Laparoscopic pelvic adnexal surgery in Nobel Medical College

Aim: To share early experience of gynaecological laparoscopic surgeries for adnexal masses in Nobel Medical College and Teaching Hospital (NMCTH). Methods: This is a observational descriptive study in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Nobel Medical College, Biratnagar for one year in 2019-2020. All the patients undergoing laparoscopic pelvic surgeries for adnexal masses were analysed for indication, type of procedure, complications and histopathological diagnosis. Results: A total of 123 laparoscopic surgeries were performed. Preoperative diagnosis in most of the cases was adnexal mass followed by adnexal evaluation for subfertility. The common surgical procedure was cystectomy followed by salpingo-oophorectomy in 80% of cases. The most common histopathological diagnosis was mature cystic teratoma (42; 34%) followed by endometriosis (29; 23.8%) and cystadenoma (25; 20.3%). Conclusions: Adnexal evaluation and surgical treatment were performed with laparoscopy. The common pathologies were mature cystic teratoma, endometriosis and ovarian cystadenomas.

Nationwide population-based study of prevalence and trend of borderline ovarian tumors in the Republic of Korea

Borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) represent noninvasive tumors with uncertain malignant potential. They have a favorable prognosis although they can also recur or be fatal. There are limited population-based data on BOTs, its incidence and surgical treatment approach. We sought to analyze these trends in South Korea between 2014 and 2018. Data from patients diagnosed with BOT between 2014 and 2018 were obtained from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service/National Inpatient Sample in South Korea. Treatment was analyzed by using codes including adnexal surgery with or without hysterectomy. Data from 4,636,542 women were entered into the database between 2014 and 2018. Data from 5,109 women with BOT, and 537 women with surgery were extracted for analysis. The highest prevalence of BOT occurred in women 40–44 years old. In logistic regression analysis, age was significantly correlated with the prevalence of BOT (p < 0.05). The prevalence of BOT was lower in individuals over 50 than it was in those under 50 years (odds ratio (OR), 0.400 in 2014; OR, 0.457 in 2015; OR, 0.419 in 2016; OR, 0.355 in 2017; OR, 0.347 in 2018). The prevalence of BOT varies significantly with age, and is most common in women in their 40 s.

Telemedicine in oculoplastic and adnexal surgery: clinicians’ perspectives in the UK

Background/AimsThe COVID-19 has facilitated a paradigm shift in the sphere of ophthalmic telemedicine: its utility is no longer limited to providing care to remote regions, rather it is expeditiously being adopted as the new standard of care. The aim of our paper is to explore the current attitudes of oculoplastic surgeons towards telemedicine and its utility in the present landscape and its prospects in the future.MethodsA 39-item questionnaire was distributed to consultant oculoplastic surgeons practising across the UK and anonymised responses were collected and analysed.ResultsThe COVID-19 pandemic has allowed rapid implementation of telemedicine services in oculoplastic departments across the UK with 86.6% of the respondents incorporating telemedicine into the routine clinical practice. Clinicians reported a statistically significant increase in utility of telemedicine, confidence in using telemedicine and quality of infrastructure available to employ telemedicine following the COVID-19 outbreak. The greatest utility of telemedicine is in triaging, postoperative assessment and eyelid lesion assessment. Main barriers to implementation of telemedicine included difficulties in conducting clinical examinations, lack of administrative support and poor access to digital technologies for patients. Overall, most clinicians were satisfied with the impact of telemedicine services and almost all experts foresee themselves continuing to use telemedicine in the future.ConclusionsTelemedicine has become an integral part of the oculoplastic service delivery since the COVID-19 pandemic its use is likely to continue. Further development of digital infrastructure and improvement of clinical examination capabilities are required to enable its wider adoption.

Repeat Vaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery: A First Feasibility Study

<b><i>Objectives:</i></b> Vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES) is an emerging minimally invasive technique in benign gynaecologic surgery whereby surgical access to the peritoneal cavity is achieved through natural orifices, namely through a vaginal colpotomy. Experience in repeat vNOTES cases is limited and so far, repeat vNOTES cases have not been described in the literature. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of vNOTES hysterectomy in women with a history of previous vNOTES adnexal surgery. <b><i>Design:</i></b> We performed a retrospective cohort study of the first 11 repeat vNOTES cases in our centre. All vNOTES procedures, primary adnexal surgery as well as repeat vNOTES hysterectomy, were performed by one surgeon (J.B.). <b><i>Materials, Setting, Methods:</i></b> Between March 2016 and May 2020, 11 patients underwent a vNOTES hysterectomy after prior vNOTES adnexectomy or cystectomy in Imelda Hospital, Bonheiden, Belgium. Relevant patient characteristics and outcome data were collected after written informed consent. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Median age was 49 years (range 44–65) at the moment of the first vNOTES procedure. Two patients had one or more caesarean sections in history, and 2 women were nulliparous. Median interval between primary and repeat vNOTES procedure was 15 months (range 0.8–37 months). All patients underwent a vaginally assisted NOTES hysterectomy (VANH) as repeat vNOTES procedure. Performing a colpotomy and entering the peritoneal cavity after prior vNOTES was technically feasible in all cases. All VANHs were successfully performed. There were 3 minor complications after repeat vNOTES, of which one was anaesthesia-related. The 2 complications associated with the surgical procedure were both cystitis. In one of these 2 patients, there were high post-void residues, which were easily managed by bladder training. There were no conversions to laparoscopy or laparotomy, neither serious nor life-threatening complications. No ureteric, bladder, or intestinal injuries have occurred. <b><i>Limitations:</i></b> The retrospective design and small sample size are the main limitations of this study. Moreover, the follow-up period of the most recently operated patients was too short to draw conclusions on long-term outcomes, including sexual function. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> In all patients in this case series, vNOTES hysterectomy after prior vNOTES adnexal surgery was successfully performed. Large-scale prospective trials with long-term follow-up are needed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of multiple consecutive vNOTES procedures in 1 patient.

Ovarian Cancer as Random Finding in Laparoscopy

Laparoscopy can be used for almost all gynecological procedures and is considered as the indicated method for specific procedures. This is especially true for adnexal surgery. Of course, while it is considered a method of choice for the treatment of benign ovarian tumors, the same does not apply to malignant ones, although treatment of ovarian cancer either at an early or even at a more advanced stage is feasible with laparoscopy. Finding malignancy, when not suspected, during laparoscopic treatment of an ovarian cyst is a situation raising several issues, depending on whether the identification of malignancy is intra- or post-operative, which involve inadequate surgical staging, peritoneal spread of cancer cells, intraoperative rupture of a malignant ovarian cystic tumor, and port site metastasis. This chapter analyzes the possible adverse events related to the use of laparoscopy in the treatment of adnexal masses considered as benign but turn out to be malignant, and how they can be mitigated with careful preoperative patient selection and with adequate surgical experience.