Comparative Study between Paracervical Block and Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drug for Relief of Pain during Manual Vacuum Aspiration Procedure.

The incidence of first trimester pregnancy loss is around 10.0-20.0% of registered pregnancies. Manual vacuum aspiration is a safe, effective and acceptable option of treatment for patients diagnosed with first trimester pregnancy loss. Main disadvantage of MVA is the pain caused by manipulation of the cervix, the uterine suction and the cervical dilatation. This study showed the way how the pain and discomfort might be reduced. This was a cross-sectional comparative study was conducted at the obstetrics and Gynecological Department of Sadar hospital, Manikganj, Bangladesh from January 2017 to December 2017. All the consecutive women admitted and diagnosed as incomplete abortion, missed abortion and anembryonic pregnancy (blighted ovum) were included in this study. Sampling technique was purposive sampling. The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of paracervical block anesthesia with non-steroidal anti inflammatory drug (NSAID) for relief of pain during the manual vacuum aspiration procedure for the treatment of first trimester pregnancy loss. Total 120 cases were included in this study. Assigned study population were divided into two groups like Group A and Group B. 60 of the study population were included in Group A who were given paracervical block anesthesia 3 minutes before the procedure. Another 60 study population was included in Group B who was given diclofenac 75mg intramuscular injection, 30 minutes before the procedure. Both intraoperative and postoperative pain level was evaluated by using visual analog scale ranged from (0-10 points) 30 minutes after the procedure. At the same time the satisfaction level of the study population were measured by 5 points lickert scale. Regarding clinical profile of the study population it showed no significant difference in case of mean age, mean gestational age and mean duration of the procedure between two groups. The mean intraoperative pain score in Group A was 4.0±1.3, in Group B it was 5.4±1.5 (p=0.001) which was significant. So it showed that paracervical block anesthesia significantly reduced the pain in relation to diclofenac 75mg intramuscular injection. Mean postoperative pain level 30 minutes after procedure in Group A was 2.2±0.4 and in Group B was 2.4±0.4 (p=0.343), where post-operative pain is lower in Group A than Group B. Though this difference is not statistically significant (p=0.343). In Group A 73.0% (n=44) and in Group B 43.0% (n=26) study population were agreed that the procedure was easy. Most common adverse effect was epigastric pain which was 1.7% (n=1) in Group A and 10.0% (n=7) in Group B. Paracervical block significantly reduces intraoperative pain during Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) procedure in the treatment of first trimester pregnancy loss in comparison to intramuscular injection of diclofenac. In conclusion it might be mentioned that regarding paracervical block anesthesia, efficacy is higher and side effects are less. Moreover paracervical block anesthesia is cost effective.

Ultrasound-guided suction curettage followed by cervico-isthmic placement of foley threeway catheter for cesarean scar pregnancy's treatment. Retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is a rare dangerous condition with still no consensus on standard treatment. Suction curettage has been used as the first-line treatment for CSP with controversial outcomes. This study evaluates efficacy of ultrasound-guided suction curettage (UGSC) followed by cervical-isthmic placement of silicon semirigid three-way foley catheter. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 24 women with CSP. Preoperative ultrasound study was conducted. UGSC followed by placement of catheter was performed in all patients. The success rate and incidence of major complication, surgical time and hospital stay were recorded. RESULTS: The success rate of UGSC followed by placement of foley catheter was 100 %, effectively reduced major complications and none of the patients had a blood loss higher than 900 ml. Median hospital stay was 2 days and median foley stay was 1 day. Surgery had limited last with a median of 17 min. CONCLUSION: UGSC followed by foley placement is a safe effective treatment for CSP with a clinical resolution of 100 %. The catheter is easy to place under ultrasound guidance and prevents bleeding, reducing major procedures to solve the bleeding. Suction curettage in CSP treatment should be performed under ultrasound guidance and followed by cervical-isthmic placement of foley balloon.

Intrauterine adhesion in ultrasound-guided manual vacuum aspiration (USG-MVA) versus electric vacuum aspiration (EVA): a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine adhesion (IUA) can arise as a potential complication following uterine surgery, as the surgical procedure may damage the endometrial stratum basalis. The objective of this study was to assess and compare the occurrence of IUA in women who underwent ultrasound-guided manual vacuum aspiration (USG-MVA) versus electric vacuum aspiration (EVA) for managing first-trimester miscarriage. METHODS: This was a prospective, single-centre, randomised controlled trial conducted at a university-affiliated tertiary hospital. Chinese women aged 18 years and above who had a delayed or incomplete miscarriage of ≤ 12 weeks of gestation were recruited in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Prince of Wales. Recruited participants received either USG-MVA or EVA for the management of their miscarriage and were invited for a hysteroscopic assessment to evaluate the incidence of IUA between 6 and 20 weeks after the surgery. Patients were contacted by phone at 6 months to assess their menstrual and reproductive outcomes. RESULTS: 303 patients underwent USG-MVA or EVA, of whom 152 were randomised to 'USG-MVA' and 151 patients to the 'EVA' group. Out of the USG-MVA group, 126 patients returned and completed the hysteroscopic assessment, while in the EVA group, 125 patients did the same. The incidence of intrauterine adhesion (IUA) was 19.0% (24/126) in the USG-MVA group and 32.0% (40/125) in the EVA group, showing a significant difference (p < 0.02) between the two groups. No significant difference in the menstrual outcomes at 6 months postoperatively between the two groups but more patients had miscarriages in the EVA group with IUA. CONCLUSIONS: IUAs are a possible complication of USG-MVA. However, USG-MVA is associated with a lower incidence of IUA postoperatively at 6-20 weeks. USG-MVA is a feasible, effective, and safe alternative surgical treatment with less IUA for the management of first-trimester miscarriage. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered with the Centre for Clinical Research and Biostatics- Clinical Trials Registry (CCRBCTR), which is a partner registry of the WHO Primary Registry-Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (ChiCTR) (Unique Trial Number: ChiCTR1900023198 with the first trial registration date on 16/05/2019).

First-trimester Procedural Abortion.

First-trimester abortion is a common and safe procedure. A focused history and physical examination are essential for providing this care. Laboratory assessment can include Rh typing, hemoglobin, and cervicitis testing as indicated by a patient's risk factors. Procedural abortion in the first trimester includes cervical dilation with or without cervical preparation, and uterine evacuation utilizing a manual vacuum aspirator or electric vacuum aspirator. Complications occur rarely and are often easily managed at the time of diagnosis.

Hysteroscopic morcellation vs. curettage for removal of retained products of conception: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To study the comparison between hysteroscopic morcellation (HM) of retained products of conception (RPOC) with ultrasound (US)-guided electric vacuum aspiration in terms of intrauterine adhesion (IUA) formation, efficacy, and complications. DESIGN: A randomized controlled, nonblinded trial. SETTING: Three teaching hospitals and one university hospital from April 2015 to June 2022. PATIENTS: A total of 133 women with RPOC on US, ranging from 1-4 cm, were randomized to receive either HM or electric vacuum aspiration. INTERVENTION: Hysteroscopic morcellation was performed with the TruClear System (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA). Electric vacuum aspiration was performed using an 8- or 10-mm flexible plastic Karman cannula under US guidance. Women allocated to vacuum aspiration underwent the procedure as soon as possible. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: In the HM group, an office diagnostic hysteroscopy was planned a minimum of 6 weeks after the end of pregnancy, followed by retained product of conception removal at least 8 weeks after the end of the pregnancy. Postoperatively, an office second-look hysteroscopy was scheduled to assess the primary outcome of IUAs. RESULTS: Postoperative IUAs were seen in 14.3% (9/63) of patients in the HM group and 20.6% (13/64) of patients in the vacuum aspiration group (-6% [-19.1% to 7.1%]). Significantly more RPOC were removed completely by HM compared with vacuum aspiration (95.2% vs. 82.5% (-14% [-24.9% to -3.1%]), and additional operative hysteroscopy was less frequently necessary in the HM group (12.5%) compared with the vacuum aspiration group (31.3%) (-20.1% [-34.3% to -6%]). The median operating time was shorter for vacuum aspiration compared with HM (5.80 minutes vs. 7.15 minutes). No differences were observed between HM and vacuum aspiration for the occurrence of intraoperative or postoperative complications (5.5% vs. 5.0% and 2.7% vs. 1.3%, respectively). CONCLUSION: In our randomized controlled trial, no significant differences were found in the occurrence of IUAs and complications. However, the RPOC were more often completely removed by HM than vacuum aspiration, and the HM group required fewer additional hysteroscopic treatments. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NTR4923 (https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=NTR4923). Date of registration: November 23, 2014, date of initial participant enrollment: January 1, 2015.

Sharp Versus Electric Suction Curettage in Gynecologic Patients Undergoing Evaluation for Abnormal Uterine Bleeding.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Suction curettage is preferred over sharp curettage in obstetric settings. We compare the quality of operative tissue sampling between sharp curettage and suction curettage using electric vacuum aspiration for nonobstetric abnormal uterine bleeding in reproductive-aged women. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Community hospital in Long Island, New York. PATIENTS: Women ages 21 to 45 years (n = 257) who underwent operative curettage procedure for nonobstetric abnormal uterine bleeding. INTERVENTIONS: Independent ratings of specimens from suction curettage using electric vacuum aspiration and sharp curettage by 2 pathologists blinded to method of tissue collection. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary outcome was percentage of organized tissue, indicative of a higher-quality pathology specimen. Specimens obtained by electric suction curettage (p <.001) had a significantly higher percentage of organized tissue (M = 66.28, SD = 20.33) than sharp curettage (M = 55.51, SD = 24.17). There were no differences between the curettage groups for operative time, blood loss, intraoperative complications, or pathology diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Specimens obtained with suction curettage contained more organized tissue with similar pathologist satisfaction and confidence scores than sharp curettage. We suggest clinicians consider electric suction curettage in the diagnostic workup of abnormal uterine bleeding in reproductive-aged women. In addition, patient-centered benefits include no increase in operative time, blood loss, or complication rate compared with sharp curettage.

Five-year retrospective review of ultrasound-guided manual vacuum aspiration for first-trimester miscarriage.

INTRODUCTION: Manual vacuum aspiration is increasingly accepted as an alternative to medical or surgical evacuation of the uterus after first-trimester miscarriage. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of ultrasound-guided manual vacuum aspiration (USG-MVA) in the management of first-trimester miscarriage. METHODS: This retrospective analysis included adult women with first-trimester miscarriage who underwent USG-MVA in Hong Kong between July 2015 and February 2021. The primary outcome was the efficacy of USG-MVA in terms of complete evacuation of the uterus, without the need for further medical or surgical intervention. Secondary outcomes included tolerance of the entire procedure, the success rate of karyotyping using chorionic villi, and procedural safety (ie, any clinically significant complications). RESULTS: In total, 331 patients were scheduled to undergo USG-MVA for first-trimester miscarriage or incomplete miscarriage. The procedure was completed in 314 patients and well-tolerated in all of those patients. The complete evacuation rate was 94.6% (297/314), which is similar to the rate (98.1%) achieved by conventional surgical evacuation in a previous randomised controlled trial in our unit. There were no major complications. Samples from 95.2% of patients were suitable for karyotyping, which is considerably higher than the rate of suitable samples (82.9%) obtained via conventional surgical evacuation in our previous randomised controlled trial. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided manual vacuum aspiration is a safe and effective method to manage first-trimester miscarriage. Although it currently is not extensively used in Hong Kong, its broader clinical application could avoid general anaesthesia and shorten hospital stay.

A comparative study on the effectiveness of paracervical block and parenteral diclofenac for pain relief during manual vacuum aspiration.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of paracervical block with intramuscular Diclofenac for pain relief during manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) for early pregnancy losses. Methodology: This was an open label randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized into two therapeutic groups (A and B) using computer generated numbers. Group A received intramuscular Diclofenac 75 mg. Group B received paracervical block using 1% Lidocaine. Participants were asked to rate their pain level on a continuous 10 cm visual analogue scale (VAS) from 0 (no pain) to 10 (the worst pain ever) within 5 minutes of completing the procedure. Participants' level of satisfaction was assessed within 30 minutes of completing the MVA using Likert scale. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 20. Test of statistical significance was set at 95% confidence level (P < 0.05). The primary outcome was the level of pain felt by the patient during the procedure (10 cm VAS). Secondary outcomes included patient's satisfaction and adverse events. Results: There was significant difference in the mean pain level between the intramuscular diclofenac group; 6.5±1.5 (moderate) and those that received paracervical block; 2.3±1.5 (mild), (p-value=0.005). Patients' satisfaction was also better in paracervical block group compared to intramuscular diclofenac group, (p-value=0.005). Both groups were comparable in terms of complications and drug side effects. Conclusion: Findings from the study suggest that the use of paracervical block compared to intramuscular Diclofenac for pain relief during MVA for incomplete miscarriage significantly reduced pain, improved patients' satisfaction and was comparably safe.

Management of caesarean scar pregnancy with ultrasound guided suction curettage followed by foley balloon catheter placement.

OBJECTIVE: Caesarean scar pregnancy (CSP), which is a direct consequence of caesarean delivery, can lead to serious complications such as placenta acreta spectrum (PAS). The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided suction curettage followed by foley balloon tamponade for the management of CSP in the first trimester of pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective evaluation of 32 women who were managed with ultrasound-guided suction curettage and foley balloon catheter insertion to the CSP region was performed. The primary outcome of the study was the rate of successful termination of CSP without need of additional surgical intervention. Secondary outcomes were the rate of haematocrit decrease, duration of hospitalization and need for transfusion. RESULTS: The described procedure was performed successfully without need for additional interventions for all patients. Median decrease in the haematocrit level post-operatively was 4% (2.25-5). Median hospitalization time was 1 day (1-2). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-guided suction curettage followed by foley balloon tamponade is an effective and safe method for the management of CSP. Direct comparative studies with other methods are required for a more precise conclusion.

Clinical analysis of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) combined with hysteroscopy-guided suction curettage (HGSC) in patients with cervical pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) combined with hysteroscopy-guided suction curettage (HGSC) in treating cervical pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study. Seven patients with cervical pregnancy who visited the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 2015 to December 2020 were enrolled in the current study. All seven patients were treated with HIFU under conscious sedation. All of them underwent HGSC at an average of 2 ± 1 days (range: 1-3 days) after HIFU. Before the therapy, the patient's clinical characteristics were collected, including duration of amenorrhea, gravidity and parity, the patient history of cesarean section and miscarriage, and the size of the gestational sac. The levels of ß-hCG and hemoglobin in serum were also reviewed. To assess the clinical outcomes of this combined treatment, the suction time of HGSC, bleeding volume, the clearance time of ß-hCG, and the time with returning of menstruation were evaluated. RESULTS: All seven patients (average age: 31 ± 6 years) have experienced amenorrhea (duration range, 48 ± 8 days) before the treatment of HIFU. The average number of pregnancies was four, and the number of deliveries was one. Previous medical history showed six patients had cesarean sections, and five patients have been miscarriages. After HIFU treatment, the fetal heartbeats were stopped in all seven patients based on the diagnosis by doppler ultrasound. The bleeding of gestational tissue decreased significantly. All patients had only mild lower abdominal pain, no fever, intestinal damage, or other complications were reported. The average operation time of operative suction curettage was 21 ± 9 min (range: 9-32 min), and the median bleeding volume was 10 ± 8 mL (range: 2-20 mL). Follow-up observations showed that the menstruations were returned in patients at an average of 38 ± 9 days (range: 30-50 days) after the treatment. The ß-hCG decreased from 41773 ± 32242 mIU/mL to 13101 ± 8454 mIU/mL in 29 ± 10 days after surgery. CONCLUSION: Based on these results with small subjects, we concluded that HIFU combined with HGSC might be an effective and safe treatment for patients with cervical pregnancy.

Ultrasound-guided Manual Vacuum Aspiration is an optimal method for obtaining products of conception from early pregnancy loss for cytogenetic testing.

OBJECTIVE: The culture failure rate of conventional karyotyping in products of conception evacuated from early pregnancy loss by traditional electrical vacuum aspiration and/or dilation & curettage remains high. We aim to determine whether obtaining products of conception from early pregnancy loss via another evacuation approach, ultrasound-guided manual vacuum aspiration, could decrease the culture failure rate of karyotyping. METHODS: For patients with early pregnancy loss, ultrasound-guided manual vacuum aspiration (Case group) and traditional electrical vacuum aspiration and/or dilation & curettage (Control group) were applied as surgical methods for pregnancy loss management respectively. The evacuated products of conception were subjected to cytogenetic karyotyping analysis. The primary outcome was the culture failure rate of karyotyping. Secondary outcomes included the chromosomal abnormality spectrum, maternal cell contamination, and complications from the manual vacuum aspiration procedure. RESULTS: For the case group, 132 products of conception were genetically analyzed by conventional karyotyping. The culture failure rate was significantly lower than that of the control cohort (2.3% vs 7.4%, p = 0.027). 65.2% of cases were abnormal within the detection scope of karyotyping. The euploid female to male ratio was 0.82 (18:22), suggesting a lower likelihood of maternal cell contamination. The efficacy in achieving complete evacuation was 99.6%. There were no significant complications from the procedure. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided manual vacuum aspiration approach significantly decreased the culture failure rate of karyotyping and decreased maternal cell contamination tendency, enabling a high and accurate cytogenetic diagnosis. It is especially crucial when the cytogenetic analysis is required in the early pregnancy loss clinics.

[Clinical effect and influencing factors of focused ultrasound ablation surgery combined with suction curettage for the treatment of mass-type cesarean scar pregnancy].

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of focused ultrasound ablation surgery (FUAS) combined with suction curettage for mass-type cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) and to analyze the influencing factors of vaginal bleeding and readmission. Methods: From January 2014 to December 2020, 88 patients with mass-type CSP were treated by FUAS combined with suction curettage in the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. The clinical results and the influencing factors of bleeding and readmission for mass-type CSP were analyzed. Results: All the patients underwent one time FUAS treatment successfully. Immediately after FUAS treatment, color Doppler ultrasound showed obvious necrosis and no perfusion area in all lesions, and the blood flow in the mass-type CSP tissue significantly decreased. The median volume of blood loss in the procedure was 20 ml (range: 5-950 ml). Thirteen patients (15%, 13/88) had vaginal bleeding≥200 ml, and 15 patients (17%, 15/88) were hospitalized again. The average time for menstruation recovery was (28±8) days (range: 18-66 days). The average time needed for serum human chorionic gonadotropin-beta subunit to return to normal levels was (22±6) days (range: 7-59 days). The risk of large vaginal bleeding of patients were related to the blood supply of the mass (OR=5.280, 95%CI: 1.335-20.858, P=0.018) and the largest diameter of the mass (OR=1.060, 95%CI: 1.010-1.120, P=0.030). The risk of readmission were related to the largest diameter of the mass (OR=1.055, 95%CI: 1.005-1.108, P=0.030) and the depth of the uterus cavity (OR=1.583, 95%CI: 1.015-2.471, P=0.043). No serious complications such as intestinal and nerve injury occurred during and after FUAS treatment. Conclusions: FUAS combined with suction curettage is safe and effective in treating patients with mass-type CSP through this preliminary study. The volume of vaginal bleeding are associated with the blood supply of the mass and the largest diameter of the mass, the risk of readmission are related to the largest diameter of the mass and the depth of the uterus cavity.

Manual Uterine Aspiration in the Emergency Department as a First-Line Therapy for Early Pregnancy Loss: A Single-Centre Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVES: Manual uterine aspiration (MUA) is a currently underused management option for early pregnancy loss (EPL) in the emergency department (ED). This study addresses the safety and efficiency of MUA in the ED. METHODS: We performed a single-site retrospective observational chart review of pregnant women presenting to the ED with vaginal bleeding and ED pathology submissions for products of conception (POC) between 2012 and 2016. Patients were excluded for gestational age >14 weeks, no evidence of pregnancy loss, uterine cavity anomaly, hemodynamic instability, or hemoglobin <80 g/L. We compared the frequencies of complications (need for blood transfusion, repeat ED visit, failed initial management, admission to hospital) and ED utilization time between 4 management options: expectant, misoprostol, MUA, and electric vacuum aspiration (EVA) outside the ED, as well as time to procedure between MUA and EVA. RESULTS: A total of 162 patients were included with 123 (76%) having a pathology report positive for POC. The mean patient and gestational ages were 30 ± 7 years and 66 ± 17 days, respectively. One hundred nine patients were managed expectantly, 9 were given misoprostol, 23 underwent MUA, and 21 underwent EVA. Composite complication rates were 40%, 33%, 9%, and 10% (P = 0.001), and mean ED times were 5.4, 4.9, 7.3, and 6.0 hours (P = 0.01), for expectant, misoprostol, MUA, and EVA, respectively. The mean time to procedure was 5.1 hours for MUA and 23.1 hours for EVA (p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Integrating MUA in the ED has the potential to reduce health care resource utilization while improving patient care.

Safety and efficacy of manual vacuum suction compared with conventional dilatation and sharp curettage and electric vacuum aspiration in surgical treatment of miscarriage: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization does not recommend dilatation and sharp curettage (D&C) for the surgical treatment of miscarriage during the first trimester because this may cause Asherman's syndrome due to endometrial damage; therefore, suction remains the primary treatment option. While manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) has been widely used since the 1990s outside Japan, the use of an MVA device (Women's MVA system) was approved in Japan in October 2015. Here, we examined the efficacy of the MVA kit in women surgically treated for miscarriage. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted between 2014 and 2018 at the International University of Health and Welfare Hospital in Japan. Women who underwent surgical treatment for miscarriage within 12 weeks of pregnancy were identified and enrolled in the study. A total of 404 women were included who underwent the following procedures: 121 D&C, 123 electric vacuum aspiration (EVA), and 160 MVA. For each participant, the duration of surgery, amount of bleeding, amount of anesthetic used, incomplete abortion requiring repeat procedures, and intraoperative/postoperative complications were evaluated. RESULTS: The duration of surgery was 13.7 ± 7.2, 11.2 ± 4.2, and 6.9 ± 4.3 min in the D&C, EVA, and MVA groups, respectively (p = 1.00). The amount of anesthetic used was not significantly different among all groups. Bleeding of ≥ 100 mL was confirmed in three (2.4%), one (0.8%), and one (0.6%) patient(s) in the D&C, EVA, and MVA groups, respectively (p = 0.50). Incomplete abortion was identified in three (2.4%), two (1.6%), and one (0.6%) patient(s) in the D&C, EVA, and MVA groups, respectively (p = 0.61). However, severe intraoperative/postoperative complications were not observed in any group. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment for miscarriage performed using the MVA kit has safety and efficacy similar to those of conventional methods, such as D&C and EVA.

Health system capacity for post-abortion care in Java, Indonesia: a signal functions analysis.

BACKGROUND: The quality of obstetric care has been identified as a contributing factor in Indonesia's persistently high level of maternal mortality, and the country's restrictive abortion laws merit special attention to the quality of post-abortion care (PAC). Due to unique health policies and guidelines, in Indonesia, uterine evacuation for PAC is typically administered only by Ob/Gyns practicing in hospitals. METHODS: Using data from a survey of 657 hospitals and emergency obstetric-registered public health centers in Java, Indonesia's most populous island, we applied a signal functions analysis to measure the health system's capacity to offer PAC. We then used this framework to simulate the potential impact of the following hypothetical reforms on PAC capacity: allowing first-trimester uterine evacuation for PAC to take place at the primary care level, and allowing provision by clinicians other than Ob/Gyns. Finally, we calculated the proportion of PAC patients treated using four different uterine evacuation procedures. RESULTS: Forty-six percent of hospitals in Java have the full set of services needed to provide PAC, and PAC capacity is concentrated at the highest-level referral hospitals: 86% of referral hospitals have the full set of services, staffing, and equipment compared to 53% of maternity hospitals and 34% of local hospitals. No health centers are adequately staffed or authorized to offer basic PAC services under Indonesia's current guidelines. PAC capacity at all levels of the health system increases substantially in hypothetical scenarios under which authorization to perform first-trimester uterine evacuation for PAC is expanded to midwives and general physicians practicing in health centers. In 2018, 88% percent of PAC patients were treated using dilation and curettage (D&C). CONCLUSIONS: Offering first-trimester uterine evacuation for PAC in PONEDs and allowing clinicians other than Ob/Gyns to perform this procedure would greatly improve the capacity of Java's health system to serve PAC patients. Increasing the use of vacuum aspiration and misoprostol for PAC-related uterine evacuation would lower the burden of treatment for patients and facilitate the task-shifting efforts needed to expand access to this life-saving service.

Selection of a correct treatment protocol in caesarean scar pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims at assessing the effectiveness of various treatment protocols with the help of some parameters in caesarean scar pregnancies. METHODS: A total of 26 patients were assessed in the study. The patients were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 consisted of those who had a wedge resection (n = 7), group 2 those who had a suction curettage (n = 10), group 3 those who had a systemic methotrexate (MTX) (n = 5) and group 4 those who had a systemic + local MTX (n = 4). The ßHcg half-lives, haemoglobin levels at the time of admittance and discharge, and hospital stays of the groups were compared. RESULTS: The difference between group 1 and group 4 was found significant (p = 0.002) with respect to days of hospital stay. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups with respect to ßHcg half-lives and haemoglobin values. CONCLUSION: The results of our study showed that there were no significant differences between treatment outcomes when appropriate protocols were employed. Therefore, the important point in CSPs is to assess correctly the type of CSP, the myometrial thickness and the patient's hemodynamic condition and select the most appropriate protocol accordingly rather than trying to establish a single standard treatment protocol.

Gabapentin as an adjunct to paracervical block for perioperative pain management for first-trimester uterine aspiration: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Pain management approaches during uterine aspiration vary, which include local anesthetic, oral analgesics, moderate sedation, deep sedation, or a combination of approaches. For local anesthetic approaches specifically, we continue to have suboptimal pain control. Gabapentin as an adjunct to pain management has proven to be beneficial in gynecologic surgery. We sought to evaluate the impact of gabapentin on perioperative pain during surgical management of first-trimester abortion or early pregnancy loss with uterine aspiration under local anesthesia. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that adding gabapentin to local anesthesia will reduce perioperative and postoperative pain associated with uterine aspiration. Secondary outcomes included tolerability of gabapentin and postoperative pain, nausea, vomiting, and anxiety. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial of gabapentin 600 mg given 1 to 2 hours preoperatively among subjects receiving a first-trimester uterine aspiration under paracervical block in an outpatient ambulatory surgery center. There were 111 subjects randomized. The primary outcome was pain at time of uterine aspiration as measured on a 100-mm visual analog scale. Secondary outcomes included pain at other perioperative time points. To assess changes in pain measures, an intention to treat mixed effects model was fit with treatment groups (gabapentin vs control) as a between-subjects factor and time point as a within-subjects factor plus their interaction term. Because of a non-normal distribution of pain scores, the area under the curve was calculated for secondary outcomes with comparison of groups utilizing Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: Among the 111 randomized, most subjects were Black or African American (69.4%), mean age was 26 years (±5.5), and mean gestational age was 61.3 days (standard deviation, 14.10). Mean pain scores at time of uterine aspiration were 66.77 (gabapentin) vs 71.06 (placebo), with a mean difference of -3.38 (P=.51). There were no significant changes in pain score preoperatively or intraoperatively. Subjects who received gabapentin had significantly lower levels of pain at 10 minutes after surgery (mean difference [standard error (SE)]=-13.0 [-5.0]; P=.01) and 30 minutes after surgery (mean difference [SE]=-10.8 [-5.1]; P=.03) compared with subjects who received placebo. Median nausea scores and incidence of emesis pre- and postoperatively did not differ between groups. Similarly, anxiety scores did not differ between groups, before or after the procedure. At 10 and 30 minutes after the procedure, most participants reported no side effects or mild side effects, and this did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION: Preoperative gabapentin did not reduce pain during uterine aspiration. However, it did reduce postoperative pain, which may prove to be a desired attribute of its use, particularly in cases where postoperative pain may be a greater challenge.

Clinical outcome of high-intensity focused ultrasound as the preoperative management of cesarean scar pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the feasibility and safety of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment as the preoperative management of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 225 patients with definite Type I CSP were treated with suction curettage under hysteroscopic guidance. Among them, 103 patients chose HIFU treatment before hysteroscopy (assign to the HIFU group), and the other 122 patients without any pretreatment before hysteroscopy to the control group. The successful rate, volume of intraoperative blood loss, time for serum ß-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG) level returned to normal, gestational sac disappeared, normal menstrual recovery, and adverse effects were collected and analyzed to compare the two approaches. RESULTS: The successful rate (98.06%) in the HIFU group was higher than that (91.80%) in the contrast group. The median ablation time was 39 min and the median HIFU sonication time was 106.6 s. The median volume of intraoperative blood loss in the HIFU group was lower than that in the contrast group (P < 0.001), and the median time of gestational sac disappeared in the HIFU group was shorter than that in the contrast group. There were no statistically significant differences in the time of serum ß-hCG returned to normal and days of menstrual recovery between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, it appears that HIFU ablation is a safe and effective modality as pre-treatment before hysteroscopy in the management of CSP.