Conization by harmonic scalpel for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: a clinicopathological study

Distribution of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia is closely associated with HPV status and uterine position

Although cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) lesions are considered to be not randomly distributed across the cervix, but predominantly in the anterior wall, the clinicopathological etiology remains unknown. Herein, we aimed to elucidate the relationship between quantitatively measured area of CIN2/3 and cervical cancer associated factors by retrospective cohort study. We analyzed 235 consecutive therapeutic conization specimens dissected as a single intact section to determine CIN2/3 area and its correlation with both clinical risk factors including human papillomavirus (HPV) status (single or multiple infection) and uterine position defined by transvaginal ultrasound. Cervical wall was classified into three groups: anterior: (11, 12, 1, and 2 o'clock), posterior (5, 6, 7, and 8 o'clock) and lateral (3, 4, 9, and 10 o'clock). Multiple regression revealed that younger age and HPV16 status were significantly correlated with CIN2/3 area (p = 0.0224 and p = 0.0075, respectively). The Jonckheere-Terpstra test showed a significant trend: CIN2/3 area was highest in the single HPV16 group, followed by the multiple HPV16 group and the non-HPV16 group (p < 0.0001). CIN2/3 area in the anterior wall was statistically significantly larger than the posterior and lateral wall (p = 0.0059 and p = 0.0107, respectively). CIN2/3 area in the anterior wall was significantly greater with anteversion-anteflexion than retroversion-retroflexion (p = 0.0485), whereas CIN2/3 area in the posterior wall was significantly larger with retroversion-retroflexion than anteversion-anteflexion (p = 0.0394). In conclusion, the topographical distribution of CIN2/3 area is closely associated with patient age, high-risk HPV status, especially single HPV16 infection and uterine position.

Sexual health and quality-of-life concerns of cervical dysplasia treatments: Review

Thorough investigations have defined underlying disease mechanisms, determining effective cervical dysplasia (CD) treatments. Previous work has assessed the effects of different treatments on women’s sexual health. Recently however, several published studies have expanded the scope of findings, revealing the need for an updated examination and integration of knowledge to appropriately contextualize this clinical approach within sexual medicine and women’s healthcare. A review of relevant literature was completed. The findings indicate that treatments for CD may be correlated with sexual issues such as decreased interest and sexual functioning, and decreased QoL including psychosocial elements like anxiety. Methodological variations used to investigate different CD treatment outcomes were observed and should be streamlined to facilitate comparison in future studies. There is a need for additional research into alternative non-surgical CD treatments which could mitigate unintended outcomes, and consideration should be given to accessibility of these treatments across different regions in Canada.

Modified method of cervical conization with hybrid use of a cold knife and an electric knife for high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions

Objective

To evaluate the feasibility and surgical outcome of the modified method of cervical conization with hybrid use of a cold knife and an electric knife.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of cervical conization for high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions was performed between January 2020 and December 2020. Traditional cold knife conization and modified conization were used. The clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes were compared between these methods.

Results

Ninety-two patients with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions were included. Traditional conization was performed in 46 patients, and the modified method was used in 46 patients. There were no differences in clinical characteristics, such as age, menopausal status, and conization height, between the methods. Intraoperative blood loss with the modified method was significantly lower than that with traditional conization (27.6 ± 4.7 vs 51.3 ± 18.3 mL). Postoperative vaginal bleeding requiring emergent measures, such as prolonged gauze compression, sutures, or electrocautery, was significantly less with the modified method than with traditional conization (4.3% vs 17.4%). A median follow-up of 10.2 months showed no significant difference in persistence or recurrence between the methods.

Conclusions

The modified method of cervical conization with hybrid use of cold and electric knives may be a good alternative to traditional cold knife conization.

Association Between Positive Human Papillomavirus Status After Conization and Disease Recurrence in Patients with Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Grade 3

Objective

This study aimed to examine the associations of cone margin and human papillomavirus (HPV) status after conization with cytological abnormalities and disease recurrence in patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN3).

Methods

This is a retrospective study of 366 women with CIN3 who underwent conization at Kagoshima University Hospital between 2004 and 2017. Conization was performed using an ultrasonic scalpel. The polymerase chain reaction for detecting HPV genotypes was performed using fresh cervical cell samples. We examined the associations of margin status and HPV status after conization with cytological abnormalities and recurrence.

Results

Among 224 women with CIN3, 193 (86.2%) underwent HPV genotype testing before conization. The HPV-positive rate was 84.9%. The most common HPV genotypes before conization were HPV 16, 31, 58, 52, 18, 35, and 33. In 191 patients, the uterus was preserved after conization. Sixteen patients had pathologically positive margins, 165 had negative margins, and 10 had unclear margins. There was no significant difference in abnormal cytology and recurrence rate after conization between the three groups. Five patients with positive margins and abnormal cytology during follow-ups were HPV16- or HPV58-positive in the preoperative HPV testing. Of the 191 women, 91 (47.6%) underwent pre- and postoperative HPV genotype testing, among whom 14 (15.4%) were HPV-positive after conization. No significant difference in abnormal cytology based on HPV status after conization was found. The recurrence rate tended to be higher in HPV-positive patients than in HPV-negative patients after conization (21.4% vs. 1.3%, p < 0.05). Three patients with HPV positivity after conization and recurrence during follow-up were HPV16- or HPV58-positive.

Conclusions

HPV positivity after conization for CIN3 was associated with a high recurrence rate, especially in HPV16- and HPV58-positive patients. HPV58 has not received much attention thus far, but abnormalities in cytology and recurrence may be as likely as those associated with HPV16. Thus, a careful follow-up in such patients is recommended.

Four Surgical Approaches to Cervical Excision During Laparoscopic Radical Trachelectomy for Early Cervical Cancer

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To compare the clinical and oncological outcomes of four different approaches of cervical excision (CE) during radical trachelectomy (RT) for early cervical cancer.

DESIGN

A retrospective comparative observational study was performed at Gynecology Department of the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires, Argentine. The study was composed of all consecutive women who had undergone laparoscopic RT for early cervical cancer between May 2011 and July 2016. They were divided in four groups according with different surgical approaches to perform the CE during RT; which are also detailed. (Canadian Task Force Classification III).

SETTING

Tertiary care hospital.

INTERVENTION

CE during radical trachelectomy for early cervical cancer.

MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS

A total of 7, 6, 6 and 3 patients undergone Type A, B, C and D cervical excision during RT, respectively. No significant differences in terms of age, BMI, surgical time and length of hospital stay were found according with different types of CE. Patients in Type D had, however, a significantly higher EBL, p =.006. Similar histology characteristics in terms of histology type, tumor grade and size, as well as lymph node count were observed among groups. Only grade 1-2 postoperative complications were noted in 9 patients. One local recurrence after Type B CE was treated with radical surgery plus chemoradiaton; while other patient after Type A CE relapsed with peritoneal carcinomatosis managed with chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Different types of cervical excision that are here described should be used according to each case based on specific clinical factors.

Short- and long-term complications and the impact on quality of life after cervical conization by harmonic scalpel

AIM

The incidence of non-obstetrical complications after cervical conization is low, and women receive minimal postsurgical attention. In this study, we investigated whether women felt any discomfort after undergoing conization by harmonic scalpel, one of the hot-knife devices widely used in Japan.

METHODS

Eighty-eight women aged 20-47 years who were still experiencing menstrual cycles and had undergone harmonic conization participated in a questionnaire survey regarding perisurgical complications and postsurgical changes in gynecological issues. Correlations between the occurrence of postoperative complications and clinical characteristics were analyzed.

RESULTS

Regarding the complications immediately after the surgery, 37 women (45.1%) complained of postoperative bleeding that was heavier than their usual menstrual bleeding, and 14 (18.2%) reported that the postsurgical bleeding was greater than they had expected. Regarding long-term gynecological changes after conization, 27 women (30.7%) reported that the duration of menstrual bleeding had increased after the surgery, 20 (22.7%) indicated that pain during menstruation had changed, and 40 (45.5%) stated that the amount of menstrual bleeding had changed. Irregular genital bleeding outside of menstruation appeared in 23 women (26.4%). Additionally, 24 (27.6%) of the women reported that the conization procedure negatively impacted their quality of life. Finally, the occurrence of long-term atypical bleeding after the surgery was significantly correlated with the thickness and circumference of the tissue specimen.

CONCLUSION

Several women experienced a significant change in quality of life after harmonic conization. Women who undergo conization should receive a comprehensive preoperative overview of the procedure and attentive postsurgical care.

Comparison of the ultrasonic scalpel to CO(2) laser in cervical conization

The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of CO(2) laser with that of ultrasonic scalpel in cervical conization in terms of intraoperative and postoperative outcome. One-hundred and two patients were submitted to cervical conization by ultrasonically activated scalpel, while 97 patients were submitted to cervical conization by use of CO(2) laser. Comparison of mean estimated blood loss, mean operative time and mean cone volume between the two groups was performed with Student t test. Postoperative complications were compared by x(2) test. There was no statistical significance regarding the mean operating time, mean blood loss, mean cone volume and postoperative complications in the two methods. However, thermal artifacts at the cone margins were minimal in the harmonic group (2/102 cones, 1.96%), while in the laser group they were considerably more (18/97 cones, 18.5%) (p < 0.05). Conization using the harmonic scalpel is as safe and effective as the CO(2) laser procedure. It is cheaper, produces less smoke, better visual field and less thermal artifacts in the cone margins. It is a reliable method that overcomes most problems associated with the CO(2) laser, as well as the other conventional conization procedures.

Harmonic Scalpel Tonsillectomy versus Monopolar Diathermy Tonsillectomy: A Prospective Study

For tonsillectomy, the ultrasonic harmonic scalpel has been purported to cause less tissue injury and postoperative morbidity while providing adequate levels of hemostasis. We undertook a prospective study to compare outcomes in 162 patients who had undergone harmonic scalpel tonsillectomy and 40 patients who had undergone monopolar diathermy tonsillectomy over a 33-month period. We found that patients in the harmonic scalpel group experienced significantly less intraoperative bleeding (5.0 vs. 16.5 ml; p < 0.0001). There was no clinically significant difference between the groups with respect to (1) the amount of operating time, (2) the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, dysphonia, and primary or secondary bleeding, and (3) the amount of time patients needed to resume normal diet and activities.

Harmonic Scalpel versus Conventional Tonsillectomy: A Double-Blind Clinical Trial

We conducted a prospective, double-blind clinical trial to evaluate the differences in operating time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative pain at 3 hours and 1 week, and delayed (> 24 hr) bleeding associated with ultrasonic harmonic scalpel tonsillectomy and conventional tonsillectomy. The study was carried out on 28 patients with recurrent tonsillitis and/or adenotonsillar hypertrophy who underwent harmonic scalpel tonsillectomy on one side and cold dissection tonsillectomy with suction electrocautery hemostasis on the other. The harmonic scalpel was associated with significantly less intraoperative blood loss (mean: 6.2 vs. 58.8 ml; p < 0.0001) and less early (3 hr) postoperative pain as determined by scores on a 10-point visual analog scale (mean: 3.5 vs. 4.4; p = 0.0042); although the difference in early pain scores is statistically significant, it is probably not clinically significant. Pain scores at 1 week were nearly identical (mean: 2.7 vs. 2.6; p = 0.9246). The length of operating time was similar (mean: 10.9 vs. 7.7 min; p = 0.0022). An unanticipated finding was the fact that delayed bleeding, which occurred in 3 patients (10.7%), occurred only on the harmonic scalpel side. We conclude that the only clearly demonstrable advantage that the harmonic scalpel had over cold dissection was that it caused less intraoperative blood loss.

[Video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy for the treatment of facial flushing: ultrasonic scalpel versus diathermy]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the advantages of the ultrasonic scalpel compared to electrocoagulation in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic sympatholysis or sympathectomy for uncontrolled facial blushing.

METHODS

Two hundred bilateral video-assisted thoracoscopic procedures to interrupt transmission in the thoracic sympathetic nerve were performed in 100 patients with incapacitating facial blushing. In 2 cases, the video-assisted approach was chosen because of pleural symphysis. The mean age of patients was 34 years (range: 15 to 67). The sympathetic chain was interrupted from the lower portion of the first thoracic ganglion through the third.

RESULTS

All patients were discharged within 24 hours with the exception of one on whom an emergency thoracotomy had been performed. No complications were reported in the group in which a harmonic scalpel was used. One case of temporary Horner syndrome (4 months) and 3 cases of persistent chest pain (more than 2 weeks) were reported in the diathermy group. There were 9 cases of partial and asymptomatic pneumothorax that resolved without treatment or prolonged hospital stays.

CONCLUSION

Dissection of the sympathetic nerve is accomplished more reliably and with better visualization with the ultrasonic scalpel. Peripheral lesions in lung parenchyma and adjacent tissues (intercostal vessels and nerves) are avoided, as is Horner syndrome, which can be caused by dispersion of heat. Use of the ultrasonic scalpel would also lead to a lower incidence of postoperative neuralgia.