Serum anti-Müllerian hormone concentration before and after salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Does salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy affect the ovarian reserve measured by changes in pre- and post-operative levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH)? DESIGN: This is a prospective observational multicentre study of 64 women treated with salpingectomy for an ectopic pregnancy. AMH was measured in serum samples collected at admission before salpingectomy and at follow-up (median time to follow-up [interquartile range] was 3 [3-4] months). Changes in serum AMH levels were investigated using Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the relationship between changes in AMH and age, time to follow-up, and pre-operative serum AMH level was investigated using linear regression analysis. The biological variation of AMH was also calculated. RESULTS: Serum AMH levels did not differ significantly before and after salpingectomy (median ∆AMH [follow-up value minus admission value] 0.40 pmol/l, interquartile range -2.0 to 4.0 pmol/l). ΔAMH was independent of age, time to follow-up and pre-operative serum AMH level. The intra-individual biological variation for AMH ranged from 12.1% to 26.3%, depending on time between the two samples. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first paired study to investigate serum AMH values before and after salpingectomy in an unselected population of women presenting with an ectopic pregnancy, including both patients who conceived naturally and following fertility treatment. It was found that salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy had no short-term effect on serum AMH levels, and changes in AMH levels were independent of age, time to follow-up, and pre-operative serum AMH level. Furthermore, the study demonstrated a 6-month biological variation of AMH of less than 30%.

Comparison of flanged and unflanged acetabular cup design. An experimental study using ceramic and cadaveric acetabuli.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Adequate depth of cement penetration and cement mantle thickness is important for the durability of cemented cups. A flanged cup, as opposed to unflanged, has been suggested to give a more uniform cement mantle and superior cement pressurization, thus improving the depth of cement penetration. This hypothesis was tested experimentally. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The same cup design with and without flange (both without cement spacers) was investigated regarding intraacetabular pressure, cement mantle thickness, and depth of cement penetration. With machine control, the cups were inserted into open-pore ceramic acetabular models (10 flanged, 10 unflanged) and into paired cadaver acetabuli (10 flanged, 10 unflanged) with prior pressurization of the cement. RESULTS: No differences in intraacetabular pressures during cup insertion were found, but unflanged cups tended to migrate more towards the acetabular pole. Flanged cups resulted in thicker cement mantles because of less bottoming out, whereas no differences in cement penetration into the bone were observed. INTERPRETATION: Flanged cups do not generate higher cementation pressure or better cement penetration than unflanged cups. A possible advantage of the flange, however, may be to protect the cup from bottoming out, and there is possibly better closure of the periphery around the cup, sealing off the cement-bone interface.

Predictors of mortality within 1 year after primary ovarian cancer surgery: a nationwide cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To identify predictors of mortality within 1 year after primary surgery for ovarian cancer. DESIGN: Prospective nationwide cohort study from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2012. SETTING: Evaluation of data from the Danish Gynaecology Cancer Database and the Danish Civil Registration System. PARTICIPANTS: 2654 women who underwent surgery due to a diagnosis of primary ovarian cancer. OUTCOME MEASURES: Overall survival and predictors of mortality within 0-180 and 181-360 days after the primary surgery. Examined predictors were age, preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, body mass index (BMI), International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, residual tumour tissue after surgery, perioperative blood transfusion and calendar year of surgery. RESULTS: The overall 1-year survival was 84%. Within 0-180 days after surgery, the 3 most important predictors of mortality from the multivariable model were residual tumour tissue >2 cm versus no residual tumour (HR=4.58 (95% CI 3.20 to 6.59)), residual tumour tissue ≤2 cm versus no residual tumour (HR=2.50 (95% CI 1.63 to 3.82)) and age >64 years versus age ≤64 years (HR=2.33 (95% CI 1.69 to 3.21)). Within 181-360 days after surgery, FIGO stages III-IV versus I-II (HR=2.81 (95% CI 1.75 to 4.50)), BMI<18.5 vs 18.5-25 kg/m(2) (HR=2.08 (95% CI 1.18 to 3.66)) and residual tumour tissue >2 cm versus no residual tumour (HR=1.84 (95% CI 1.25 to 2.70)) were the 3 most important predictors. CONCLUSIONS: The most important predictors of mortality within 1 year after surgery were residual tumour tissue (0-180 days after surgery) and advanced FIGO stage (181-360 days after surgery). However, our results suggest that the surgeon should not just aim at radical surgery, but also pay special attention to comorbidity, nutritional state, age >64 years and the need for perioperative blood transfusion.