Comparison of the effects of letrozole and cabergoline on vascular permeability, ovarian diameter, ovarian tissue VEGF levels, and blood PEDF levels, in a rat model of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of letrozole and cabergoline in a rat model of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). STUDY DESIGN: In this prospective, controlled experimental study, the 28 female Wistar rats were divided into four subgroups (one non-stimulated control and three OHSS-positive groups: placebo, letrozole, and cabergoline). To induce OHSS, rats were injected with 10 IU of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin from day 29 to day 32 of life, followed by subcutaneous injection of 30 IU hCG on day 33. Letrozole rats received with a single dose of 0.1 mg/kg letrozole via oral gavage, on the hCG day. Cabergoline rats received with a single dose of 100 µg/kg cabergoline via oral gavage, on the hCG day. All animals were compared in terms of body weight, vascular permeability (VP), ovarian diameter, ovarian tissue VEGF expression (assessed via immunohistochemical staining), and blood pigment epithelium-derived growth factor (PEDF) levels. RESULTS: The OHSS-positive placebo group (group 2) exhibited the highest VP, ovarian diameter, extent of VEGF staining, and lowest PEDF level, as expected. No significant difference was evident between the letrozole and cabergoline groups in terms of any of body weight; VP; PEDF level; ovarian diameter; or the staining intensity of, or percentage staining for, VEGF in ovarian tissues. CONCLUSIONS: Letrozole and cabergoline were equally effective to prevent OHSS, reducing the ovarian diameter, VP, and PEDF and VEGF levels to similar extents.

Functional outcomes of polypropylene midurethral sling resection for treatment of mesh exposure/extrusion: Does it lead to a relapse of incontinence?

OBJECTIVES: The Burch colposuspension, which was regarded as the gold standard treatment for stress urinary incontinence for several years, has been replaced by minimally invasive sling devices. Although these procedures are simple and minimally invasive, they are associated with complications such as infection, mesh erosion, chronic pain, and de novo detrusor overactivity, which may necessitate surgical resection or tape removal. The aim of the study was to assess urinary function outcomes including continence, after partial resection of suburethral tapes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients were admitted for resection of tape due to extrusion/exposure, between 2011 and 2014. Patients were evaluated with physical examination, transvaginal ultrasound, cough stress test, 24-hour bladder diary, Incontinence Impact Questionnairre-7 form and Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 form. RESULTS: Minimum follow-up time was 2 months after treatment of the tape complication (mean 20, range 2 to 38). Recurrence of incontinence after partial tape resection was observed in 9% (3/32) cases. In two patients due to stress urinary incontinence recurrence repeat anti-incontinence surgery was necessary. Although one patient had suffered from incontinence after resection of tape, she did not desire operation. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicated that preservation of the anti-incontinence effects of slings might not be dependent on the intactness of the sling. Recurrence of incontinence after partial tape resection is uncommon and in the majority of cases this stress incontinence is minimally and does not require repeat operation.

Outcomes of vaginal hysterectomy and constricting colporrhaphy with concurrent levator myorrhaphy and high perineorrhaphy in women older than 75 years of age.

OBJECTIVES: We performed constricting anterior and posterior colporrhaphy, levator myorrhaphy, and high perineorrhaphy with concurrent hysterectomy, and investigated the intraoperative complications, and short-term outcomes of these constricting procedures in patients aged 75 years or older. METHODS: We searched our hospital database for cases, between January 2011 and January 2014, of women aged over 75 years who underwent surgery for pelvic organ prolapse of stage 2 or higher, via vaginal hysterectomy, constricting anterior and posterior colporrhaphy, levator myorrhaphy, and high perineorrhaphy, with or without treatment of urinary incontinence. All volunteers were evaluated via pelvic examination using the pelvic organ prolapse quantification system, the modified Decision Regret Scale-Pelvic Floor Disorders form, the Satisfaction Decision Scale-Pelvic Floor Disorders form, and the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory form. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients were included in the study. The mean follow-up time was 24.4 months after constricting surgery (range: 8-44 months). There were four cases (7%) of de novo urge incontinence (the symptoms resolved upon prescription of anticholinergic medication). Two patients developed de novo stress urinary incontinence after the procedure and were treated via transobturator sling surgery using Safyre T(®) polypropylene monofilament slings. No anatomical or subjective recurrence of prolapse was noted during the follow-up period. No patient required additional surgery for recurrence of prolapse. CONCLUSION: Constricting anterior and posterior colporrhaphy, levator myorrhaphy, and high perineorrhaphy with concurrent hysterectomy is a feasible, safe, and effective surgical option in elderly patients at low anesthesiological risk. The decision to perform an incontinence procedure should be individualized based on preoperative findings after prolapse reduction.

Outcomes of Transobturator Tape Surgery with Safyre T® Slings for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence after 96 Months of Follow-Up.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To report the outcomes of transobturator tape (TOT) surgery with Safyre T® (Promedon, Argentina) slings for female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) at a 96- month follow-up. METHODS: We conducted a clinical follow-up study of 153 patients diagnosed with SUI between January 2005 and December 2014. Patients were provided with detailed a priori information pertaining to the TOT procedure and were invited to attend follow-up visits at 1, 3, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 months. Follow-up visits included physical examination involving sling palpation, checking of the vaginal mucosa for erosion, cough test, as well as validated Urinary Distress Inventory-6 (UDI-6) and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-7 (IIQ-7) questionnaires. RESULTS: The overall objective success rates, based on cough test results, were 91.3% at 12 months, 86.8% at 48 months and 77.6% at 96 months. Similarly, the overall subjective success rate, based on the validated UDI-6 and IIQ-7 scales, was 77.6% at 96 months. CONCLUSION: The cure rates achieved, following TOT treatment of SUI at 1-year follow-up, showed a statistically significant decline over an 8-year period, especially at months 48 and 96. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A case of bladder endometriosis that became symptomatic during the third trimester.

BACKGROUND: The urinary tract endometriosis is observed in 1-2% of the patients and in 90% of these cases, there are endometriotic nodules in the bladder. With respect to knowledge, it is generally believed that pregnancy cures endometriosis. However in this case, symptoms developed during the third trimester of pregnancy. CASE REPORT: We report a case of 31 year old, 30 week pregnant woman with a vegetative mass with 33 × 33 × 21 mm dimensions and irregular borders on the posterior wall of the bladder. After the cesarean section, the vegetative and superiorly localized mass on the internal wall of the bladder was excised with partial bladder excision. The patient had no other apparent findings of pelvic endometriosis at operation but the pathology result indicated endometriosis. CONCLUSION: Although this case shows that endometriosis may become symptomatic during pregnancy, it has to be underlined that it cannot be discerned whether it is consequent to progress of the disease or to pregnancy-mediated modifications of a pre-existing lesion.