Does minimally invasive surgery reduce anxiety?

Objective:

To evaluate whether there were any differences in preoperative and postoperative anxiety in patients who underwent total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) (n=37) and total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) (n=37).

Material and Methods:

All premenopausal patients who underwent TLH or TAH because of benign uterine disorders were enrolled. Anxiety status was assessed 6 hours before and after the operation using standardized validated questionnaires: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.

Results:

In the TAH group, the state anxiety level of the patients significantly increased, whereas there was a significant decrease in the TLH group. For the trait anxiety level, there was a statistically significant increase in the TAH group postoperatively. In the TLH group, trait anxiety levels decreased postoperatively. In the analysis of between-group differences, pre and postoperative the state anxiety level was higher in the TAH group. A statistically significant difference was determined between the groups in respect of the postoperative state anxiety levels (p<0.05), but not in the preoperative state anxiety levels (p>0.05). Statistically significant differences were determined between the groups in respect of education, occupation, and curettage rates (p<0.05).

Conclusion:

Women undergoing TLH for benign uterine disease may have lower levels of preoperative and postoperative anxiety than women undergoing TAH.

Modified abdominal packing method in "near miss" patients with postpartum hemorrhages

Objective:

To describe a more effective abdominal packing method in patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation following peripartum hysterectomy due to postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).

Materials and Methods:

The present retrospective and descriptive study was conducted to document six cases with refractory pelvic bleeding who underwent a second surgery for PPH between January 2016 and December 2017 at İstanbul Zeynep Kamil Woman and Children Diseases Training and Research Hospital.

Results:

Karateke packing was performed to control intra-abdominal massive hemorrhages of five women who were referred to our clinic due to PPH who had undergone peripartum hysterectomy and hypogastric artery ligation but hemostasis could not be provided. In addition, a case of hypovolemic shock due to placenta percreta rupture in a woman who had also undergone an emergency hysterectomy and hypogastric artery ligation, which had failed. Hemostasis was provided in all patients. No method-related complication developed.

Conclusion:

Karateke packing is a very easy method to perform, it is more effective than the classic abdominal packing technique, with a low complication rate, and most importantly, life-saving in patients undergoing a peripartum hysterectomy due to PPH and thereafter experiencing diffuse hemorrhage.

Retrospective analysis of mature cystic teratomas in a single center and review of the literature

Objective

The aim af this study is to evaluate patients with mature cystic teratomas (MCT) with regard to the view of updated knowledge using our retrospective findings.

Materials and Methods

This was a retrospective study and included a total of 306 patients from 2013 through 2017 at the İstanbul Zeynep Kamil Women and Children's Diseases Training and Research Hospital.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 34.03±11.98 years. Thirty (9.8%) patients were postmenopausal. Torsion was detected in 17 (5.6%) patients. There was a statistically significant relationship between MCT and CA 19-9 levels in our series (p<0.01) but no statistically significant correlation was found with other markers.

Conclusion

The possibility of malignancy at postmenopausal ages and in large MCT should not be forgotten. It should be kept in mind that MCT can be seen in unexpected places.

Prospective Randomized Trial Comparing Embryo Transfers of Cases with and without Catheter Rotation during Its Withdrawal

OBJECTIVE

To compare embryo transfer (ET) technique based on catheter rotation during its withdrawal in cases with unexplained infertility in a prospective, randomized trial (NCT03097042).

METHODS

Two hundred intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) patients undergoing ET with cleaving or blastocyst-stage fresh embryos were randomized into 2 groups: cases with (n = 100), and without (n = 100) catheter rotation during its withdrawal. Groups were matched for age and some clinical parameters. A soft catheter was used to transfer a single embryo with catheter rotation during its withdrawal in the study group and without rotation in the control. The use of a stiff catheter or tenaculum was not needed in any case. Groups were compared in terms of cycle characteristics and clinical pregnancy rates.

RESULTS

Pregnancy rate was significantly higher in the study group (41 vs. 26%, p = 0.04). Clinical pregnancy rate was also significantly higher in the study group (39 vs. 25%, OR 1.9 [1.1-3.5], p = 0.05). On the other hand, the ongoing pregnancy rate was similar between the 2 groups (33 vs. 23%, p = 0.2).

CONCLUSION

Catheter rotation during its withdrawal may be associated with increased pregnancy and clinical pregnancy rates; however, the difference in ongoing pregnancy rates did not reach statistical significance.

Dual trigger with gonadotropin-releasing hormone and human chorionic gonadotropin for poor responders

Objective:

To compare metaphase II (MII) rate, fertilization rate, and embryo quality with dual trigger gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH) and normal dose human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) versus a normal dose hCG trigger in antagonist intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles of poor ovarian responders.

Material and Methods:

Patients defined as poor ovarian responders according to the Bologna criteria who underwent ICSI with GnRH antagonist protocol and triggered with dual trigger or hCG alone for oocyte maturation. Main outcome measures were MII rate, fertilization rate, and embryo quality.

Results:

Total gonadotropin doses and E₂ levels on trigger day were higher in the hCG trigger group. There were no significant differences with regard to implantation rate (p=0.304), biochemical pregnancy rate (p=0.815), clinical pregnancy rate (p=0.378), and ongoing pregnancy rate (p=0.635) between the groups.

Conclusion:

Dual trigger of oocyte maturation with GnRH agonist and normal dose hCG in poor responders does not demonstrate improved oocyte maturation, clinical pregnancy, and ongoing pregnancy rates.

Can we predict severity of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy using inflammatory markers?

Objective:

To investigate the association of inflammatory markers with severity of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).

Materials and Methods:

This retrospective case-control study was conducted with 229 pregnant women, 84 with ICP, and 145 age-matched healthy pregnant women. Patients were categorized as mild ICP (<40 µmol/L) and severe ICP (≥40 µmol/L) with regard to serum bile acids. Inflammatory markers (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to- lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and mean platelet volume (MPV), and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) were compared between the groups.

Results:

Patients with ICP had significantly decreased RDW and increased white blood cell counts (WBC), MPV and PLR, but no significant changes in NLR. The comparison of mild and severe cases with regard to NLR, PLR, WBC, and RDW was similar (p>0.05). MPV levels were significantly increased in severe group (p<0.05).

Conclusion:

WBC, MPV, and PLR were the inflammatory markers significantly increased, and RDW was signifantly reduced in ICP. MPV was the marker that significantly increased with the severity of disease. The use of inflammatory markers in the assessment of perinatal outcomes needs further studies.