A review of surgical procedures to repair obstetric fistula.

Although approximately 2 million women suffer from an obstetric fistula, the surgical literature is sparse. This review examines the evidence published to date. The most relevant surgical evidence is included, highlighting the need for further scientific investigations to contribute to our surgical practice. The most pressing needs relate to anti-incontinence techniques and complex obstetric fistula repairs.

The Hadlock Method Is Superior to Newer Methods for the Prediction of the Birth Weight Percentile.

OBJECTIVES: To compare a traditional ultrasound (US) method for estimated fetal weight (EFW) calculation and fetal growth restriction diagnosis with 2 newer methods for the prediction of small for gestational age (SGA) at birth. METHODS: We reviewed deliveries at our institution from January 1, 2013, to March 31, 2017. Singleton, nonanomalous, well-dated fetuses with a US examination within 2 weeks of delivery were included. Estimated fetal weights and percentiles were calculated by a traditional method (Hadlock et al; Radiology 1991; 181:129-133) and 2 newer methods: Intergrowth-21st (INTG; Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2017; 49:478-486) and Salomon et al (Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2007; 29:550-555). We calculated each method's test characteristics to predict SGA (birth weight < 10th percentile) using both traditional (EFW < 10th percentile) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC)-derived fetal growth restriction cutoffs. Mean percentile discrepancies between EFW and birth weight measurements were calculated to compare method accuracy. We hypothesized that the INTG and Salomon methods would have superior SGA prediction compared with the Hadlock method. RESULTS: Of 831 pregnancies with a US examination within 2 weeks of delivery, 138 (16.7%) were SGA at birth. Hadlock had the smallest US-birth weight percentile discrepancy (P < .001 versus both INTG and Salomon). When comparing ROC curves, the Hadlock and INTG methods performed comparably, with areas under the curve of 0.91 and 0.90 (P = .08) and optimal EFW cutoffs of the 15th and 22nd percentiles, respectively. The Salomon method performed less well, with an area under the curve of 0.82 (P < .001 versus both Hadlock and INTG methods). CONCLUSIONS: In our study cohort, the Hadlock method predicted the birth weight percentile more accurately than the INTG or Salomon methods and performed comparably with INTG to predict SGA when ROC-derived cutoffs were used.

Comparing the Hadlock fetal growth standard to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development racial/ethnic standard for the prediction of neonatal morbidity and small for gestational age.

BACKGROUND: The fetal growth standard in widest use was published by Hadlock >25 years ago and was derived from a small, homogeneous cohort. In 2015, The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Fetal Growth Study published updated standards that are specific to race/ethnicity. These do not allow for precise estimated fetal weight percentile calculation, however, and their effectiveness to predict neonatal morbidity and small for gestational age has not yet been compared to the long-standing Hadlock standard. OBJECTIVE: We compared the ability of the Hadlock standard to predict neonatal morbidity and small for gestational age at birth with that of The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development race-/ethnicity-specific standard. Our secondary objective was to compare their performance among our Native American population, which is not accounted for in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development standard. STUDY DESIGN: For this retrospective study of diagnostic accuracy, we reviewed deliveries at the University of New Mexico Hospital from Jan. 1, 2013, through March 31, 2017. We included mothers with singleton, well-dated pregnancies and nonanomalous fetuses with an estimated fetal weight within 30 days of delivery. Cubic spline interpolation was performed on the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development estimated fetal weight-percentile tables to calculate percentiles specific to the gestational day. Estimated fetal weight percentiles were then calculated using both the Hadlock and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development race-/ethnicity-specific standards according to maternal self-identified race/ethnicity. We calculated the receiver operator area under the curve of each method to predict composite and severe composite neonatal morbidity and small for gestational age at birth (birthweight <10th percentile). As an additional measure of method accuracy, we calculated the mean ultrasound-birthweight percentile discrepancy. For Native Americans, percentiles were calculated using the Hadlock and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development race/ethnicity standards (white, black, Hispanic, Asian), and test characteristics were calculated for each to predict neonatal morbidity and small for gestational age. RESULTS: We included 1514 women, with a mean ultrasonography-to-delivery interval of 14.4 days (±8.8) and a small for gestational age rate of 13.6% (n = 206). For the prediction of both composite and severe composite neonatal morbidity, the Hadlock method had superior performance, with higher areas under the curve than the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development method (P < .001 for both), though neither had good discriminatory value (all areas under the curve <0.8). For the prediction of small for gestational age at birth, the Hadlock standard had higher sensitivity (61.1%) than the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development standard, both when using the interpolated Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development method (36.2%, P < .01) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development whole-week 10th percentile cutoff (46.7%, P < .01). The Hadlock method also had a higher area under the curve than the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development interpolated method to predict small for gestational age (0.89 vs 0.88, P < .01). The Hadlock method had a lower ultrasound-birthweight percentile discrepancy than the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development method (6.1 vs 16.5 percentile points, P < .01). Fetuses classified as growth restricted by Hadlock but not Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development had significantly higher composite morbidity than normally grown fetuses. Among Native American women, the Hadlock method had the highest area under the curve to predict composite and severe composite morbidity, while the Hadlock and all Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development race-/ethnicity-specific methods performed comparably to predict small for gestational age. CONCLUSION: Despite its publication >25 years ago, the Hadlock standard is superior to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development race-/ethnicity-specific standard for the prediction of both neonatal morbidity and small for gestational age.

A Comparison of Methods for the Diagnosis of Fetal Growth Restriction Between the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

OBJECTIVE: The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) defines fetal growth restriction as ultrasound-estimated fetal weight less than the 10th percentile or abdominal circumference less than the 10th percentile; the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) defines fetal growth restriction as estimated fetal weight less than the 10th percentile alone. We compared each method's ability to predict small for gestational age (SGA) at birth. METHODS: For this retrospective study of diagnostic accuracy, we reviewed deliveries at the University of New Mexico Hospital from January 1, 2013, to March 31, 2017. We included mothers with singleton, well-dated pregnancies and nonanomalous fetuses undergoing indicated fetal growth restriction surveillance with an ultrasound-estimated fetal weight within 30 days of delivery. Estimated fetal weights and percentiles were calculated using the Hadlock intrauterine growth curve. Small for gestational age was defined as birth weight less than the 10th percentile based on a recent, sex-specific curve. We calculated the area under the curve, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios for various approaches using abdominal circumference and estimated fetal weight to diagnose fetal growth restriction, including the definitions endorsed by ACOG and RCOG. RESULTS: We included 1,704 pregnancies with a mean ultrasonography-to-delivery interval of 14.0 days (±8.6). There were 235 SGA neonates (13.8%). The rate of fetal growth restriction was 13.6% when using ACOG's criteria and 16.9% according to RCOG's criteria (P=.007). The area under the curve of RCOG's diagnostic approach was 0.78 (95% CI 0.76-0.80), which was higher than ACOG's (0.76, 95% CI 0.74-0.78, P=.01). Sensitivities and specificities of the various methods were similar. Adopting estimated fetal weight or abdominal circumference less than the 10th percentile instead of estimated fetal weight alone to predict SGA at birth would correctly identify one additional case of SGA for each 14 patients assessed. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic approach endorsed by RCOG is a marginally better predictor of SGA at birth compared with the method endorsed by ACOG. Future research should consider the potential benefits and harms of the different methods in different populations.

Reasons for transfer to a level 1 trauma center and barriers to timely definitive fracture fixation.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare patients transferred from another hospital to our trauma center with those arriving directly, to identify barriers to care for similar fractures. We hypothesized that the most frequent reason for delayed definitive fixation would be interhospital transfer and that patients would be transferred primarily for 2 reasons: complex patients with more severe injuries and less complex patients without insurance. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1549 skeletally mature patients with 1655 fractures: 379 acetabulum, 301 pelvic ring, 876 femur, and 99 spine. INTERVENTION: All patients were treated surgically, with early fixation defined as <24 hours after injury. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Demographic and injury characteristics were recorded. Reasons for and timing of transfer were determined. RESULTS: A total of 814 patients (53%) were transferred from another hospital, including 66% of acetabular and 62% of pelvic ring fractures. Transferred patients were older (39.1 vs. 36.6 years, P = 0.002), had more commercial insurance (21% vs. 17%, P = 0.10), and were less often uninsured (27% vs. 31%, P = 0.11). However, the mean Injury Severity Score of uninsured transferred patients was lower than that of the other transferred patients (22.9 vs. 25.8, P < 0.0001). Transfer was not related to weekday or time of injury. A total of 973 patients (63%) had early definitive fixation. Delayed fixation was often for surgeon preference (57%). Transferred patients were more likely to have delayed fixation (43% vs. 31% of nontransferred, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Internal barriers to definitive fracture care were noted, the most frequent of which is surgeon preference. Treatment delays due to transfer accounted for 12% of all delays. Many transferred patients appeared appropriate based on injury complexity. However, over one-fourth of those transferred had low Injury Severity Score and a significantly higher incidence of no insurance. Communication and transparency about these issues may serve to expedite care and to enhance financial stability of larger trauma centers. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic level II.

Osteocutaneous pedicle flap transfer for salvage of transtibial amputation after severe lower-extremity injury.

BACKGROUND: A conventional transtibial amputation may not be possible when the zone of injury involves the proximal part of the tibia, or in cases of massive tibial bone and/or soft-tissue loss. The purpose of this study was to examine the outcomes of salvage of a transtibial amputation level with a rotational osteocutaneous pedicle flap from the ipsilateral hindfoot. METHODS: Fourteen patients who had an osteocutaneous pedicle flap from the ipsilateral foot were included in the study. Twelve patients were followed for more than twenty-four months (mean, 60.2 months) and were evaluated with use of the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (MFA), and a 100-ft (30.48-m) timed walking test. RESULTS: There were ten men and four women with mean age of 43.2 years. Thirteen patients had a type-IIIB open tibial fracture, and one had extensive soft-tissue loss secondary to a burn. Four patients were treated for infection after the index procedure. There were no nonunions of the tibia to the calcaneus. Three patients underwent late reconstructive procedures to improve prosthetic fit. No patient required subsequent revision to a more proximal amputation level. Mean knee flexion was 139°. CONCLUSIONS: A novel technique has been developed to salvage a transtibial amputation level with use of a rotational osteocutaneous flap from the hindfoot. In the absence of adequate tibial length and/or soft-tissue coverage to salvage the entire limb or to perform a conventional-length transtibial amputation, this technique is a highly functional alternative that does not require microvascular free tissue transfer.