Impact of the Duration of the Second Stage of Labor on Postpartum Pelvic Floor Symptoms.

IMPORTANCE: The associated effect of duration of the second stage of labor (SSL) on pelvic floor symptoms development is not well studied. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the association between duration of SSL and pelvic floor symptoms at 6 months postpartum among primiparous women. STUDY DESIGN: A planned secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized trial evaluating the impact of immediate versus delayed pushing on vaginal delivery rates, maternal morbidity, and neonatal outcomes was conducted between 2014 and 2018. For pelvic floor arm participants, demographic, pelvic examination, and validated questionnaire data were collected postpartum. Primary outcome was change in Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory 20 (PFDI-20) score from immediate to 6 months postpartum. Secondary outcomes included changes in the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire, Fecal Incontinence Severity Index, Modified Manchester Health Questionnaire scores, and Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification measurements at 6 months postpartum. Participants were analyzed by SSL duration ≤60 minutes or >60 minutes. RESULTS: Of the 2,414 trial participants, 767 (32%) completed pelvic floor assessments at 6 months. Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory 20 scores significantly improved at 6 months in the ≤60 minutes SSL group compared with >60 minutes SSL (-14.3 ± 48.0 and -3.2 ± 45.3, respectively; P = 0.04). Changes from immediate postpartum in total and subscale scores for other questionnaires at 6 months did not differ between groups. Prolapse stage did not differ between groups. Perineal body was significantly shorter in the >60 minutes SSL group (3.7 ± 0.7, 3.5 ± 0.8; P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Women with SSL >60 minutes experience less improvement in PFDI-20 scores at 6 months. Greater tissue and innervation trauma in those with SSL >60 minutes may explain persistently less improvement in PFDI-20 scores.

Transvaginal ureteroneocystostomy.

Ureteral injury is a known complication of gynecologic surgery with potential long-term sequelae. Traditional management of significant ureteral injury recognized at the time of transvaginal pelvic organ prolapse repair is a transabdominal re-implantation procedure using a transabdominal open or laparoscopic approach. We present a case describing a transvaginal approach for ureteroneocystostomy. During a transvaginal pelvic organ prolapse repair, a ureteral transection was noted. A transvaginal ureteroneocystostomy was performed. There was primary healing of the ureteroneocystostomy without sequelae during a 6-month follow-up period.

Sacrospinous Ligament Fixation Using an Anchor Versus Suture-Capturing Device: A Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare rates of persistent gluteal and posterior thigh pain, procedural efficacy, and postoperative complications at 1 year after sacrospinous ligament fixation using either an anchor-based or suture-capturing device. METHODS: This prospective cohort study evaluated outcomes 1 year after operation in patients previously enrolled in a randomized controlled trial comparing an anchor-based versus suture-capturing device for sacrospinous fixation. Symptom scores were evaluated via Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory 20 and Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire 7. Pain was evaluated using the Numerical Rating Scale. Composite surgical failure was defined as prolapse beyond the hymen or C-point greater than one half down the vagina, vaginal bulge symptoms, or a need for prolapse retreatment via surgery or pessary management. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were performed. RESULTS: Forty three (21 anchors, 22 sutures) of the original 47 patients (91%) returned for follow-up. The mean follow-up time was 15.4 months, age was 69 years old, body mass index was 30, and preoperative Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification stage was 2.7. No patients reported significant increase in pain at sacrospinous fixation site above baseline, and there was no significant difference in posterior thigh or gluteal pain on the side of fixation compared with baseline in the anchor-based or suture-capture groups (-0.2 ± 0.9 and -0.5 ± 1.6, respectively, P = 0.719). Two patients demonstrated surgical failure (anchor group) due to bulge symptoms (P = 0.233). The devices similarly improved Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory 20 (-71.0 ± 45.5 vs -66.3 ± 64.4, P = 0.652) and Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire 7 (-40.6 ± 62.4 vs -26.4 ± 65.7, P = 0.768) scores. CONCLUSIONS: Persistent gluteal or posterior thigh pain and surgical failure is uncommon 12 months after sacrospinous fixation and was not associated with the type of fixation device.

Comparative analyses of attitude, knowledge, and recollection of preoperative counseling regarding pelvic mesh among women with or without a mesh-related complication.

PURPOSE: Our objective was to compare the recollection of preoperative counseling regarding mesh for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and/or stress urinary incontinence (SUI) among women with or without a mesh-related complication (MRC). We hypothesized that the patients who had MRC would better recollect counseling regarding complications associated with mesh. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among women who had prior implantation of synthetic, non-absorbable mesh for POP and/or SUI at least 3 months prior who presented with or without a MRC. The primary outcome was the proportion of women who recalled being counseled preoperatively about the risk of mesh exposure. RESULTS: Ninety-six women were included in the final analysis (50 MRC; 46 no MRC). MRC women presented further in time from the index surgery [median 69 months [IQR 26-115] vs 12 months (IQR 6-64), p < 0.01]. After adjustment for time since surgery and age, MRC women were significantly less likely to recall being counseled about the possibility of any MRC [19/50 (38%) vs 32/44 (73%), aOR 0.29, 95% CI 0.11-0.79, p = 0.01]. They were also less likely to report they would undergo the same surgery again 5-point Likert scale [median 3 (IQR 1-4) vs 5 (IQR 3-5), 5-point Likert scale, p < 0.01], less satisfied with their mesh surgery [median 1 (IQR 1-3) vs 5 (IQR 3-5), 5-point Likert scale, p < 0.01] and recommended improved preoperative counseling [27/50 (54%) vs 6/46 (13%), p < 0.01]. CONCLUSION: Women who experienced MRC were less likely to recall being counseled about the possibility of MRC and report more unmet needs regarding perioperative counseling than women without MRC.

Adipose tissue-liver crosstalk during pathologic changes caused by vinyl chloride metabolites in mice.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as vinyl chloride (VC), can be directly toxic at high concentrations. However, we have shown that 'nontoxic' exposures to VC and its metabolite chloroethanol (CE) enhances experimental non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), suggesting an unpredicted interaction. Importantly, VOC exposure has been identified as a potential risk factor for the development of obesity and its sequelae in humans. As there is a known axis between adipose and hepatic tissue in NAFLD, the impact of CE on white adipose tissue (WAT) inflammation and lipolysis was investigated. Mice were administered CE (or vehicle) once, after 10 weeks of being fed high-fat or low-fat diet (LFD). CE significantly enhanced hepatic steatosis and inflammation caused by HFD. HFD significantly increased the size of epididymal fat pads, which was enhanced by CE. The relative size of adipocyte lipid droplets increased by HFD + CE, which was also correlated with increased expression of lipid-associated proteins (e.g., PLINs). CE also enhanced HFD-induced indices of WAT inflammation, and ER stress. Hepatic-derived circulating FGF21, a major modulator of WAT lipolysis, which is hypothesized to thereby regulate hepatic steatosis, was significantly increased by CE in animals fed HFD. Taken together these data support the hypothesis that environmental toxicant exposure can exacerbate the severity of NAFLD/NASH, involving the liver-adipose axis in this process. Specifically, CE enhances local inflammation and alters lipid metabolism and WAT-mediated hepatic steatosis due to changes in WAT lipolysis.