The impact of internal iliac artery ligation on hormonal and functional ovarian reserve parameters: A case-control study in patients with postpartum hemorrhage in sub-Saharan Africa.

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to evaluate the long-term impact of internal iliac artery ligation (IIAL) on ovarian hormonal and functional changes in women. The procedure is often used for postpartum hemorrhage and is considered uterus-sparing. However, its effects on ovarian reserve and fertility preservation remain controversial. METHODS: This is a retrospective, case-control study involving consecutive female patients aged 17-47 years. These patients underwent successful bilateral IIAL due to severe postpartum hemorrhage between January 2022 and December 2022. The control group included women of matching age, parity, and body mass index (BMI) who did not undergo IIAL. Both groups were followed for 6 months to measure follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, antral follicle counts, and ovarian volume. RESULTS: The study comprised 62 patients in the IIAL group and 86 in the control group. No significant differences were found in FSH and LH levels between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, the numbers of antral follicles in both the right and left ovaries were significantly lower in the IIAL group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Ovarian volume did not show a significant difference between the groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that IIAL leads to a significant decrease in the number of ovarian follicles at 6 months post-operation. However, it does not significantly impact FSH and LH levels or ovarian volume.

Efficacy of suction curettage as the first-line treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: There is still no consensus on a safe and efficient treatment modality for cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP), which is known to cause severe complications, such as life-threatening hemorrhage. Suction curettage (SC) has been used as the first-line treatment for CSP with controversial outcomes. In this context, the objective of this study is to analyze the efficacy of SC in the treatment of CSP. METHODS: The sample of this retrospective study consisted of 64 CSP patients treated using SC between 2012 and 2022. Patients' demographic and clinical variables, including the thickness of the myometrium at the lower uterine segment between the urinary bladder and cesarean scar, were obtained from their medical records. The study's primary outcome was determined as the success rate of SC. Accordingly, the patients were categorized into two groups: successful SC (Group 1) and unsuccessful SC (Group 2). RESULTS: The success rate of SC was determined as 78.1%. The number of previous cesarean deliveries, gestational age, baseline beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG) values, and endometrial thickness was significantly higher in Group 2 (p<0.05 for all), whereas the fetal cardiac activity and absence of an embryonic pole were significantly higher in Group 2 (p = 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively). There was no significant difference between the groups in the thickness of the myometrium at the lower uterine segment (p = 0.890). The hemoglobin levels decreased significantly after SC in both Groups 1 and 2 (p<0.001 and p = 0.009, respectively). There was no significant difference between the groups in preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin values and the decrease in hemoglobin levels (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The study findings did not indicate any significant correlation between myometrial thickness at the lower uterine segment and the efficacy of SC in CSP patients. On the other hand, the number of cesarean deliveries, gestational age, baseline ß-hCG values, endometrium thickness, fetal cardiac activity, and embryonic pole may be used to predict the outcome of SC in the treatment of CSP.

Youssef's Syndrome following Cesarean Section.

Youssef's syndrome is characterized by cyclic hematuria (menouria), absence of vaginal bleeding (amenorrhea), and urinary incontinence due to vesicouterine fistula (VUF), the least common of the urogynecological fistulas. Youssef's syndrome has a variable clinical presentation. A vesicouterine fistula is an abnormal pathway between the bladder and the uterus. The most common cause is lower segment Cesarean section. Conservative treatment may be appropriate in some cases, but surgery is the definitive treatment. Vesicouterine fistula should be suspected in cases presenting with urinary incontinence even years after Cesarean section. Diagnostic tests as well as necessary appropriate surgery should be performed on cases with suspected vesicouterine fistula. We present a 40-year-old multiparous woman with vesicouterine fistula after primary Cesarean section; she presented with urinary incontinence, hematuria, and amenorrhea 1 year after the birth. Here, we discuss our case with the help of previously published studies found in the literature.