Attending Physicians' Perspectives of Resident Academic Half Day

Phenomenon: Academic health centers face significant challenges trying to improve medical education while meeting patient care needs. In response to problems with traditional forms of didactic education, many residency programs have transitioned to Academic Half Day (AHD), a curricular model in which learning is condensed into half-day blocks. In this model, trainees have protected educational time free from clinical responsibilities. However, an understanding of the impact on attending physicians and patient care when residents depart clinical sites for learning activities has not been well described. We sought to explore attending physicians’ perspectives when residents depart clinical sites to attend AHD. Approach: We performed a qualitative study with a grounded theory approach using individual semistructured interviews (December 2016–April 2017) of attending physicians who worked at inpatient and emergency department clinical sites from which residents departed to attend AHD. We used the constant comparative method, generating codes using an iterative approach and continuing sampling until saturation was reached. Major themes were identified and disagreements were resolved by consensus. Findings: Fifteen attending physicians from 6 clinical services were interviewed. Data analysis yielded 5 themes: emotional strain of workload, technology and systems challenges, patient safety and care concerns, disrupted resident learning, and the challenge to optimize resident education. Attending physicians, already working on busy services, felt frustrated and perceived having an increased workload when residents departed for AHD. They were concerned about safely entering orders in the electronic health record, impeded patient workflow, and further disruption of resident schedules already disrupted by duty hour restrictions and continuity clinic. Attending physicians described the importance of experiential learning from caring for patients and from structured didactic learning; however, the optimal balance was uncertain. Insights: We found that attending physicians experienced significant emotional strain, faced technological challenges, and were concerned about impeded workflow and patient safety when residents departed clinical sites for AHD. This is likely to be true whenever residents are pulled out of the clinical setting for any reason. Educators need to partner with hospital administrators to provide appropriate support for attending physicians when residents leave clinical sites, evaluate the effectiveness of different educational models, and determine how structured learning activities fit into the overall curriculum.     

精子形态变化对体外受精率的影响

目的:通过对ICSI和IVF受精率的统计,比较精子形态中的精子正常形态率、头部畸形率、畸形精子指数(TZI)和精子畸形指数(SDI)对受精结果的影响。方法:用Krger's严格标准法分别计算每组样本的精子正常形态率、头部畸形率、TZI和SDI值,与受精率进行比较。结果:①IVF组和ICSI组的受精率,与精子正常形态率、头部畸形率、TZI、SDI均无相关性。②IVF组和ICSI组中SDI>1.6和SDI<1.6的受精率、优质胚胎率和临床妊娠率差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。③IVF组和ICSI组中精子正常形态率≤15%与精子正常形态率>15%的二组间受精率、优质胚胎率和临床妊娠率的差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:精子形态在体外受精时对受精率无影响,不能用精子形态来直接评价体外受精的结果。     

Transfer of zona-free embryos improves outcome in poor prognosis patients: a prospective randomized controlled study

Assisted zona hatching (AZH) has been used in IVF programmes for several years. Recently one group has reported successful pregnancies after transfer of zona-free blastocysts. The aim of our study was to evaluate outcomes after transfer of zona-free day 3 embryos. Two groups of women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were included in the study. Group A consisted of 52 women under the age of 40 years undergoing their first ICSI attempt. They were alternately randomized to receive zona-free embryos (27 women) and zona-intact embryos (25 women). The second group (group B) included 71 women with a poor prognosis, as defined by age 40 years or more, and/or at least two previous failed IVF/ICSI attempts. They were randomized in a 3:4 ratio (30 zona-free, 41 zona-intact). Acid Tyrode's solution was used to remove the zona pellucida before embryo transfer on day 3 after oocyte collection. The pregnancy rate in group A was not significantly improved when the zona pellucida was removed. However, in the poor prognosis group B, zona removal resulted in a significantly higher pregnancy rate when compared with controls (23 versus 7.3%). We conclude that complete removal of the zona pellucida can improve pregnancy rates in women with poor IVF/ICSI prognosis.     

Survival rates during the first trimester of multiple gestations achieved by ICSI: a report of 1448 consecutive multiples

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of spontaneous gestational sac loss during the first trimester in women achieving multiple pregnancies by ICSI. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of 1448 consecutive multiple pregnancies conceived by ICSI. RESULTS: Of the cohort of 1448 pregnancies, twin gestations constituted 59.6% (864), triplets 30.2% (438) and quadruplets 10.0% (146). During the first trimester, 69 (4.7%) patients miscarried, while 179 (12.3%) continued their pregnancies and had fewer gestational sacs at the end of the first trimester than at the beginning. The overall loss rate of any gestational sac during the first trimester in these multiple pregnancies was 10.1%. There was a significant difference in the frequency of spontaneous reduction to twin or singleton pregnancies in the first trimester between women carrying triplets (11.7%) and those carrying quadruplets (3.5%) [P = 0.004; odds ratio (OR) 3.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-9.1]. The frequency of gestational sac loss was significantly greater among women >35 years old (20.9%) than in women less than 35 years old (15.9%) (P = 0.03; OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.0-1.9). CONCLUSION: In multiple pregnancies there is a significant risk of spontaneous loss of any embryo during the first trimester. These findings should be considered prior to any decision about selective embryo reduction.     

Pregnancy outcome and neonatal data of children born after ICSI using testicular sperm in obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia

BACKGROUND: Registries on outcome of ICSI pregnancies obtained with testicular sperm do not differentiate between obstructive (OA) and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). We evaluated the pregnancy outcome and neonatal data on children born after ICSI using testicular sperm of men with histologically proven OA or NOA. METHODS: Pregnancies obtained after ICSI using testicular sperm of men with defined NOA (n = 70) were compared with those of men with OA (n = 204). RESULTS: Multiple birth rates in NOA and OA couples, respectively, were 21 versus 27% (P = NS), overall preterm delivery rates were 38 versus 26% (NS), and prematurity rates were 24 versus 13% for singletons (NS) and 86 versus 54% for twins (relative risk 1.59, 95% confidence interval 1.04-2.42). Median gestational age for singletons was 38.3 versus 39.3 weeks, respectively (P < 0.05). The low birth weight rates were 34 versus 31%, respectively (NS). The early perinatal mortality rate was 66 versus 15 per 1000 births, respectively, (NS). Major congenital malformations were observed in 4 versus 3%, respectively, of the live born babies (NS). Prenatal karyotypes showed 7% de-novo abnormalities in the NOA group versus 1% in the OA group (NS). CONCLUSIONS: Our data do not show differences between NOA and OA pregnancies except for a strong tendency towards a lower gestational age in singletons and a higher percentage of premature twins in the NOA group. Although our data are based on a limited sample, the differences observed call for further analysis. Given the low pregnancy rates after ICSI with NOA, a multicentre study, differentiating NOA and OA patients, would be recommended.     

Rescue ICSI of oocytes that failed to extrude the second polar body 6 h post-insemination in conventional IVF

BACKGROUND: Attempts to 'rescue' by ICSI oocytes that remained unfertilized 24 h after conventional IVF have generally resulted in poor outcomes. The aim of the present study was to compare the outcome of rescue ICSI performed on one group of patients 6 h after initial insemination with those of another group where rescue ICSI was performed 22 h after initial insemination. METHODS: Twenty-five patient IVF cycles provided the oocytes for rescue ICSI 6 h after initial insemination, and 20 cycles provided the oocytes for rescue ICSI 22 h after initial insemination in this retrospective study. Fertilization and cleavage rates, embryo quality, implantation, and pregnancy rates after rescue ICSI were the main outcome measures. RESULTS: A fertilization rate of 70.3% was achieved with 6 h rescue ICSI compared with 48.5% with 22 h rescue ICSI (P < 0.0001). From 6 h rescue ICSI, 12 clinical pregnancies (48.0%) resulted in three sets of twins, eight singletons and one abortion. From 22 h rescue ICSI there was one (5.0%) singleton pregnancy and delivery of a healthy baby. Likewise, the implantation rate was 20.2% from 6 h rescue ICSI compared with 1.72% from 22 h rescue ICSI (P < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Rescue ICSI after 6 h post-insemination (46 h post-HCG) gave better fertilization, pregnancy and implantation rates compared with rescue ICSI after 22 h when oocytes have become aged.     

Sperm pathology: a step beyond descriptive morphology. Origin, characterization and fertility potential of abnormal sperm phenotypes in infertile men

Sperm pathology is presented as the discipline of characterizing structural and functional deficiencies in abnormal spermatozoa. This concept complements that of sperm morphology mainly concerned with the appearance of spermatozoa. These two notions collaborate in providing correlations of prognostic value with sperm fertilizing capacity, explaining the mechanisms of sperm inefficiency, suggesting strategies to improve fertilization and opening a door to molecular genetic studies. Phenotypes of genetic origin involving sperm heads, flagella and the neck region are presented describing their clinical manifestations, sperm structure, cytochemistry and genetic background. When available, animal models are used to highlight possible genetic mechanisms. Sperm pathologies secondary to andrological conditions or environmental factors are described, stressing the non-specific nature of the sperm response to noxious agents. The available literature on the prognostic value of sperm pathologies in ICSI is also reviewed. Flagellar anomalies bear a good prognosis, but those affecting the acrosome, sperm chromatin and the neck region entail an increasing chance of failure, which highlights the differential roles played by specific sperm components in fertilization, implantation and early embryonic development. A final discussion is devoted to genetic counselling and the risks involved in using immotile or abnormal spermatozoa in assisted reproduction.     

The effects of meiosis activating sterol on in-vitro maturation and fertilization of human oocytes from stimulated and unstimulated ovaries

The object of this study was to assess functional maturation in vitro by obtaining data on the fertilization and embryonic competence of human oocytes with or without exposure to meiosis activating sterol (MAS) during maturation in vitro. Immature oocytes were either collected from unstimulated patients with polycystic ovaries (PCO) during gynaecological surgery, or were donated by patients undergoing a cycle of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment including ovarian stimulation with gonadotrophins. PCO oocytes had variable cumulus cover, which was retained during culture while those from ICSI patients were cultured without cumulus. The study included 119 oocytes from PCO patients and 72 from ICSI patients. The oocytes were allowed to mature in vitro for up to 46 h in the presence or absence of MAS. Mature oocytes were inseminated by ICSI with fertile donor spermatozoa and embryo development was monitored in vitro. MAS (30 microg/ml) significantly increased the survival of oocytes from PCO patients (P < 0.01) but did not significantly affect the proportion completing maturation in vitro. For the ICSI patients, >90% of oocytes survived in all culture groups, regardless of MAS addition, however MAS (10 or 30 microg/ml) significantly increased the proportion of oocytes maturing in vitro (P < 0.05). The apparent tendency towards improved subsequent development in vitro will require larger numbers of oocytes for evaluation. Oocytes from ICSI patients matured more rapidly in vitro than those from PCO patients. Our results show positive effects of MAS on human oocytes, confirming previous data in mice. This work may have implications for the future clinical application of IVM.     

Increased incidence of numerical chromosome abnormalities in spermatozoa injected into human oocytes by ICSI

The potential risk of transmitting chromosomally abnormal spermatozoa from infertile males into oocytes through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has prompted us to investigate the male pronuclei of tripronuclear zygotes (3PN) obtained after ICSI. To specify the type of anomalies, we used triple colour fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) with three specific probes for chromosomes X, Y and 18. From a total of 163 paternal complements of ICSI-3PN zygotes, 90 (55.2%) had Y-chromosome signals. Eighty-three of these were normal, four had the disomy XY and three were diploid. In the remaining 73 ICSI-3PN zygotes without Y-chromosome signals, the origin of paternal pronuclei was extrapolated through chromosome constitution of the first polar body. Five anomalies were found in this group of zygotes, giving a total rate of numerical chromosome aberrations for fertilizing spermatozoa of 7.4%. In contrast to ICSI, only two disomies (1.5%) were found in the control group of IVF-3PN zygotes. Compared with the incidence of chromosome anomalies between paternal-derived pronuclei of ICSI- and IVF-3PN zygotes, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.025). This study provides the first direct evidence of a higher incidence of numerical chromosome anomalies in sperm-fertilized human oocytes after ICSI.     

Infertility: Enhancement of outcome from intracytoplasmic sperm injection: does co-culture or assisted hatching improve implantation rates?

In two separate prospectively randomized trials, intracytoplasmicsperm injection (ICSI) cycles were studied in a controlled mannerto monitor the effects of either bovine oviductal epithelialcell co-culture (n = 119) or assisted hatching by zona drilling(n = 100). In the first study, immediately following ICSI, alleggs were placed directly either onto partial monolayers ofbovine oviductal cells or into regular culture medium. Althoughthe embryo developmental rate was apparently compromised inpart by the presence of the co-culture cells, ultimately therewere no significant differences in either the viable pregnancyrate (31.6% co-culture versus 29.0% control) or the embryonicimplantation rate (11.4% co-culture versus 13.6% control). Assistedhatching also had no significant impact on ICSI cycle outcomein terms of either the viable pregnancy rate (30.0% assistedhatching versus 32.0% control) or the embryonic implantationrate (8.5% assisted hatching versus 13.5% control). However,in female patients aged 235 years, assisted hatching appearedto convey a marginally significant benefit in terms of boththe viable pregnancy rate (35.5% assisted hatching versus 11.1%control) and the embryonic implantation rate (103% assistedhatching versus 3.1 % control). It seems that the overall improvementof ICSI cycle outcome cannot be achieved by the general applicationof either co-culture or assisted hatching. Nevertheless, itis possible that there remain specific patient groups that mightbenefit from selected use of either of these modalities.