Modern surgical approaches to female reproductive tract

Laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgery have changed the management of many gynaecological disorders. Procedures that previously required a long duration of hospitalization can now be done on an outpatient basis or with a short hospital stay. Surgical treatment remains the definitive and universal treatment of ectopic pregnancy and it can be safely done by laparoscopy. Most reproductive operations are done by laparoscopy and the results appear to be similar to those obtained with laparotomy. Those needing a laparotomy will be better treated by in-vitro fertilization. Laparoscopic ovarian drilling is a viable alternative for infertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome. Most ovarian cysts and endometriosis should be treated by laparoscopy. Although uterine myomas can be removed by laparoscopy, the uterine integrity after the procedure is questionable. Surgery should be reserved for women who have completed their family or those with pedunculated or shallow intramural myomas. Alternatively, a laparoscopically assisted myomectomy can be done. For laparoscopic hysterectomies for benign lesions, supracervical hysterectomy appears to be a good option. Hysteroscopy has changed our management, particularly for abnormal uterine bleeding. A submucous myoma and polyp can be removed by hysteroscopy and, as an alternative to hysterectomy, endometrial ablation can be done. In the future, most procedures will be done by endoscopy and laparotomy will be reserved only for selected cases.     

How long does laparoscopic surgery really take? Lessons learned from 1000 operative laparoscopies.

The purpose of this study was to assess the operating time of the most common gynaecological laparoscopic procedures. We analysed retrospectively 1000 consecutive operative laparoscopies on a procedure-by-procedure basis. Diagnostic laparoscopy and laparoscopic sterilization were specifically excluded from the analysis. The various laparoscopic procedures were grouped and analysed under six major categories. The average operating time for all cases was 76.9 min (range 10-400). In 38 cases (3.8%) the laparoscopic procedure was converted to laparotomy. The average operating time for treating ectopic pregnancy and tubal disease was approximately 60 min (range 13-240). Surgery for endometriosis and ovarian cysts averaged 72 min (range 10-240). Laparoscopic myomectomy and hysterectomy averaged 113 and 131 min respectively (range 25-400). Our results show that while the operating time for most operative laparoscopies is less than 75 min, the range of operating times is great. The relative lack of predictability in procedure times means that the efficient utilization of fixed theatre sessions is difficult.     

The management of ectopic pregnancy

The current management of ectopic pregnancy in a main teaching hospital was reviewed in the lead up to the amalgamation of the services of three maternity hospitals. A retrospective analysis of 54 women treated surgically for suspected ectopic pregnancy from January 2005 to May 2006 was carried out. The diagnosis and management of ectopic pregnancy, including length of stay in hospital, was reviewed. Analysis revealed that 46% of women were treated laparoscopically, 28% underwent laparoscopy with subsequent conversion to laparotomy and 26% of women had a primary laparotomy, of which only half were clinically unstable. Inexperience in laparoscopic surgery was found to be the primary reason for conversion to laparotomy. As the majority of operations were performed by NCHDs, there is a need to increase the training received in laparoscopic surgery to reach an acceptable standard laparoscopic rate of greater than 90%. This would result in shorter lengths of stay in hospital, substantial financial savings and greater patient satisfaction.     

Pregnancy: Operative laparoscopy for ectopic pregnancy: how experienced should the surgeon be?

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of laparoscopicsurgery for ectopic pregnancy in a general hospital in Paris,where most of the surgeons are still in training. During a periodof 20 months, 100 cases of ectopic pregnancy were diagnosedand treated by the attending residents. Nine cases requireda laparotomy due to heavy bleeding or interstitial ectopic pregnancy.Most of the other cases were treated laparoscopically, witheither salpingectomy (70 cases) or linear salpingostomy (19cases). Complications of the laparoscopic surgical procedureswere rare. There was one failure of linear salpingostomy thatrequired a second intervention (5.3% failure rate); there wasone case of urinary retention that resolved after 48 h; andone case of fever above 38°C that responded well to antimicrobialtherapy. In conclusion, we have shown that the current notionthat laparoscopic surgery is preferred to conventional abdominalsurgery for the treatment of ectopic pregnancy, can be appliedto a public gynaecological centre with young inexperienced residents,supervised by experienced gynaecologists.     

Introducing laparoscopic management of ectopic pregnancy to a busy gynaecology unit--is it worthwhile?

A review was carried out on 26 consecutive women undergoing surgery for ectopic pregnancy in the Limerick Regional Hospital, Ireland from April 2000 to April 2002. 13 were managed laparoscopically and 13 had laparotomy. There were no significant differences in age, parity or gestational age. 3 patients had previous ectopic pregnancy. 12/13 from the laparotomy group had a diagnostic laparoscopy prior to laparotomy. Anaesthetic time differed by 21.2 minutes with laparotomy being done faster than the laparoscopy group while operative time was 7.3 minutes longer in the laparoscopic group. The laparoscopic approach was associated with lower intraoperative blood loss (<50 ml vs 413.1 ml), less post operative analgesia requirement, shorter hospital stay (2.4 days vs 4.5 days), faster return to work (2 weeks vs 4 weeks) and less subsequent wound infection. Operative laparoscopy also has the advantage of being a diagnostic as well as a therapeutic tool in one procedure.     

Fertility following laparoscopic management of benign adnexal cysts.

Fertility following laparoscopic treatment of benign adnexal cysts without ovarian suture was studied retrospectively. Patients with endometriomas or who were previously infertile were excluded. Thirty-eight patients treated conservatively were included, 10 after partial resection of functional cysts, 23 after an ovarian cystectomy and six after treatment of a paraovarian cyst. One patient had two cysts. The overall intrauterine pregnancy rate was 92%; one patient had an ectopic pregnancy (2.6%). From these results, we conclude that fertility following laparoscopic treatment of adnexal cysts appears to be normal. Technical guidelines to improve laparoscopic cystectomy are proposed.     

Surgical routes and complications of hysterectomy for benign disorders: a prospective observational study in French university hospitals

BACKGROUND: Despite the advantages of the vaginal and laparoscopic approaches, most hysterectomies carried out involve laparotomy. The objective of this prospective observational multicentre study was to examine the routes and complications of hysterectomy for benign disorders. METHODS: Of the 15 university hospitals belonging to Collégiale de Gynécologie-Obstétrique de Paris-Ile de France, 12 participated in this study that took place between June and December 2004. We analysed the characteristics of the patients, the indications for hysterectomy and intra- and post-operative complications (and their determinants) according to the surgical approach. RESULTS: In total, 634 women underwent hysterectomy for benign disorders during the study period. The patients' mean age (+/-SD), BMI, parity and previous Caesarean sections were 51.4 +/- 10.3 years, 25 +/- 5.7 kg/m(2), 2 +/- 1.6 children and 0.2 +/- 0.6, respectively. Hysterectomy was performed by the laparoscopic, laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH), laparotomic and vaginal routes in 19.1, 8.2, 24.4 and 48.3% of cases, respectively. The operating time was shorter with the vaginal route than with laparoscopy, laparotomy and LAVH (P < 0.0001). Intra- and post-operative complications were significantly more frequent in the laparotomic group (18%) compared with the vaginal group (8.2%), the laparoscopic group (5.8%) and the LAVH group (8.2%) (P < 0.0001). In a multivariate logistic regression model, obesity [odds ratio (OR): 2.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.53-5.27, P = 0.001], history of pelvic surgery (OR: 2.47, 95% CI: 1.39-4.39, P = 0.002) and history of Caesarean section (OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.01-4.1, P = 0.046) were significantly associated with intra- and post-operative complications. Laparoconversion was necessary in 36 cases (7.5%) overall and was more frequent with laparoscopy and LAVH than with the vaginal route (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that the vaginal route is increasingly used for hysterectomy in France and that it is the route of choice for benign disorders.     

Adhesion-related readmissions following gynaecological laparoscopy or laparotomy in Scotland: an epidemiological study of 24 046 patients

BACKGROUND: Gynaecological laparotomies are associated with considerable adhesion-related burdens; however, few data are available concerning laparoscopic surgery. This study evaluated the epidemiology of adhesion-related readmissions following open and laparoscopic procedures. METHODS: Records from 24,046 patients undergoing gynaecological surgery in Scottish National Health Service hospitals during 1996 were assessed retrospectively. Cohorts comprised 15,197 patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery and 8849 patients undergoing laparotomies. Adhesion-related readmission episodes (directly and possibly related) were assessed over 4 years following initial surgery and were expressed as percentages of the number of initial procedures. RESULTS: Directly adhesion-related readmissions 1 year after initial laparoscopic surgery were: in the high-risk group (adhesiolysis and cyst drainage) 1.3%; medium-risk (therapeutic and diagnostic procedures not categorized as high- or low-risk) 1.5%; and low-risk (Fallopian tube sterilizations) 0.2%. Readmissions for laparotomy following surgery on the Fallopian tubes were 0.9%, ovaries 2.1%, uterus 0.6% and vagina 0%. Readmissions occurred at reduced rates in the second, third and fourth years after surgery. Exclusion of patients who underwent surgery within the previous 5 years resulted in reduced readmission rates following laparotomy and high-risk laparoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: With the exception of laparoscopic sterilizations, open and laparoscopic gynaecological surgery are associated with comparable risks of adhesion-related readmissions.     

Impaired ovarian blood flow and reduced antral follicle count following laparoscopic salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy

BACKGROUND: Whether salpingectomy affects ovarian function is controversial. In this study, ovarian function was assessed by antral follicle count, ovarian volume and ovarian stromal blood flow measured by three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasonography. The objectives of the study were to compare the ovarian function of the operated side with the non-operated side after unilateral salpingectomy performed through laparoscopy or laparotomy for ectopic pregnancy. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with unilateral salpingectomy performed for ectopic pregnancy were recruited: 18 through laparoscopy and 14 through laparotomy. Ultrasound scans were performed in the early follicular phase. RESULTS: Ovarian volume, antral follicle count and 3D power Doppler indices were comparable between the operated and the non-operated sides in the whole group and in the laparotomy group. The antral follicle count and 3D power Doppler indices were significantly reduced on the operated side in the laparoscopy group. CONCLUSIONS: Ovarian function seems to be impaired after laparoscopic unilateral salpingectomy at short-term assessment.     

Total laparoscopic hysterectomy versus total abdominal hysterectomy: an assessment of the learning curve in a prospective randomized study

The present randomized study was undertaken in order to compare the short-term results between total laparoscopic hysterectomy and abdominal hysterectomy in a centre with experience in laparoscopic surgery. From January 1997 to September 1998 inclusive, 102 women aged 44-71 years were randomly assigned to either total laparoscopic hysterectomy (n = 51 patients) or abdominal hysterectomy (n = 51 patients). The patients' demographic characteristics were similar in both groups. Average intra-operative blood loss was lower in laparoscopic hysterectomy than in abdominal hysterectomy (P 相似文献   

Ovarian function before and after salpingectomy in artificial reproductive technology patients

To determine the effect of the removal of the tube on ovarian function we studied 52 artificial reproduction technology cycles in 26 women before and after undergoing laparoscopic salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy. Ovarian response was measured by the duration and quantity of human menopausal gonadotrophins used in the cycle, the pre-ovulatory concentrations of oestradiol, the number of oocytes retrieved, and the quality of the embryos. All parameters were compared between cycles carried out before and after salpingectomy as well as between affected and unaffected sides. Our findings show no significant difference in any of the parameters studied. We conclude that laparoscopic salpingectomy does not abate ovarian response in artificial reproduction technology cycles that follow the procedure.     

Surgery: Hysterectomy for patients without previous vaginal delivery: results and modalities of laparoscopic surgery

The great majority of hysterectomies in nulliparous patientshave been carried out via laparotomy. The purpose of this studywas to establish whether laparoscopic surgery can be of usein an attempt to reduce the number of iaparotomies when hysterectomyis indicated in patients without previous vaginal delivery.A retrospective study was carried out on 66 women who had nothad a previous vaginal delivery who underwent hysterectomy fromJanuary 1993 to May 1995. Laparotomy was required for only 19.7%of cases (13 patients). For the 53 patients (80.3%) who underwentlaparoscopic hysterectomy, the average duration of the operationwas 152.24±45.7 min, and the average weight of the uteruswas 2383±154.1 g. The duration of the laparoscopic operationwas correlated in a statistically significant fashion with theweight of the uterus (P=0.0005), the necessity of associatedprocedures during the hysterectomy (P=0.01) and the surgeon'sexperience (P=0.01). These results demonstrate that laparoscopicsurgery decreases the number of laparotomies necessary for patientswith no previous vaginal delivery who require hysterectomy.When vaginal access is poor, simple laparoscopic preparationis inadequate and the only possibility of avoiding laparotomyis to carry out the hysterectomy entirely via the laparoscopicroute.     

Diagnosis and management of organic ovarian cysts: indications and procedures for laparoscopy

In the field of gynaecological surgery, the past few years have been significant due to the development of operative laparoscopy. Originally recommended for the diagnosis of female infertility, over the past 15 years laparoscopy has acquired the standing of a surgical discipline in its own right. Laparoscopic surgical treatment of ovarian cysts, whether conservative or radical, has now been completely standardized. The aim of this work is to specify the indications, procedures and risks involved with this surgery as applied to organic ovarian cysts. Only benign ovarian cysts are suitable for treatment by laparoscopic surgery; ovarian cancer must always be handled by classic surgery using a mid-line laparotomy. Given that clinical and other pre-operative investigations can give only an indication, ovarian lesions require surgical investigation to diagnose the histological type. Laparoscopy appears to be as reliable as laparotomy when assessing whether an ovarian tumour is malignant. The risk of parietal contamination and peritoneal dissemination if a malignancy is not recognized means that, if there are no signs of extra-ovarian extension, adnexectomy is mandatory whenever there is the slightest doubt. This adnexectomy must obey two important rules: it must be accomplished without rupturing the cyst, and the cyst must be placed, intact, inside an endoscopic bag before being extracted. Provided that all stages of the procedure, from pre-operative work-up to the initial diagnostic phase of the laparoscopy, are carried out meticulously, laparoscopic surgery is reliable for both the diagnosis and the management of benign organic-ovarian cysts.     

Ectopic pregnancies in Caesarean section scars: the 8 year experience of one medical centre

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to supplement the mostly individual case reports on the rarely occurring and life-threatening condition of ectopic pregnancy developing in a Caesarean section scar. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eight of all the patients treated in our department between 1995 and 2002 had been diagnosed for ectopic pregnancy that developed in a Caesarean section scar. They comprised this case series group. Four of them underwent methotrexate treatment; one had expectant management, one transcervical aspiration of the gestational sac and two by open surgery. All the non-surgically treated women had an uneventful outcome. One underwent a term Caesarean hysterectomy and the other first trimester hysterotomy and excision of the pregnancy located in the scarred uterus. Analysis of all these women's obstetric history revealed that five of them (63%) had been previously operated because of breech presentation, one had a cervical pregnancy and one had placenta previa. Four of them (50%) had multiple (> or = 2) Caesarean sections. CONCLUSIONS: The women at risk for pregnancy in a Caesarean section scar appear to be those with a history of placental pathology, ectopic pregnancy, multiple Caesarean sections and Caesarean breech delivery. Heightened awareness of this possibility and early diagnosis by means of transvaginal sonography can improve outcome and minimize the need for emergency extended surgery.     

腹腔镜下手术治疗卵巢巧克力囊肿研究

腹腔镜手术近年来已经成为临床妇科手术治疗的一个重要的发展方向,传统的手术治疗模式正在被其逐步的取代。与临床以往应用的传统开腹手术方式相比较,腹腔镜手术主要具有对机体造成创伤,术后的恢复速度快,不会对美观造成妨碍等几大基本的优点,目前在临床上已经成为对妇科疾病特别是卵巢囊肿进行治疗的首选。本文主要通过卵巢巧克力囊肿概述、腹腔镜治疗适应症、手术方式选择等几个方面,对腹腔镜下手术治疗卵巢巧克力囊肿的研究情况进行综述。     

Excisional surgery versus ablative surgery for ovarian endometriomata: a Cochrane Review

BACKGROUND: The objective of this review was to determine which is the most effective technique for treating an ovarian endometrioma; excision or ablation. METHODS: A systematic review employing the principles of the Cochrane Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility Group was undertaken. No randomized studies of the management of endometriomata by laparotomy were found. Two randomized studies of the laparoscopic management of ovarian endometriomata of >3 cm in size were included. RESULTS: Laparoscopic excision of the cyst wall of the endometrioma was associated with a reduced rate of recurrence of the endometrioma [odds ratio (OR) 0.41, confidence interval (CI) 0.18-0.93], reduced requirement for further surgery (OR 0.21, CI 0.05-0.79), reduced recurrence rate of the symptoms of dysmenorrhoea (OR 0.15, CI 0.06-0.38), dyspareunia (OR 0.08, CI 0.01-0.51) and non-menstrual pelvic pain (OR 0.10, CI 0.02-0.56). It was also associated with a subsequently increased rate of spontaneous pregnancy in women who had documented prior subfertility (OR 5.21, CI 2.04-13.29). CONCLUSIONS: There is some evidence that excisional surgery for endometriomata provides for a more favourable outcome than drainage and ablation, with regard to the recurrence of the endometrioma, recurrence of symptoms and subsequent spontaneous pregnancy in women who were previously subfertile. Consequently this should be the favoured surgical approach. However, we found no data to indicate the best surgical approach in women planning to undergo assisted reproductive techniques.     

Sutureless re-anastomosis by laparoscopy versus microsurgical re-anastomosis by laparotomy for sterilization reversal: a matched cohort study

BACKGROUND: Sutureless re-anastomosis per laparoscopy is an alternative for microsurgical re-anastomosis by laparotomy in the treatment of sterilized women with renewed child wish. Our aim was to compare pregnancy rates after both surgical techniques. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study in which consecutive women who underwent sutureless re-anastomosis per laparoscopy were compared to women who underwent microsurgical re-anastomosis by laparotomy. Both procedures were performed in neighbouring hospitals in Northern-Brabant, The Netherlands, and women were matched for age. The primary outcome was time to ongoing pregnancy. RESULTS: Overall, we included 41 women who had sutureless re-anastomosis by laparoscopy, and 41 age-matched women who underwent microsurgical re-anastomosis by laparotomy. The number of women who conceived was 20 (15 ongoing pregnancies) in the sutureless laparoscopic group versus 26 (24 ongoing pregnancies) in the laparotomic group, a difference due to a longer follow-up period in the laparotomic group. Time to ongoing pregnancy was comparable in both groups (P=0.46), with 3 year cumulative ongoing pregnancy rates of 45 and 52% respectively. After adjustment for other prognostic factors, the fecundity rate ratio was 0.97 (95% CI 0.26-3.6), indicating a similar performance of the two techniques. CONCLUSION: The simplified stitchless laparoscopic procedure for reversal of tubal sterilization with the use of a tubal splint, clip fixation of the muscularis and fibrin glue resulted in a promising pregnancy rate, which was similar to the pregnancy rate obtained with the microsurgical re-anastomosis per laparotomy.     

Laparoscopic therapy of an intact primary ovarian pregnancy with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: case report

A case of an intact primary ovarian pregnancy with ultrasonographic demonstration of heart motion following ovarian stimulation is presented. After preoperative ultrasonographic confirmation of an extrauterine pregnancy, proof of the ovarian localization was achieved by intra-operative ultrasonographic visualization during a diagnostic laparoscopy on post-menstrual day 48. A moderate ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome with a concomitant increase in size, vulnerability and vascularity of the ovaries presented an additional challenge for the surgical approach. However, thanks to the early diagnosis of the ectopic pregnancy localization, a laparoscopic organ-preserving removal of the intact ovarian pregnancy was successfully performed. In this way, the fertility of the patient, who had previously undergone contralateral ovariectomy, was preserved. To our knowledge, this represents the first such treatment to be reported in the medical literature. Improvements in diagnosis and therapy of ovarian pregnancy are reviewed.     

Recurrence of ovarian endometrioma after laparoscopic excision

BACKGROUND: To analyse risk factors that influence the recurrence of endometrioma after laparoscopic excision. METHODS: A total of 224 patients who had a minimum of 2 years of post-operative follow-up after laparoscopic ovarian endometrioma excision were studied retrospectively. Recurrence was defined as the presence of endometrioma more than 2 cm in size, detected by ultrasonography within 2 years of surgery. Fourteen variables (age, presence of infertility, pain, uterine myoma, adenomyosis, previous medical treatment of endometriosis, previous surgery for ovarian endometriosis, single or multiple cysts, the size of the largest cyst at laparoscopy, unilateral or bilateral involvement, co-existence of deep endometriosis, revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) score, post-operative medical treatment and post-operative pregnancy) were evaluated to assess their independent effects on the recurrence using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The overall rate of recurrence was 30.4% (68/224). Significant factors that were independently associated with higher recurrence were previous medical treatment of endometriosis [odds ratio (OR) = 2.324, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.232-4.383, P = 0.0092) and larger diameter of the largest cyst (OR = 1.182, 95% CI = 1.004-1.391, P = 0.0442). Post-operative pregnancy was associated with lower recurrence (OR = 0.292, 95% CI = 0.028-0.317, P = 0.0181). CONCLUSIONS: Previous medical treatment of endometriosis or large cyst size was a significant factor that was associated with higher recurrence of the disease. Post-operative pregnancy is a favourable prognostic factor.     

异位妊娠腹腔镜镜像与TVS表现及 血清β-HCG表达的相关性研究

目的 通过分析异位妊娠腹腔镜镜像与经阴道超声（TVS）表现及血清β-HCG的关系,探讨其之间的关联性。方法 本文采用回顾性研究,收集从2018年1月~12月广西中医药大学附属瑞康医院妇科收治住院的106例异位妊娠患者,术前常规行血清β-HCG测定及TVS诊断,并经腹腔镜手术证实,分析其镜像特征。结果 106例腹腔镜手术均成功,无一例中转开腹,腹腔镜下诊断为异位妊娠103例,并经病理确诊,腹腔镜诊断符合率为100.00%。术前最后一次阴道超声诊断符合率为97.17%,不符合者假阳性3例,误诊率2.83%,血清β-HCG表达与异位妊娠囊胚的大小、表面张力及血管扩张程度显著相关性（P＜0.01）,与子宫内膜厚度、包块内部及周围可见血流信号及与囊胚内可见卵黄囊、胚芽、心管搏动等影像学征之间存在相关关系（P＜0.05）,而与盆腔积液无关（P＞0.05）。结论 异位妊娠腹腔镜镜像与TVS表现及血清β-HCG存在内在的联系与规律性,这些规律为揭开异位妊娠发展机制和指导临床治疗提供理论支持,以提高异位妊娠的诊断率。