Pelvic examination under anesthesia by learners at the time of abortion: Who accepts and who declines?

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of and factors correlated with accepting a pelvic examination under anesthesia (EUA) by learners at the time of surgical abortion. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review assessing the prevalence of and comparing factors associated with accepting EUA by learners at the time of abortion. RESULTS: Most (88%) of the 274 patients accepted EUA by learners. Declining was associated with prior intimate partner violence. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients accept EUA by learners at the time of abortion. IMPLICATIONS: In adhering to fundamental principles of medical ethics, professional guidelines, and legal mandates, consent prior to pelvic EUA by learners should be obtained universally.

Consent for Examinations Under Anesthesia With Learners at the Time of Abortion: Physician Perspectives.

INTRODUCTION: Although obtaining specific consent for examinations under anesthesia with learners is recommended by major professional organizations and mandated by many state laws and institutions, it is not practiced universally. We sought to investigate physicians' experiences using a formalized process to obtain consent from patients presenting for surgical abortions under anesthesia for pelvic examinations with learners. METHODS: Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with residents, fellows, and faculty who work or have rotated in a single family planning clinic after the clinic introduced this consent process. Participants were asked about their experiences obtaining informed consent from patients for examinations under anesthesia with learners. Interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed, and analyzed using modified grounded theory. All study procedures were institutional review board approved. RESULTS: Twenty interviews were performed, achieving thematic saturation, with 14 residents, 4 fellows, and 2 faculty members. Participants described initial discomfort with the consent process and their wording choices, which improved with increased familiarity and almost universal patient acceptance. Some participants felt that an informal training or practice before obtaining informed consent may have been helpful. Participants stressed the importance of this consent process to foster patient autonomy and choice. Participants reported that the fact that patients were presenting for abortion care did not influence their overall process or comfort level obtaining consent for pelvic examinations under anesthesia with learners; however, some noted that they gave patients more time to process the consent or used more intentional language during these encounters. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians desire and accept the integration of a formal consent process for examinations under anesthesia with learners at the time of abortion.

Patterns of Genital Examination and Vulvovaginal Graft-Versus-Host Disease in a Pediatric Post-Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Population.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine vulvovaginal graft-versus-host disease (vvGVHD) incidence among pediatric patients who have received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and who already have graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) involving any organ system and characterize patterns of genital examination and referral to pediatric and adolescent gynecology (PAG) in the post-HSCT population. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Large tertiary children's hospital in Texas. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-six post-HSCT female patients 21 years old and younger with GVHD involving any organ system. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: vvGVHD among post-HSCT children, referrals to PAG, genital examinations documented by any clinician. RESULTS: Eighty-six patients met inclusion criteria. Most HSCTs were bone marrow transplants, typically for leukemia. Median ages of indication diagnosis and HSCT were 5.1 and 7.5 years, respectively. Median time from HSCT to first GVHD diagnosis (eg, skin, intestine) was 96 days. Nearly all patients had at least 1 genital exam documented in the first 2 years post-HSCT, with a median of 17 exams. Twenty-eight patients were seen by PAG post-HSCT, with 7 of these patients seen within the first 2 years post-HSCT. Four symptomatic patients were diagnosed with vvGVHD. Median time from HSCT to vvGVHD was 398 days. CONCLUSION: The small number of vvGVHD cases in our study population is likely because of lack of symptom reporting from patients and families and difficulty with vvGVHD diagnosis. Further training for non-PAG physicians, including pediatricians and oncologists, in identifying and managing vvGVHD might prevent delayed diagnosis and severe sequelae. Earlier referral to PAG or a gynecologist versed in post-HSCT survivorship is also recommended.