A Prospective Randomised Comparative Clinical Trial Study of Luteal PhaseLetrozole versus Ganirelix Acetate Administration to Prevent Severity of Early Onset OHSS in ARTs.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is the most notable complication in ovulation induction for assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) like in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Hence, we decided to evaluate the effect of the aromatase inhibitor, letrozole, versus gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-antagonist (ganirelix acetate) on prevention of severity of OHSS and reduction in serum estradiol (E2) levels when administered during the luteal phase after oocyte retrieval in IVF/ICSI cycles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective single-centred, randomized, parallel-arm study, 122 patients were randomized to receive oral letrozole (n=61, 2.5 mg twice daily) or ganirelix acetate (n=61, 0.25 mg subcutaneously daily) from the day of egg retrieval for the next 7 days. Incidence and severity of early OHSS were the primary endpoints assessed by the signs, symptoms, and laboratory findings of OHSS (e.g., serum E2 levels). The secondary endpoints were patient satisfaction and the additional cost of therapy to prevent the severity of OHSS. RESULTS: Letrozole group had lower incidence of OHSS (13.1%) compared to 19.6% in ganirelix acetate group (P=0.32). Serum E2 levels on post-pick up days 5 and 7 were significantly lower in the letrozole group when compared to the ganirelix acetate group (P=0.001). The majority of the patients in both groups had no major complications. No significant difference was found between the study groups with respect to the incidence of OHSS (P=0.33). The additional cost per IVF cycle for prevention of severity of early-onset OHSS in the letrozole group was 5.32 USD compared to 267.26 USD in the ganirelix acetate group, which was almost fifty times costlier. CONCLUSION: Letrozole and ganirelix acetate have the same efficiency for the overall prevention of OHSS, whereas letrozole was more effective in preventing moderate OHSS. Letrozole had better patient satisfaction and is cheaper compared to GnRH antagonists (Registration number: CTRI/2020/10/028674).

Sildenafil Citrate: Novel Therapy in the Management of Ovarian Torsion.

Ovarian torsion is defined as partial or complete rotation of ovarian vascular pedicle, leading to the obstruction of venous outflow and arterial inflow. It is an emergency condition with an incidence of 2%-15% in patients with adnexal masses. The main risk in ovarian torsion is an ovarian mass or an enlarged ovary with a long pedicle. Due to the rotation of ovarian tissue axis on its vascular pedicle, there is compression of vessels followed by stromal edema, hemorrhagic infarction, and necrosis of adnexa. Expedient diagnosis poses a difficult challenge because clinical presentation is a variable and often misleading. We report a case of right ovarian torsion after oocyte retrieval for in vitro fertilization, where vaginal sildenafil citrate was successfully used to reduce ovarian edema by improving venous drainage. It also helped in maintaining ovarian tissue perfusion and preventing reperfusion injury and spontaneous detorsion of the ovary without any surgical intervention.