomy alone versus in combination with laparoscopic myomectomy for patients with uterine fibroids.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare surgical outcomes following conventional laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH) (C-LH) versus the combination method of LH plus laparoscopic myomectomy (LM) (LH+LM) for the treatment of large uterine fibroids. STUDY DESIGN: This study was performed in 56 patients (uterine weights ≥500g) who underwent either C-LH or LH+LM performed by the same surgeon between May 2010 and May 2016. LH+LM was performed when C-LH was problematic because of poor visibility and/or mobility due to uterine fibroids. RESULTS: The C-LH and LH+LM groups consisted of 27 (48%) and 29 (52%) patients, respectively. The clinical characteristics of patients differed significantly only in the median sizes of the dominant fibroid. The sizes of the dominant fibroid in the C-LH and LH+LM groups were 9.5cm and 10.7cm (P=0.04), respectively. Regarding the surgical outcomes for the C-LH and LH+LM groups, the median uterine weights were 558g and 737g (P=0.03), respectively, the median operating times were 156min and 173min (P=0.23), respectively, and the median intraoperative blood losses were 150g and 300g (P=0.0004), respectively. In all patients, LH was performed without conversion to laparotomy and there were no cases of bladder, ureteral, or gastrointestinal tract injury. There were no postoperative complications of Clavien-Dindo scale≥III in either group. CONCLUSIONS: When C-LH cannot be performed because of large uterine fibroids that cause poor visibility and/or mobility, LH+LM may allow the procedure to be successfully completed without conversion to laparotomy. However, the latter approach increases the risk for intraoperative blood loss.

Who will benefit from uterus-sparing surgery in adenomyosis-associated subfertility?

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the determinants of successful pregnancy following laparoscopic adenomyomectomy. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: A general hospital. PATIENT(S): A total of 102 women who had a desire for pregnancy underwent laparoscopic adenomyomectomy from 2007 to 2012. INTERVENTION(S): Surgical excision of the uterine adenomyosis; statistical analysis for fertility outcomes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Pregnancy rates and the results of univariable and multivariable analyses. RESULT(S): When the women were divided into ≤39 years and ≥40 years age groups, clinical pregnancy rates were 41.3% and 3.7%, respectively. Factors associated with clinical pregnancy were: history of IVF treatments, posterior wall involvements, and age, with odds ratios of 6.22, 0.18, and 0.77, respectively. In the younger group, 60.8% of women with history of IVF failure showed successful pregnancy after surgery. We experienced 2 cases of placenta accreta in far advanced cases. CONCLUSION(S): This study demonstrated age as a determinant in fertility outcomes. Surgery could be a beneficial treatment for women who experienced IVF treatment failures, especially at ages of ≤39 years. We could not show a clear benefit of the surgery on fertility outcomes of the group aged ≥40 years. Extremely severe adenomyosis affecting a broad range of the uterine subendomerial myometrium should be treated carefully on a pregnancy course.

Four subtypes of adenomyosis assessed by magnetic resonance imaging and their specification.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to differentiate and specify the subtypes of adenomyosis. STUDY DESIGN: Surgically treated adenomyosis (n = 152) was subcategorized retrospectively into 4 subtypes on the basis of magnetic resonance imaging geography. Subtype I (n = 59) consisted of adenomyosis that occurs in the uterine inner layer without affecting the outer structures. Subtype II (n = 51) consisted of adenomyosis that occurs in the uterine outer layer without affecting the inner structures. Subtype III (n = 22) consisted of adenomyosis that occurs solitarily without relationship to structural components. Adenomyosis that did not satisfy these criteria composed subtype IV (n = 20). Stepwise logistic regression analysis was used for specification of the subtypes. RESULTS: Subtypes I-III were suggested as a product of direct endometrial invasion, endometriotic invasion from the outside, and de novo metaplasia, respectively. Subtype IV was a heterogeneous mixture of far advanced disease. CONCLUSION: Adenomyosis appears to consist of 3 distinct subtypes of different causes and an additional subtype of indeterminate cause.

Prevention of postlaparoscopic shoulder pain by forced evacuation of residual CO(2).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Shoulder pain is one of the early postlaparoscopic symptoms related to CO(2) used for pneumoperitoneum and remaining in the abdomen. The present study was conducted to validate the hypothesis that complete evacuation of the residual CO(2) would prevent postlaparoscopic shoulder pain. METHODS: Forty consecutive patients, the candidates for gynecologic laparoscopic surgery, were randomly enrolled into one of the following 2 groups. Nineteen patients entered Group I where the residual CO(2) was evacuated by abdominal oppression and served as the study control group. The remaining 21 patients entered Group II, where the residual CO(2) was evacuated by pumping warm saline into the abdomen until it spilled out of the open ports. Nurses, blind to the patient's grouping, recorded shoulder pain VAS scores twice daily. RESULTS: VAS scores in Group I started to increase at Day 1AM, reached a peak at Day 1PM, and decreased gradually thereafter. VAS scores in Group II stayed low throughout the investigation period. The difference was highly significant (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal filling with saline at the end of laparoscopic surgery effectively evacuates residual CO(2) thus preventing postlaparoscopic shoulder pain.

Two novel serum biomarkers for endometriosis screened by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and their change after laparoscopic removal of endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore novel endometriosis serum biomarkers by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS). DESIGN: First, we aimed to discover the potential biomarkers of endometriosis by SELDI-TOF-MS. Second, blinded test was performed to characterize the effectiveness of the model by examining the sensitivity and specificity. Third, 29 postoperative patients with endometriosis were recruited to monitor the change of potential biomarkers after laparoscopic surgery. SETTING: Collaborative investigation in an academic research environment. PATIENT(S): Fifty-nine patients with endometriosis, 31 patients without endometriosis, and 30 healthy volunteers. INTERVENTION(S): Blood serum of endometriosis and control group patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Protein expression. RESULT(S): Two endometriosis-specific proteins were found in the preliminary screening study. Furthermore, the blinded test was performed and showed a sensitivity of 86.67% and a specificity of 96.77% of the markers for detecting endometriosis, which are significantly higher than those of CA-125 for distinguishing patients with endometriosis from patients without endometriosis. After surgery, the levels of these biomarker proteins decreased to levels comparable with those of patients without endometriosis. CONCLUSION(S): We discovered the potential biomarkers of endometriosis and set up a diagnostic model with a sensitivity of 86.67% and a specificity of 96.77%, which is significantly higher than that of CA-125 for detecting endometriosis, The levels of these proteins decreased to levels comparable with those of patients without endometriosis.

Results of prednisolone given to improve the outcome of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer in women with antinuclear antibodies.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) with outcome of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) as well as the effect of short-term immunosuppression with prednisolone on implantation, clinical pregnancy and live birth rates following IVF-ET. STUDY DESIGN: The study group consisted of 120 women, 22-42 years old, in whom IVF-ET was performed and whose ANA could be measured. Prednisolone (15-60 mg/d for 5 days) was administered starting 1 day after oocyte retrieval to some women with or without ANA, without randomization. The 223 IVF-ET cycles were divided into prednisolone-nontreated ANA-negative cycles, prednisolone-treated ANA-negative cycles, prednisolone-nontreated ANA-positive cycles and prednisolone-treated ANA-positive cycles. Retrospective analysis of rates of implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth were evaluated in the four groups. RESULTS: Overall, ANA positivity was noted in 20.0% of subjects (24/120) and 25.1% of cycles (56/223). Implantation and clinical pregnancy rates in the prednisolone-nontreated ANA-positive group were 0% (0/41 transplanted embryos) and 0% (0/15 cycles), significantly lower than in the other groups. The live birth rate in this group was significantly lower than in the prednisolone-nontreated ANA-negative group and non-significantly tended to be lower than in the other 2 CONCLUSION: Implantation, clinical pregnancy and live birth rates following IVF-ET were low when ANA was detected. Implantation and clinical pregnancy rates were improved significantly by prednisolone, but the live birth rate was not.

Use of the potassium titanyl phosphate laser in the laparoscopic anterior rectum slicing operation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of the potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser used during the laparoscopic anterior rectum slicing (LARS) operation. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center, Kyoto, Japan. PATIENT(S): All 46 patients who underwent the LARS operation using the KTP laser. INTERVENTION(S): The LARS operation using the KTP laser for treatment of deep rectal endometriosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Operative and postoperative outcome. RESULT(S): Meaningful improvements in clinical symptoms were obtained with the LARS operation using the KTP laser with acceptable levels of postoperative morbidity. Bowel leakage did not occur in any of the patients. CONCLUSION(S): Deep rectal endometriosis can be treated effectively with the LARS operation using the KTP laser.

Complete removal of endometriosis improves fecundity.

Endometriosis is one of the causative factors of impaired fecundity. Whatever the mechanisms are of this impairment, surgical removal of endometriosis appears to increase postoperative fecundity. Our strategy in laparoscopic surgery for symptomatic endometriosis is to completely remove endometriosis. However, despite this strategy, laparoscopic surgery nonetheless creates two categories of patients; complete and incomplete surgery groups. We found by comparing the two groups that both were comparable in terms of fecundity during the early postoperative phase, whereas unlike the complete surgery group, fecundity in the incomplete surgery group stayed low during the late postoperative phase. Deep rectal endometriosis and deeply invading pelvic endometriosis are conditions wherein complete removal of endometriosis is difficult. We have developed laparoscopic surgeries for these conditions: laparoscopic anterior rectum slicing (LARS) and laparoscopic pelvic wall slicing (LPWS) operations, respectively. Both operations are effective in alleviating disease-related symptoms with minimal surgical invasiveness.