Abdominal versus vaginal cerclage after a failed transvaginal cerclage: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of pregnancy after transabdominal cerclage versus after transvaginal cerclage in patients with a failed transvaginal cerclage during a previous pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched in English. We included studies that reported perinatal and/or maternal outcomes in women who had a transabdominal cerclage or a transvaginal cerclage placed at or before 20 weeks of gestation, after having had a failed nonemergent transvaginal cerclage in a previous pregnancy. Data were included for individual patients if they met the inclusion criteria, and their outcomes were reported separately. We excluded patients with cervical amputation because transvaginal cerclage is not an option for these women because of technical difficulty. RESULTS: Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Thirteen of the studies were case series (12 retrospective and 1 prospective), and one study was a retrospective cohort study. In total, 157 women in the studies had a failed vaginal cerclage in a previous pregnancy; 117 women had a subsequent transabdominal cerclage; 40 women had a subsequent transvaginal cerclage. The likelihood of perinatal death or delivery at <24 weeks was 6.0% (95% CI, 3.8%-8.2%) after transabdominal cerclage and 12.5% (95% CI, 2.7%-22.7%) after transvaginal cerclage. The likelihood of serious operative complications after transabdominal cerclage was 3.4% (95% CI, 0.01%, 6.8%). There were no serious operative complications after transvaginal cerclage. CONCLUSION: Transabdominal cerclage may be associated with a lower risk of perinatal death or delivery at <24 weeks of gestation, but it may be associated with a higher risk of serious operative complications. A multicenter randomized controlled trial should be conducted to address this question.     

Patients with a prior failed transvaginal cerclage: a comparison of obstetric outcomes with either transabdominal or transvaginal cerclage

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare the incidence of preterm birth after a prior failed vaginal cerclage in patients who had a subsequent transabdominal or a transvaginal cerclage. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of singleton pregnancies in women who had undergone (9-14 weeks) either a transabdominal or a transvaginal prophylactic cerclage after >/=1 prior failed transvaginal cerclage. Prior failed transvaginal cerclage was defined as a preterm birth at <33 weeks' gestation in the immediate prior pregnancy despite a transvaginal cerclage. All transabdominal cerclage procedures were performed by a single attending physician (George Davis, DO). Patients with a cervix too short for transvaginal cerclage placement, placenta previa, or major fetal anomalies were excluded. Primary outcome was preterm birth at <35 weeks' gestation. RESULTS: Forty transabdominal and 24 transvaginal cerclage pregnancies were analyzed. These 2 groups were similar in race and payer status but differed in age (34.0 +/- 4.2 vs 31.3 +/- 4.6 years, respectively; P =.01). The transabdominal cerclage group had more prior failed cerclage procedures per patient (1.8 +/- 1.0 vs 1.1 +/- 0.3; P =.02) and more prior 14- to 24-week spontaneous abortions per patient (2.4 +/- 1.3 vs 1.5 +/- 1.0; P =.02) than the transvaginal cerclage group. Preterm delivery at both <35 and <33 weeks' gestation was less common in the transabdominal cerclage group (18% vs 42%, P =.04; 10% vs 38%, P =.01; respectively) than in the transvaginal cerclage group. Gestational age at delivery was 36. 3 +/- 4.1 weeks in the transabdominal cerclage group and 32.8 +/- 8. 6 weeks in the transvaginal cerclage group (P =.03). Preterm premature rupture of membranes also occurred less often in the transabdominal cerclage group than in the transvaginal cerclage group (8% vs 29%, P =.03). CONCLUSION: In patients with a prior failed transvaginal cerclage, transabdominal cerclage is associated with a lower incidence of preterm delivery and preterm premature rupture of membranes in comparison with transvaginal cerclage.     

不同妊娠期经阴道子宫颈环扎术后妊娠结局分析

Objective?To investigate the differences in pregnancy outcomes between the different transvaginal cervical cerclage. Methods?This retrospective study included pregnant women with cervical insufficiency admitted to Peking University People’s Hospital between January 2013 and September 2021. There were 37 patients in the study group underwent Shirodkar’s cerclage, and 32 patients in the control group underwent McDonald’s cerclage. The pregnancy outcomes were compared. Results?Compared with the control group, the study group showed more weight gain during pregnancy[(12.66±6.00) kg/m2, (9.21±5.79) kg/m2; P=0.022], long operation time [45 min(40-51.3 min) vs. 20.5 min (17.3-25.0), P<0.001] and later cerclage removal [36.71(36.14-37) vs. 34.43(24.32-36.75), P=0.003]. Gestational weeks at delivery in the Shirodkar group were more advanced than in the McDonald group[38.9 (36.3-39.8) vs.35.0 (30.1-39.0), P=0.005]. Compared with the McDonald group, the Shirodkar group had higher incidences of deliveries≥28 gestational weeks (91.9% vs. 68.8%, P=0.027), deliveries≥34 gestational weeks (81.1% vs. 59.4%, P=0.037), deliveries≥37 gestational weeks (67.6% vs. 37.5%, P<0.001), induced labor (43.2% vs. 12.5%, P=0.006), and fewer fetal loss (8.1% vs. 31.3%, P=0.017). Multivariate regression analysis of preterm birth factors showed that Shirodkar cervical cerclage was a protective factor to reduce the incidence of preterm birth(OR=0.063, 95%CI: 0.008, 0.492, P=0.008). Conclusion?Shirodkar cerclage appears to have advantages over McDonald cerclage in preventing fetal loss and a fewer frequency of preterm deliveries.     

Surgical approach to failed cervical cerclage. A report of three cases

Failed cervical cerclage, which requires removal of the suture for hemorrhage, infection or cervical dilation, may offer an opportunity for another cerclage during the same pregnancy. In three cases a variant of the McDonald technique was used to successfully complete pregnancy.     

Plasma concentrations of prostaglandin F2 alpha and prostaglandin E2 metabolites after transabdominal and transvaginal cervical cerclage

Circulating prostaglandin metabolites 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2 alpha and the bicyclo derivative of prostaglandin E2 were measured in maternal plasma by radioimmunoassay after transabdominal cervicoisthmic cerclage and after transvaginal cerclage (Shirodkar and McDonald procedures) performed in the first and second trimesters. Statistically significant elevations in prostaglandin E2 metabolite or 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2 alpha occurred after transabdominal cervicoisthmic and transvaginal cerclage; they returned to control levels within 6 to 24 hours after surgery and were associated with good fetal outcome. Increases in 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2 alpha were proportionately greater than in prostaglandin E2 metabolite. Mean basal levels and the rise in prostaglandin metabolites were not related to cerclage type, trimester of pregnancy, or cervical status (dilatation less than or equal to 3 cm; effacement less than or equal to 60%). Highest basal and postcerclage 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2 alpha and prostaglandin E2 metabolite levels were associated with advanced cervical changes, uterine irritability, membrane prolapse or rupture, and premature delivery. Routine administration of prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors is not indicated for transvaginal cerclage or transabdominal cervicoisthmic cerclage; plasma prostaglandin metabolite levels may identify patients not suitable for cerclage.     

Change in cervical length after prophylactic cerclage.

OBJECTIVE: To determine changes in length of incompetent cervices after cerclage, using transvaginal ultrasound. METHODS: Patients were enrolled in a prospective, observational study under an Institutional Review Board-approved protocol. McDonald or Shirodkar sutures were placed according to physician preference. Pre- and postcerclage cervical lengths were measured within 72 hours of the procedure. At each examination, the first measurement was discarded, and a mean of the subsequent three measurements was calculated. RESULTS: Twenty-one Shirodkar and ten McDonald operations were done. The mean (+/- standard deviation) precerclage cervical length was 2.7+/-0.9 cm and the postcerclage cervical length was 3.6+/-0.9 cm (P<.001, paired t test). CONCLUSION: Prophylactic cerclage results in measurable increases in cervical length, which might contribute to the success of the procedure. Further study is needed to determine whether the degree of cervical lengthening after cerclage predicts term delivery.     

Emergency cervical cerclage.

OBJECTIVE--To assess the efficacy of emergency cervical cerclage. DESIGN--Retrospective review of patients who underwent emergency cervical cerclage between August 1986 and August 1989. SETTING--University College and the Middlesex Hospitals obstetric unit, a neonatal referral centre. SUBJECTS--19 women between 16 and 28 weeks gestation with a cervical dilatation between 3 and 10 cm. There were two twin pregnancies. INTERVENTIONS--Amniocentesis and bacteriological assessments were performed prior to cerclage and prophylactic antibiotics were given. Insertion of sutures was aided by a combination of techniques described previously. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Prolongation of gestation and pregnancy outcome. Bacteriological findings at delivery and maternal and fetal morbidity were also recorded. RESULTS--Membranes remained intact in all the women after cerclage. Fifteen live babies were born and 13 of them survived (survival rate 63%). Gestation was prolonged from between 1 and 19 weeks in these patients and the gestational age at delivery ranged from 25 to 41 weeks. All eight intrauterine or neonatal deaths were associated with infection. Infecting organisms included Escherichia coli, Gardnerella vaginalis, Mycoplasma hominis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Fusobacterium spp. Pregnancy was prolonged for less than or equal to 5 weeks in these infected pregnancies. A cervical laceration occurred in a patient who had the suture inserted at full dilatation and subsequently laboured, but there were no other maternal complications. CONCLUSIONS--Emergency cervical cerclage can prolong pregnancy and influence the outcome favourably.