Diagnosis of gynecologic malignancy after the treatment of presumed benign fibroid disease with interventional radiology procedures: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the finding of future diagnosis of malignancy in women who undergo nonsurgical treatment for uterine fibroid disease with interventional radiology (IR) procedures. DESIGN: Mixed-methods retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Two tertiary care academic hospitals in Boston, Massachusetts. PATIENT(S): A total of 491 women who underwent radiologic intervention for fibroids between 2006 and 2016. INTERVENTION(S): Uterine artery embolization or high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Subsequent surgical interventions and diagnosis of gynecologic malignancy after the IR procedure. RESULT(S): During the study period, 491 women underwent treatment of fibroids with IR procedures; follow-up information was available for 346 cases. The mean age was 45.3 ± 4.8 years, and 69.7% were between the ages of 40 and 49 years. Regarding ethnicity, 58.9% of patients were white, and 26.1% were black. The most common symptoms were abnormal uterine bleeding (87%), pelvic pressure (62.3%), and pelvic pain (60.9%). A total of 106 patients underwent subsequent surgical treatment of fibroids. Of the 346 patients who had follow-up, 4 (1.2%) were diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma after their interventional treatment for fibroids. An additional 2 cases of endometrial adenocarcinoma and 1 case of a premalignant lesion of the endometrium were noted. CONCLUSION(S): The proportion of patients who went on to be diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma after conservative IR treatments appears to be higher than previously reported. A thorough preprocedural workup and patient counseling regarding the possibility of underlying uterine malignancy should be undertaken.

Current Methods of Tissue Extraction in Minimally Invasive Surgical Treatment of Uterine Fibroids.

Background and Objectives: Since the 2014 Food and Drug Administration communication regarding the use of power morcellation, gynecologists have adopted alternative tissue extraction strategies. The objective of this study is to investigate the current techniques used by gynecologic surgeons for tissue extraction following minimally invasive hysterectomy or myomectomy for fibroids. Methods: An online survey was distributed to all AAGL members and responses were collected between March 26, 2019 and April 17, 2019. Results: Four hundred thirty-six respondents completed the survey. For hysterectomy, the most common methods of tissue extraction were manual morcellation through the colpotomy (72.4%) or minilaparotomy (66.9%). Nearly one-third (31.7%) endorsed using power morcellation. For myomectomy, manual morcellation via minilaparotomy (71.9%) was the most common approach, followed by power morcellation (35.7%). Use of containment bags was common. Minilaparotomy incisions were typically three cm and most often at the umbilicus.Geographic differences were detected, particularly with power morcellation. During hysterectomy, 18.4% of US-based surgeons reported its use, compared to 56.9% of nonUS-based surgeons. During myomectomy, 20.5% of US-based surgeons reported its use compared to 67.5% of their international counterparts. Age, years in practice, fellowship training, and practice location were all significantly associated with power morcellator use. Conclusion: A large majority of practitioners are performing manual morcellation through the colpotomy or minilaparotomy. Use of containment bags is common with all routes of tissue removal. Power morcellation use is less common in the United States than in other countries.

Very Low Rates of Ureteral Injury in Laparoscopic Hysterectomy Performed by Fellowship-trained Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgeons.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The objective of this case series is to evaluate the rates of ureteral injury at the time of laparoscopic hysterectomy among high-volume fellowship-trained surgeons. DESIGN: A retrospective chart review was performed, evaluating laparoscopic hysterectomy cases between 2009 and 2019 performed exclusively by fellowship-trained surgeons. SETTING: Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (MIGS) at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital in Boston. PATIENTS: All patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy by one of 5 surgeons with fellowship training in MIGS. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 5160 cases were handled by MIGS surgeons between 2009 and 2019 at our institution. Of these cases, 2345 were laparoscopic hysterectomy cases with available intraoperative and postoperative documentation. Most patients had undergone previous surgeries, and the most common indications for hysterectomy included uterine myomas, pelvic pain/endometriosis, and abnormal uterine bleeding. At the time of hysterectomy, 1 ureteral injury (0.04%) was noted. No additional delayed ureteral injuries were observed. Most patients were discharged home the same day (64.9%) and did not have any postoperative complications (63.9%) as designated by the Clavien-Dindo classification. CONCLUSION: Ureteral injury, although rare, is more prevalent in gynecologic surgery than in other surgical disciplines that have some focus on the pelvis. No study to date has evaluated the effect of surgical training and volume on rates of ureteral injuries. This study retrospectively examined ureteral injury rates for one group of high-volume fellowship-trained surgeons and found their rates to be lower than the national average. Proposals are presented for optimizing training and delivery of gynecologic surgical care to minimize complications.

Oxycodone Use During the Postoperative Period After Hysterectomy for Benign Indications.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to estimate the amount of oxycodone tablets required for pain control in the 2-week postoperative period after laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH) and vaginal hysterectomy (VH) for benign disease. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of English-speaking women 18 years or older undergoing hysterectomy for benign indications. Participants completed a pain survey at baseline and daily for 2 weeks postoperatively. In addition, they recorded the number of oxycodone tablets and other pain medications taken daily for 2 weeks. The primary outcome was the median number of oxycodone tablets (5 mg) consumed after LH or VH during 2 weeks postoperative. RESULTS: Eighty-one women underwent VH and 82 underwent LH. Women who underwent VH were older (mean ± SD, 64.2 ± 10.3 years vs 47.5 ± 7.7 years), more parous (2 [interquartile range (IQR), 2-3] vs 2 [IQR, 1-2]), and less likely to be sexually active (51.9% vs 79.3%, P < 0.02). Women in the VH group also had significantly lower baseline pain levels (0 [IQR, 0-1] vs 1 [IQR, 0-4], P < 0.001). All VH participants had surgery for prolapse, whereas only 12.2% in the LH group had surgery for this indication (P < 0.001). Most in the LH group had surgery for fibroids (61%) or abnormal uterine bleeding (15.9%). Women in the VH group consumed significantly less oxycodone tablets postoperatively (median, 4.5 [IQR, 1-9] vs 7 [IQR, 2-18]; P = 0.047) and took oxycodone for less days after discharge (median, 1 [IQR, 0-3] vs 3 [IQR, 1-6]; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Women consume less oxycodone after minimally invasive hysterectomy than previously thought. Those who undergo VH may consume less oxycodone than those who undergo LH.

Analysis of COVID-19 Response and Impact on Gynecologic Surgery at a Large Academic Hospital System.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted gynecologic surgery. In March 2020, the American College of Surgeons recommended delay of all nonessential invasive procedures. This study characterizes the number and types of procedures performed during the peak pandemic. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed. All patients undergoing gynecological surgery at a large academic hospital system from March 16, 2019 to July 31, 2019 and from March 16, 2020 to July 31, 2020 were evaluated. Data was stratified by three time periods corresponding to state and hospital policy changes. During period 1, no nonessential procedures were advised. During period 2, urgent procedures resumed. During period 3, full surgical reopening was achieved. RESULTS: In 2019, 1,545 gynecologic cases were performed compared with 942 cases in 2020 (39.0% decrease). There was a 73.6% decrease in cases over period 1, a 20.1% decrease over period 2, and a 2.9% increase over period 3. Cases performed by gynecologic oncologists in 2020 accounted for 58.1% of all gynecologic cases over period 1, 29.4% of cases over period 2, and 33.3% of cases over period 3. In 2020, hysterectomy was the most commonly performed procedure, while surgery for endometriosis and uterine fibroids had the greatest decrease in volume. Among emergency procedures, more surgery for ectopic pregnancy was performed in 2020 compared with 2019. CONCLUSION: Many patients had significant delays in receiving gynecologic surgical care during the peak pandemic period. Further studies are indicated to determine the impact of delayed care on patients' quality of life and disease process.

Superior Hypogastric Plexus Block to Reduce Pain After Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether a superior hypogastric plexus block performed during laparoscopic hysterectomy reduces postoperative pain. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, single-blind, controlled trial of superior hypogastric plexus block at the start of laparoscopic hysterectomy. Women undergoing a laparoscopic hysterectomy for any indication and with any other concomitant laparoscopic procedure were eligible. Standardized preoperative medications and incisional analgesia were provided to all patients. Our primary outcome was the proportion of patients with a mean visual analog scale (VAS) pain score lower than 4 within 2 hours postoperatively. Patients but not surgeons were blinded to the treatment group. Twenty-nine patients per group was estimated to be sufficient to detect a 38% absolute difference in the proportion of patients with a VAS score lower than 4 at 2 hours postoperatively, with 80% power and an α of 0.05. To account for loss to follow-up and potential imbalances in patient characteristics, we planned to enroll 50 patients per group. All analyses were intention to treat. RESULTS: Between January 2018 and February 2019, 186 patients were eligible; 100 were randomized and analyzed. Demographic and clinical characteristics were similar between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the proportion of patients with a mean VAS score lower than 4 within 2 hours postoperatively between patients who received a superior hypogastric plexus block (57%) and patients who did not (43%) (odds ratio 1.63, 95% CI 0.74-3.59; adjusted odds ratio 1.84, 95% CI 0.75-4.51). CONCLUSION: Among patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy with standardized enhanced perioperative recovery pathways, superior hypogastric plexus block did not significantly reduce postoperative pain. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03283436.

Triaging abnormal cervical cancer screening tests using p16INK4a detection by ELISA on fresh cervical samples.

PROBLEM: Cervical cancer screening strategies in the United States include cotesting (human papillomavirus (HPV) with cytology), primary HPV with genotyping and reflex cytology, and cytology alone. An ongoing challenge is the appropriate triage of patients to colposcopy to those at highest risk. We investigated whether incorporation of p16INK4a immunodetection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on fresh cervical samples obtained at the time of screening could improve appropriate referral to colposcopy. METHOD OF STUDY: A derivation group comprised of cervical swabs collected from subjects with high-grade dysplasia or cancer (positive control) and from subjects with negative screening history (negative control). Samples collected from colposcopy were used to evaluate the existing screening strategies individually and with incorporation of p16INK4a ELISA. Histology was used as the gold standard. RESULTS: Among 163 subjects recruited, 138 were included. In the derivation group, mean p16INK4a level was 2.86 ng/mL (n = 31) and 0.58 ng/mL (n = 20) among positive and negative controls respectively (p = 0.002) with an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve of 0.79 (p < 0.001). Among colposcopy subjects, sensitivity/specificity for cotesting, primary HPV, and cytology were 94%/42%, 88%/45%, and 88%/49%, respectively. Incorporation of p16INK4a resulted in similar sensitivity and improved specificity (cotesting+p16 88%/58%, primary HPV+p16 88%/57%, cytology+p16 81%/62%; p = 0.23/p = 0.008) with decrease in colposcopy referrals by 15% to 22% (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the feasibility of quantifying p16INK4a by ELISA in fresh cervical samples, and its potential as an adjunct to existing screening strategies in the identification of high grade-dysplasia while reducing the number of colposcopic referrals.

Peri- and Postoperative Outcomes of Outpatient vs Inpatient Laparoscopic Apical Prolapse Repair.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of outpatient laparoscopic management of apical pelvic organ prolapse along with indicated vaginal repairs and anti-incontinence procedures. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary-care academic center, Boston, MA. PATIENTS: Total of 112 patients seen in the minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and urogynecology clinics with symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse. INTERVENTIONS: Laparoscopic hysterectomy, sacrocervico- or sacrocolpopexy along with vaginal prolapse and anti-incontinence procedures as indicated from 2013 to 2017 at Brigham & Women's Hospital and Brigham & Women's Faulkner Hospital performed by a minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and urogynecology team. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 112 patients, 52 were outpatient and 60 were admitted (median stay in admission group = 1 day; range 1-3). Patient baseline characteristics, American Society of Anesthesiologists' class, and pelvic organ prolapse quantification stage were similar between the outpatient and admitted cohorts. Most patients underwent hysterectomy at the time of the sacropexy (65.4% outpatient vs 73.3% admitted, p = .08). Concomitant apical prolapse repair was more common in the outpatient group (98.1% vs 85%, p = .02). The proportion of outpatient procedures increased from 17% in 2013 to a peak of 70% in 2016. Operating room time was shorter for the outpatient cohort (103.9 minutes vs 115.5 minutes, p = .04), but other perioperative outcomes were similar. There were no intraoperative complications. The numbers of postoperative complications, readmission, and reoperations were low and similar between outpatient and admitted cohorts. No factor was predictive of admission on regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic apical prolapse repair with concomitant vaginal repairs can be performed safely as an outpatient procedure. A unique team approach may foster a shorter, more efficient procedure without compromising short-term outcomes.

Reproductive Outcomes following Use of Barbed Suture during Laparoscopic Myomectomy.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To review pregnancy outcomes after laparoscopic myomectomy with the use of barbed suture. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study and follow-up survey. SETTING: Single, large academic medical center. PATIENTS: Patients who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy with the use of barbed suture for myometrial closure between 2008 and 2016. INTERVENTION: Laparoscopic myomectomy and a follow-up survey regarding pregnancy outcome. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 486 patients met inclusion criteria and underwent a laparoscopic myomectomy between 2008 and 2016. Of the 428 with viable contact information, 240 agreed to participate (56%). Of those who responded to the survey, 101 (42%) attempted to get pregnant, and there were 4 unplanned pregnancies. There were 110 pregnancies among 76 survey respondents. In total, of the women attempting a postoperative pregnancy, 71% had at least 1 pregnancy. Comparing the women who did and did not conceive postoperatively, the group who got pregnant was on average younger, 33.8 ± 4.5 years vs 37.5 ± 6.5 years (p = .001); had fewer myomas removed, median = 2 (range 1-9) vs median = 2 (range 1-16) myomas (p = .038); and had a longer follow-up period, 30 months ( vs 30 (11-93 months) ± 20 (p <.001). The mean time to first postoperative pregnancy was 18.0 months (range 2-72 months). Of the 110 reported postoperative pregnancies, there were 60 live births (55%), 90% by means of cesarean section. The mean gestational age at birth was 37.8 weeks. In the cohort, there were 8 preterm births, 3 cases of abnormal placentation, 2 cases of fetal growth restriction, 3 cases of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and 2 cases of myoma degeneration requiring hospitalization for pain control. There were no uterine ruptures reported. CONCLUSION: According to our findings, pregnancy outcomes after laparoscopic myomectomy with barbed suture are comparable with available literature on pregnancy outcomes with conventional smooth suture.

Two-dimensional (2D) versus three-dimensional (3D) laparoscopy for vaginal cuff closure by surgeons-in-training: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Objective evidence is lacking as to the benefit of the addition of 3D vision to conventional laparoscopy in Gynecologic surgery. This study aims to compare 3-D visual system to traditional 2-D laparoscopic visualization for the laparoscopic closure of the vaginal cuff during total laparoscopic hysterectomy by surgeons-in-training [defined as senior OBGYN resident or Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (MIGS) fellow]. METHODS: 51 patients undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy at two tertiary care academic hospitals were randomized to two-dimensional or three-dimensional vision system with cuff closure performed by surgeons-in-training. The primary outcome was the time taken for vaginal cuff closure. Secondary outcomes included peri-operative outcomes and assessment of surgeon's perception of ease of cuff closure. RESULTS: 27 (52.9%) cases were allocated to cuff closure with the 2D system and 24 (47.1%) cases to closure with the 3D vision system. Patient baseline characteristics were similar between the vision systems. Mean vaginal cuff closure time was not significantly different between 2D and 3D vision (10.1 min for 2D versus 12 min for 3D, p = 0.31). An additional 24 s was added to cuff closure time with each 1 kg/m2 increase in BMI, after controlling for potential confounders (p = 0.003). There was no difference in the surgeon rating of ease of cuff closure between 2D and 3D. Peri-operative outcomes are similar among the two groups. CONCLUSION: We did not demonstrate any benefits of 3D vision system over conventional 2D for the task of laparoscopic vaginal cuff suturing performed by surgeons-in-training. RCT Registration Number NCT02192606 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02192606 (July 17, 2014).

Laparoscopic treatment of endometriosis and predictors of major complications: A retrospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with advanced endometriosis may be at an increased risk of surgical complications following laparoscopic treatment of endometriosis; however, this relationship has not been examined. We sought to identify predictors of major complications following laparoscopic treatment of endometriosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of women who underwent laparoscopic treatment of suspected endometriosis between 2009 and 2016 within the Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. Predictors of major perioperative complications were assessed by comparing the characteristics of women who had any major intraoperative or postoperative complication with those of women who had no complication. RESULTS: A total of 397 women underwent laparoscopic treatment of suspected endometriosis including excision of superficial endometriosis (55.4%), excision of deep-infiltrating endometriosis (24.9%), fulguration of endometriosis (38.3%), hysterectomy (23.2%), ovarian cystectomy (35.5%), salpingectomy (18.6%), oophorectomy (15.1%), and bowel resection (1.0%). Women were followed for 60 days following surgery, over which time 18 women (4.5%) had a major perioperative complication. Patient characteristics and preoperative imaging were similar between women with and without complications. Women with advanced endometriosis, including stage III or IV endometriosis, deep-infiltrating endometriosis, or rectovaginal disease, were more likely to have a complication, though this did not reach statistical significance (77.8% of women with a complication versus 56.7% of women without a complication had advanced endometriosis, P = 0.077). Women who had a complication were more likely to have undergone adhesiolysis or ureterolysis (88.9% of women with a complication versus 52.5% without a complication underwent adhesiolysis, P = 0.002; and 61.1% of women with a complication versus 28.8% without a complication underwent ureterolysis, P = 0.003). The total number of procedures was greater for women who had a complication (4.3 ± 1.2 vs 3.2 ± 1.5, P = 0.003). All other procedure characteristics were similar between women with and without complications. CONCLUSIONS: Complications following laparoscopic treatment of suspected endometriosis could not be predicted by preoperative patient characteristics or surgical findings of advanced endometriosis. Adhesiolysis, ureterolysis, and an increased number of total procedures may be predictive of perioperative complications, suggesting that surgical complexity as measured by the procedures performed, rather than the disease severity, may increase the risk of a complication compared with women who do not undergo these procedures.

Perioperative Antibiotic Use and Associated Infectious Outcomes at the Time of Myomectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To report the frequency of perioperative antibiotic use at time of myomectomy and associated risk of infectious outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study including all women who underwent any route of myomectomy from 2009 to 2016 at two academic hospitals in Boston, Massachusetts. Cases involving chromopertubation or conversion to hysterectomy were excluded from further analysis. Medical records were queried for the use or nonuse of perioperative antibiotics, as well as baseline patient factors and perioperative outcomes. Statistical analyses included univariate comparisons between treatment groups, as well as multivariable logistic regression analyses of infectious morbidity controlling for patient age, route of surgery, presence of high-risk factors, any intraoperative complication, myoma weight, and entrance into the endometrial cavity. Matched cohort analysis also was performed to confirm findings in the setting of underlying differences between groups. RESULTS: A total of 1,211 patients were included in the myomectomy cohort, 92.7% of whom received perioperative antibiotics at the time of surgery. Demographic characteristics were similar between the group that received and the group that did not receive antibiotics. The cases with antibiotic use were associated with longer operative times, higher estimated blood loss, and greater myoma burden. No difference was noted with regard to intraoperative or postoperative complications. Surgical site infection occurred more commonly in the group that did not receive antibiotics (2.9% vs 6.8% in the antibiotic and no-antibiotic groups, respectively; effect size 0.43, 95% CI 0.18-0.97 P=.04), representing a nearly fourfold increase in odds of any surgical site infection in the absence of perioperative antibiotic use (adjusted odds ratio 3.77, 95% CI 1.30-10.97, P=.015). CONCLUSION: A high frequency of antibiotic use was noted at time of myomectomy, despite lack of clear evidence supporting the practice. Patients who received perioperative antibiotics had fewer postoperative infectious outcomes and, in particular, experienced a lower incidence of surgical site infection.

Persistence of Symptoms After Total vs Supracervical Hysterectomy in Women with Histopathological Diagnosis of Adenomyosis.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare symptom persistence in women with adenomyosis based on retention or removal of the cervix at the time of hysterectomy. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study and follow-up survey (Canadian Task Force classification xx). SETTING: Tertiary care academic hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. PATIENTS: Women (n = 1580) who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign indications between 2008 and 2012 at Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital. INTERVENTION: Retrospective chart review and follow-up survey. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Among the 1580 women contacted, 762 (48%) responded to the postoperative symptom resolution survey. Of these 762 women, 623 agreed to participate in the study. Menopausal women or those who had undergone bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy were excluded. Adenomyosis was identified on histopathologic evaluation of the uterus in 171 of the remaining 443 women (39%). Compared with women without adenomyosis, those with adenomyosis were older on average (mean age, 46.6 ± 6.8 years vs 45.0 ± 5.5 years; p = .009) and more likely to report that abnormal bleeding and pain led to their hysterectomy (87.7% vs 79.8%; p = .03 and 64.9% vs 51.4%; p = .009, respectively). The rates of total and supracervical hysterectomies were similar in the 2 groups. Following surgery, women with adenomyosis were less likely than those without adenomyosis to report persistent pain (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.20-0.93; p = .03). Persistent bleeding was similar in the 2 groups (aOR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.49-1.93; p = .94). Among women with adenomyosis, multivariable logistic regression showed no difference in persistence of symptoms with cervical removal or retention at the time of hysterectomy. CONCLUSION: Compared with women without adenomyosis, those with histopathologically proven adenomyosis were less likely to report persistent pain following hysterectomy. Retention of the cervix does not appear to increase the risk of symptom persistence or postprocedure patient satisfaction.

Prospective Evaluation of Manual Morcellation Techniques: Minilaparotomy versus Vaginal Approach.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the number of days required to return to daily activities after laparoscopic hysterectomy with 2 tissue extraction methods: manual morcellation via colpotomy or minilaparotomy. Secondary outcomes were additional measures of patient recovery, perioperative outcomes, containment bag integrity, and tissue spillage. DESIGN: Multicenter prospective cohort study and follow-up survey (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: Two tertiary care academic centers in northeastern United States. PATIENTS: Seventy women undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy with anticipated need for manual morcellation. INTERVENTIONS: Tissue extraction by either contained minilaparotomy or contained vaginal extraction method, along with patient-completed recovery diary. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Recovery diaries were returned by 85.3% of participants. There were no significant differences found in terms of average pain at 1, 2, or 3 weeks after surgery or in time to return to normal activities. Patients in both groups used narcotic pain medication for an average of 3 days. After adjusting for patient body mass index, history of prior surgery, uterine weight, and surgeon, there were no differences found for blood loss, operative time, length of stay, or incidence of any intra- or postoperative complication between groups. All patients had benign findings on final pathology. More cases in the vaginal contained extraction group were noted to have bag leakage on postprocedure testing (13 [40.6%] vs 3 [8.3%] tears in vaginal and minilaparotomy groups, respectively; p = .003). CONCLUSION: Regarding route of tissue extraction, contained minilaparotomy and contained vaginal extraction methods are associated with similar patient outcomes and recovery characteristics.

Incisional Outcomes of Umbilical vs Suprapubic Mini-laparotomy for Tissue Extraction: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare outcomes following umbilical minilaparotomy and suprapubic minilaparotomy for tissue extraction. DESIGN CLASSIFICATION: Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: Two large academic medical centers. PATIENTS: Women who underwent a minilaparotomy for tissue extraction following a laparoscopic hysterectomy or myomectomy between 2014 and 2016. INTERVENTIONS: Umbilical or suprapubic minilaparotomy for tissue extraction. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 374 women underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy or myomectomy with minilaparotomy, including 289 (77.3%) with an umbilical minilaparotomy and 85 (22.7%) with a suprapubic minilaparotomy. The 2 groups were similar in terms of age, body mass index, parity, surgical history, procedure type, surgical approach, and surgical indication. The size of the minilaparotomy incision and the specimen weight were significantly smaller in the umbilical minilaparotomy group (mean, 3.3 ± 0.8 cm vs 4.2 ± 0.6 cm [p < .001] and 472.6 ± 357.1 g vs 683.0 ± 475.7 g [p < .001], respectively). Two women in the suprapubic minilaparotomy group sustained a bladder injury during creation of the incision. There were no other complications related to the minilaparotomy in either group. Postoperative outcomes related to the minilaparotomy incision were compiled using the medical record and a follow-up survey. Of the 374 women in this cohort, 163 responded to a detailed survey about their minilaparotomy incision (response rate, 43.5%). With regard to the minilaparotomy, 52.7% of women reported incisional symptoms; 25.9% had increased pain at the incision, 8.3% had an incisional infection, and 2.7% reported an incisional hernia. There was no significant between-group difference in incisional outcomes; however nearly 3 times as many women in the umbilical minilaparotomy group reported concerns about incisional hernia (3.1% vs 1.2%; p = .833). These findings were maintained in a multivariable logistic regression analysis. No patient or procedure characteristics were significantly associated with the development of hernia. CONCLUSION: There were no significant difference in incisional symptoms, pain, or infection following umbilical minilaparotomy vs a suprapubic minilaparotomy for tissue extraction. Although not statistically significant, the rate of incisional hernia was higher at the umbilical site compared with the suprapubic site.

Essure Removal for the Treatment of Device-Attributed Symptoms: An Expanded Case Series and Follow-up Survey.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate perioperative outcomes and symptom resolution in women undergoing removal of the Essure device for device-attributed symptoms. DESIGN: Retrospective case series and follow-up patient survey (Canadian Task Force classification III). SETTING: Large academic medical center. PATIENTS: Fifty-two women who underwent laparoscopic or hysteroscopic Essure removal between 2012 and 2016. INTERVENTIONS: Women underwent one of four procedures: laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH) and bilateral salpingectomy (BS), laparoscopic BS and cornuectomy, laparoscopic Essure removal and BS, or hysteroscopic Essure removal and laparoscopic BS. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Fifty-two women who underwent Essure removal were asked to complete a survey regarding symptom resolution and quality of life following the procedure. Thirty-two women (61.5%) responded to the survey. Seventy-five percent (24/32) reported almost total or total improvement in quality of life, 56.3% (18/32) for sex life, 53.1% (17/32) for pelvic pain, and 65.6% (21/32) for daily activities. The majority of women reported some degree of improvement in all four domains queried (87.5%, 28/32). When asked about their symptoms in general, 31.3% (10/32) of women reported ongoing or worse symptoms after Essure removal. All procedures took approximately one hour (mean 65 min, SD 33 min), were associated with minimal blood loss (mean 31 mL, SD 17), and had no perioperative complications. CONCLUSION: Essure removal is a procedure that may be effective for treating most women with symptoms attributed to the device. Patients should be counseled that some symptoms may persist or even worsen following surgery.

Outpatient Hysterectomy Volume in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the number of outpatient hysterectomies being performed annually in the United States in an effort to offer more correct estimates of hysterectomy use in light of reported decreasing inpatient case volume. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional analysis of State Ambulatory Surgery and Services Databases from 16 states with complete information for year 2011. Adult women undergoing hysterectomy were included. Procedure volume, route, and associated patient and surgical characteristics were calculated. RESULTS: There were 64,612 ambulatory hysterectomies reported; 81.5% of surgeries were performed laparoscopically and 16% vaginally. If these numbers are extrapolated to national estimates, this represents 100,000-200,000 outpatient hysterectomies per year. The strongest driver of the laparoscopic, compared with vaginal, route of hysterectomy in this data set was presence of cancer (odds ratio 4.01 [3.19-5.05], P<.001). In addition to indication for surgery, patient characteristics such as age, race, income, location, and primary payer were associated with mode of hysterectomy. The laparoscopic surgeries were associated with shorter length of stay (mean stay 0.65 days, [99% confidence interval 0.65-0.66] compared with 0.79 days [0.78-0.81], adjusted incidence rate ratio 0.89 [0.86-0.92], P<.001) and higher mean charges ($24,227 [$24,053-24,402] versus $14,068 [$13,811-14,330], P<.001) compared with vaginal surgeries. CONCLUSION: The perceived decline that has been reported in national hysterectomy volume may represent lack of reporting of surgeries performed in ambulatory settings. This information has considerable implications for business, public health interventions, and insurance carriers among other key stakeholders in women's health care delivery.

Case Report: Three-Dimensional Printed Model for Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis.

The combination of a thorough physical examination and imaging with either magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or pelvic ultrasound are important in the preoperative planning for deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE). A 2-dimensional (2D) rendering of the pathology by imaging does not always accurately represent intraoperative findings. The detailed topographical relationship and extent of surrounding tissue invasion can be better appreciated by 3-dimensional (3D) modeling. A 49-year-old patient with history of endometriosis and persistent pain underwent preoperative MRI that showed features consistent with DIE endometriosis. Surgery was performed, and the findings were documented. A 3D printed model of the DIE was generated from the MRI and retrospectively compared with intraoperative findings. The 3D model demonstrated both the laterality and spatial relationship of the endometriotic nodule to the posterior uterine wall and rectum. Three-dimensional printing of DIE may be a beneficial adjunct to 2D imaging and can identify further structural relationships to support surgical planning.