[Caesarean section in german hospitals: validity of hospital quality report data for monitoring C-section rates]

OBJECTIVE

It is not known if "hospital quality reports" (HQR) document Caesarean (C-) section rates at the hospital level accurately enough for use as a reliable data source when it comes to explaining regional variations of C-sections in Germany by factors at the hospital level. We aimed to answer this question using HQR from hospitals in Baden-Württemberg as data source.

METHOD

Diagnostic and procedure codes from HQR for the year 2008 (HQRdata), were used to calculate numbers of births, numbers of C-sections, and rates of births by C-section (CSR) for 94 of 97 hospitals in Baden-Württemberg. These numbers were compared to internal hospital (IH) data delivered upon request by 80 of 97 hospitals and stemming from vital statistics, birth registry forms, or external quality assurance datasets.

RESULTS

There was no difference in the number of births between HQR data and IH data, but the number of C-sections and the CSR differed significantly (p<0.05; Wilcoxon rank sum test). CSR calculated using HQR data was 4.9 ± 17.9% higher than CSR from IH data (absolute difference 1.5 ± 5.8%). The correlation between the 2 data sources was moderate (r=0.73). Only 55% of the variance in IH data-based CSR was explained by HQR data. The proportion between highest and lowest CSR in hospitals in Baden-Württemberg was 4.9 for HQR data and 3.6 for IH data.

CONCLUSION

There are significant and relevant differences between C-section rates based on ei-ther HQR or IH data. This questions routine data from HQR for 2008 as a reliable data source for research work.

Prevalence, Trend and Determining Factors of Gestational Diabetes in Germany

Purpose: The true prevalence of gestational diabetes in Germany is unknown. Thus, the study's purposes were to estimate the prevalence of gestational diabetes as well as to describe the temporal prevalence trend and to identify determinants. Material and Methods: We calculated prevalence estimates based on two datasets: the register-based German perinatal statistic (n = 650 232) and the maternal self-reports from the German children and youth health survey (KiGGS; n = 15 429). Differences between prevalence estimates were analysed using χ² and trend tests, and determinants were identified using logistic regression. Results: According to the perinatal statistic, gestational diabetes was present in 3.7 % of pregnant women in Germany in 2010. The prevalence across the years 2001 to 2006 was estimated at 1.9 % which differed significantly from the prevalence estimate derived from the KiGGS dataset for the same period of time (5.3 %; 95 % confidence interval: 4.6-6.1 %). Both datasets show an increasing trend of gestational diabetes (p < 0.001). The risk for gestational diabetes was mainly associated with age, BMI and social class of pregnant women as well as with multiple pregnancies. Conclusion: The lack of significant screening studies among representative samples hampers a sound estimation of the true prevalence of gestational diabetes in Germany. The increasing trend in gestational diabetes might continue due to the projected increase of important risk factors (e.g., maternal age, obesity). Our analyses support the current consensus recommendations regarding standardised gestational diabetes screening.

Laparoscopic nerve-sparing surgery of deep infiltrating endometriosis: description of the technique and patients' outcome

INTRODUCTION

The radical surgery of the deep infiltrating endometriosis of the rectovaginal septum and the uterosacral ligaments with or without bowel resection can cause a serious damage of the pelvic autonomic nerves with urinary retention and the need of self-catheterization.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We introduce a case series report of 16 patients with laparoscopic nerve-sparing surgery of deep infiltrating endometriosis. We describe the technique step by step and compare the patients' outcome with patients who had undergone a non-nerve-sparing surgical technique. In 12 patients, a double-sided and in four patients, a single-sided identification of the inferior hypogastric nerve and plexus were performed.

RESULTS

In all patients at least single-sided resection of the uterosacral ligaments were performed. Postoperatively dysmenorrhoea, pelvic pain, and dyspareunia disappeared in all patients. The average operating time was 82 min (range 45-185). Postoperatively, the overall time to resume voiding function was 2 days. The residual urine volume was in all patients <50 ml at two ultrasound measurements.

DISCUSSION

Identification of the inferior hypogastric nerve and plexus was feasible. In comparison with non-nerve-sparing surgical technique, no cases of bladder self-catheterization for a long or even life time was observed, confirming the importance of the nerve-sparing surgical procedure.

[Prevention of complications in twin gestations and pregnancies after assisted reproduction]

BACKGROUND

Twin pregnancies and gestations after assisted reproductive therapy (ART) are of special obstetric significance with regard to their associated risks. However, little is known about preventive approaches specifically evaluated for these constellations.

METHODS

A selective literature search was conducted to examine possible preventive approaches for complications such as hypertensive disorders, anaemia, gestational diabetes, prematurity, and others, seen significantly more often in twin gestations and pregnancies after ART.

RESULTS

For both constellations, preventive approaches are not specifically evaluated for the majority of complications. For some preventive methods a possible detrimental effect cannot even be ruled out.

CONCLUSIONS

The knowledge about specific preventive approaches against complications in twin pregnancies and gestations after ART is scarce. More prospective trials are urgently needed to assess the risks and benefits of prophylactic approaches for these risk constellations.

Successful laser therapy of a papular acantholytic dyskeratosis of the vulva: case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND

The papular acantholytic dyskeratosis summarizes a collection of papular skin lesions which occur in intertriginous areas and in the genital area. They show a very characteristic histology without the connection to a syndrome such as the Hailey-Hailey disease or the Darier disease.

METHODS

We present the case of an affected 45-year-old woman and evaluate the laser therapy as therapeutic option.

RESULTS

A long lasting reduction of the symptoms was achieved by paying special attention to involving the deep tissue layers while performing the laser therapy. Despite causing a long and painful healing process, this was the only way to achieve a lasting reduction of the symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Laser therapy in afflicted areas can improve the symptoms of the papular acantholytic dyskeratosis. The deep tissue laser therapy showed more success than the superficial laser therapy.

[Seasonality of omphalocele in northern Germany]

PURPOSE

Omphalocele is a rare congenital abdominal wall defect that has been attributed to environmental factors such as increased levels of herbicides in surface water. We wanted to verify a seasonal variation of the incidence of Omphalocele and thus to identify possible environmental factors in an area in Northern Germany that is characterized by a predominantly agricultural setting.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of all pregnancies (n = 28 935) screened by ultrasound at our University Hospital between January 1, 1993 and December 31, 2007 was carried out. After identification of fetuses with persisting Omphalocele, analysis for additional structural defects and for chromosomal anomalies, such as trisomy 18, was carried out. We further categorized all patients with regard to the date of conception during summer (April-September) and winter months (October-March). Categorical variables were compared by the Mann-Whitney-U test and were considered statistically significant when two tailed analyses yielded p = 0.05.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the seasonal distribution of conception neither for all fetuses (p = 0.70) nor for fetuses with Omphalocele (p = 0.94). The results were constant for fetuses with isolated Omphalocele and with additional malformation and for those with Omphalocele and associated chromosomal anomalies. The incidence of fetal Omphalocele has remained relatively stable within the last 15 years. No significant difference was found in the seasonal incidence of Omphalocele in patients from an urban or rural background.

CONCLUSION

Since we were unable to demonstrate a relationship between the time of conception and the incidence of fetal Omphalocele in our cohort of pregnant women from a predominantly agricultural background, other factors should be investigated for possible associations with the onset of Omphalocele.

A new approach to label sentinel nodes in endometrial cancer

PURPOSE

The objective of the study was to determine the feasibility of a new method of labeling sentinel lymph nodes in patients with endometrial cancer using blue dye.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

4 ml of blue dye was subserously administered in 25 patients with endometrial cancer at eight sites. After 8 min, sentinel lymph nodes were harvested.

RESULTS

Detection rate was 92.0%, sensitivity was 62.5%, and negative predictive value was 92.5%. In two patients there was no detection of sentinel nodes and in addition in two patients only sentinel nodes were harvested due to minimal disease. No side effects occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

This new and simple approach yielded a high pelvic detection rate. This new approach reveals a way to label sentinel nodes in endometrial cancer. Combining a different labeling agent with the proposed new method might overcome the lack of para-aortic sentinel detection.