Evidence-based medicine: an analysis of prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy at time of hysterectomy for benign conditions

Impact of prior hysterectomy on surgical outcomes for laparoscopic adnexal surgery

BACKGROUND

Adnexal surgery is believed to be more complex in patients with prior hysterectomy; however, there is little data regarding surgical outcomes. Understanding of individualized risks improves counseling, informed consent, and preoperative planning.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study with a control group; we evaluated 744 patients undergoing laparoscopic adnexal surgery at an academic tertiary care center from 2011 to 2015. Comparisons were made using Chi square, Fisher's exact, or Wilcoxon-rank sum tests. We used log-binomial regression to calculate risk ratio and 95% confidence interval.

RESULTS

Patients with prior hysterectomy were more likely to have intraoperative or postoperative complications at the time of laparoscopic adnexal surgery when compared to patients without prior hysterectomy [17.7% vs. 10.2%, p = 0.02, risk ratio (RR) 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-2.7]. Patients with prior hysterectomy were four times more likely to have intraoperative complications (3.2% vs. 0.8%, p = 0.047, RR 4.0, 95% CI 1.1-14.7), and five times more likely to have conversion to laparotomy (5.6% vs. 1.1%, p = 0.004, RR 5.0, 95% CI 1.8-14.0). Patients with prior hysterectomy were more likely to need additional procedures, including lysis of adhesions (69.4% vs. 26.0%, p < 0.001), ureterolysis (15.3% vs. 4.8%, p < 0.001), and cystoscopy (28.2% vs. 8.1%, p < 0.001). They had longer operative time [101.5 min (IQR 59.5-135.0) vs. 78.0 min (IQR 53.0-109.0, p < 0.001)], and were less likely to have outpatient surgery (56.5% vs. 84.8%, p < 0.01). Postoperative complications were also more common (15.3% vs. 9.4%, p = 0.046).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with prior hysterectomy were 70% more likely to have a complication at the time of laparoscopic adnexal surgery than patients without hysterectomy. Increased risk of complications in subsequent adnexal surgery may influence the informed consent process or decisions regarding ovarian conservation. Awareness of potential need for additional surgical procedures may guide availability of equipment, choice of operating site, or referral to an advanced pelvic surgeon.

Ovarian metastasis in patients with endometrial cancer: risk factors and impact on survival

BACKGROUND

Oophorectomy is generally performed in patients with endometrial cancer despite the rate of ovarian metastasis being relatively low.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A multicenter retrospective registry-based study was performed in 2329 patients with endometrial cancer. The outcome measures were the incidence of ovarian metastasis and the impact on overall survival.

RESULTS

Median follow-up was performed at 84 months. A total of 2158 women were eligible for analysis, of which 131 (6.1%) had ovarian metastasis. Women with ovarian metastasis were more likely to have > 50% myometrial invasion, undifferentiated nonendometrioid tumors, and lymph and vascular space invasion. The presence of < 50% myometrial invasion, endometrioid histology, well-differentiated cancer, and negative lymph and vascular space invasion were associated with a very low rate (0.5%) of ovarian metastasis. Notably, after matching for tumor histology and grade, myometrial invasion, and lymph and vascular space invasion, ovarian metastasis was not associated with a reduced median overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Ovarian preservation should be offered to premenopausal women with endometrial cancer in whom myometrial invasion is less than 50%, the histological type is endometrioid and well-differentiated, and lymph and vascular space invasion is not involved.

Prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy at time of hysterectomy for women at low risk: acog revises practice guidelines for ovarian cancer screening in low-risk women

On March 9, 2010, Richard J. Ablin phd, who was much involved in the discovery of prostate-specific antigen (psa), made national news with his quote, in an Op-Ed piece published in The New York Times and a sub-sequent March 22, 2010, U.S. National Public Radio interview, that “It’s no better than a coin toss”—de-scribing the psa test’s ability to predict prostate cancer in men[...]