A Survey of Knowledge and Views Concerning Genetic and Amyloid PET Status Disclosure.

INTRODUCTION: This survey characterizes viewpoints of cognitively intact at-risk participants in an Alzheimer prevention registry if given the opportunity to learn their genetic and amyloid PET status. METHODS: 207 participants were offered a 25-item survey. They were asked if they wished to know their ApoE and amyloid PET status, and if so, reasons for wanting to know, or not, and the effects of such information on life plans. RESULTS: 164 (79.2%) of registrants completed the survey. Among those who were unaware of their ApoE or amyloid PET results, 80% desired to know this information. The most common reasons for wanting disclosure were to participate in research, to arrange personal affairs, to prepare family for illness, and to move life plans closer into the future. When asked if disclosure would help with making plans to end one's life when starting to lose their memory, 12.7% vs. 11.5% responded yes for ApoE and amyloid PET disclosures, respectively. Disclosure of these test results, if required for participation in a clinical trial, would make 15% of people less likely to participate. Likelihood of participation in prevention research and the desire to know test results were not related to scores on brief tests of knowledge about the tests. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that stakeholders in AD prevention research generally wish to know biological test information about their risk for developing AD to assist in making life plans.

Evaluation of a contraceptive device with MR imaging.

The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the positioning and to confirm the volume concept of the Lea's Shield diaphragm utilizing MR imaging. We evaluated the device in two women, one nulliparous and one multiparous. We were able to comprehensively evaluate the device in both patients and answer all questions regarding anatomical positioning and aspects pertaining to the morphology of the device relevant to its function. MRI may be effectively utilized to evaluate contraceptive devices and their relationship to adjacent anatomical structures. This may enhance the gynecologist's clinical assessment of its correct positioning and efficacy.

Hand-assisted laparoscopy for pelvic malignancy.

The inability to palpate intra-abdominal organs is a barrier to the widespread utilization of laparoscopy in the management of pelvic malignancy. Hand-assisted laparoscopy permits the insertion of the hand into the abdomen through a glove-sized incision while preserving the pneumoperitoneum. This new modality preserves both the technical benefits of traditional manual assistance and the convalescent advantages of minimally invasive surgery. Our preliminary experience suggests that this approach is a feasible, safe, and expeditious access option that can effectively replace an extended open laparotomy incision or an excessively tedious laparoscopic exercise in the evaluation and management of pelvic malignancy. Moreover, oncologic surgeons, reluctant to relinquish the tactile advantages of open surgery, may find hand-assisted laparoscopy an appealing alternative.

Hand-assisted laparoscopy for megamyomectomy. A case report.

BACKGROUND: In cases of uterine myomas of massive size, minimally invasive laparoscopic or laparoscopically assisted myomectomy techniques are not feasible alternatives to traditional laparotomy. This report introduces the use of hand-assisted laparoscopy, a novel approach that permits the insertion of the hand into the abdomen through a glove-sized incision while preserving the pneumoperitoneum, as an alternative to laparotomy for patients with massive myomas unsuitable for conventional laparoscopic myomectomy. CASE: A 28-year-old nullipara requested minimally invasive myomectomy and fertility preservation for the treatment of a massively enlarged uterus reaching the level of the liver. Myomectomy was safely performed by hand-assisted laparoscopy using the Pneumo Sleeve System (Dexterity, Blue Bell, Pennsylvania), a 7.5-cm transverse suprapubic incision and a 1-cm umbilical laparoscopic incision. Surgery lasted 120 minutes, and the estimated blood loss was 250 mL. The total weight of the myomas was 3,120 g. The patient was discharged on the second postoperative day and had an uneventful recovery. CONCLUSION: The successful outcome of this initial case suggests that hand-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy is a feasible and safe minimal-access option that could effectively replace routine laparotomy in patients with massive uterine enlargement.

Hand-assisted laparoscopic cholecystectomy at cesarean section.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy at the time of elective cesarean delivery eliminates the need for separate operations. Hand-assisted laparoscopy takes technical advantage of the cesarean abdominal incision to facilitate laparoscopic maneuvers with retention of pneumoperitoneum. A 39-year-old woman with two previous cesarean sections and recurrent cholecystitis throughout her third pregnancy underwent full-term, elective cesarean section, tubal sterilization, and hand-assisted laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia. Total operating time was 53 minutes, estimated blood loss was 550 ml, and postoperative hospital stay was 72 hours. The operation and recovery were uneventful.

Vaginal removal of the benign nonprolapsed uterus: experience with 300 consecutive operations.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness and safety of vaginal hysterectomy for benign nonprolapsed uteri. METHODS: Three hundred consecutive women with nonprolapsed uteri requiring hysterectomy for benign uterine conditions, without suspected adnexal disease, were treated prospectively by vaginal hysterectomy. Twenty-one women (7%) were nulliparous, and 219 (73%) had history of pelvic surgery (150 had previous cesareans). Operating time, estimated blood loss, surgical techniques (Heaney, Pelosi, uterine morcellation), operative complications, conversion to laparoscopy or laparotomy, and length of hospital stay were recorded for each case. RESULTS: Vaginal hysterectomy was successful in 297 women (99%). Morcellation (hemisection, intramyometrial coring, myomectomy, and wedge resection) was done in 170 cases (56.7%). The mean operating time was 51 minutes (range 20-130 minutes), mean estimated blood loss was 180 mL (range 50-1050 mL), and mean length of hospitalization was 22 hours (range 16-72 hours). Four operative complications occurred (three cystotomies, one rectal laceration) and were repaired transvaginally. One woman needed a blood transfusion. Eleven urinary tract infections occurred. Two conversions to laparotomy and one conversion to laparoscopy were necessary. CONCLUSION: Vaginal hysterectomy is an effective and safe procedure for benign nonprolapsed uteri irrespective of nulliparity, previous pelvic surgery, or uterine enlargement. We question the true need for laparoscopy or laparotomy in this setting.

Symptomatic cervical macrocyst as a late complication of subtotal hysterectomy. A case report.

BACKGROUND: Ablation of the endocervical canal is sometimes performed as an adjunct to subtotal hysterectomy in an attempt to reduce mucous discharge and the risk of future neoplasia. Cystic accumulations within the canal of a partially obliterated cervical stump have not previously been reported to follow this practice. CASE REPORT: A 41-year-old woman presented with subacute cramping and cystic enlargement of the cervical stump on clinical, sonographic and magnetic resonance evaluation four years subsequent to a subtotal hysterectomy performed for menorrhagia. Cervical biopsies and cytology were benign, and vaginal trachelectomy was performed. Pathology demonstrated the fluid pocket to be a very large retention cyst (nabothian) that had occupied and distended the partially obliterated endocervical canal. CONCLUSION: Ablation of the cervical canal at subtotal hysterectomy may result in symptomatic entrapment of nabothian cysts. Internalization of the transformation zone and partial obliteration of the canal are postulated as predisposing factors.

Hand-assisted laparoscopy for complex hysterectomy.

In rare cases of extreme uterine enlargement, hysterectomy by vaginal and laparoscopic-assisted techniques is not feasible and requires a large abdominal incision. Hand-assisted laparoscopy permits the performance of such cases through a much smaller, glove-size abdominal incision while preserving pneumoperitoneum. In a 45-year-old nullipara with a grossly enlarged, impacted uterus and total vaginal obliteration, hysterectomy was safely performed by hand-assisted laparoscopy using the Pneumo Sleeve system through a 7. 5-cm transverse suprapubic incision, and a 1-cm laparoscopic incision. The operation lasted 150 minutes, blood loss was 220 ml, and the specimen weighed 3050 g. The patient was discharged in excellent condition on the second postoperative day and had an uneventful recovery. (J Am Assoc Gynecol Laparosc 6(2):183-188, 1999)

Pubic bone suburethral stabilization sling: laparoscopic assessment of a transvaginal operation for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence.

The objective was to examine laparoscopically the mechanism and precision of a new transvaginal method for fixation of a suburethral stabilization sling prosthesis designed for the treatment of recurrent stress urinary incontinence. Nine patients with recurrent stress urinary incontinence after previous anti-incontinence surgery underwent transvaginal placement of a pretrimmed 2.0 x 5.5 cm synthetic pubic bone suburethral stabilization sling prosthesis with pubic bone anchors. Before the sling fixation sutures were tied, the space of Retzius was opened laparoscopically with an operative laparoscope, and sling placement was assessed. Patients were followed up postoperatively at routine intervals. All nine procedures were accomplished uneventfully and as planned. Laparoscopic surveillance demonstrated that bone anchor placement by palpation was accurate and that low-tension sling fixation necessitated 2.0- to 2.5-cm suture bridges between the lateral sling edges and the pubic bone anchors in all cases. Continence was restored in all cases; two patients experienced mild, transient urinary retention; one patient experienced transient detrusor instability. No significant postoperative complications were noted. Low-tension pubic bone suburethral sling placement requires suture bridging of approximately 2.0 to 2.5 cm per side when a prosthesis 5.5 cm long is employed.

Right-sided colonic diverticulitis mimicking acute cholecystitis in pregnancy: case report and laparoscopic treatment.

Right-sided colonic diverticulitis is an uncommon disorder that most frequently mimics appendicitis. During pregnancy, displacement of the diseased cecum and ascending colon into the right upper quadrant may result in symptomatology that mimics cholecystitis. A 37-year-old white woman with a history of previous benign incidental appendectomy presented at 20 weeks' gestation with right upper abdominal pain and nausea for 2 days. Significant findings included local rebound tenderness and palpable fullness over the gallbladder, leukocytosis, and low-grade fever, but otherwise unremarkable routine serum laboratory test results and sonographic evidence of biliary tract disease. Cholescintigraphy was rejected by the patient. Persistence of symptoms for 3 hospital days despite administration of broad-spectrum parenteral antibiotics prompted surgical intervention. Laparoscopy demonstrated a normal-appearing gall-bladder and an acutely infected, solitary diverticulum of the midascending colon with adhesions to the omentum and to the parietal peritoneum near the gallbladder. Adhesiolysis, omental biopsy, and peritoneal drainage were performed endoscopically. The patient recovered uneventfully and delivered vaginally at term without fetal or maternal complications. Right-sided colonic diverticulitis may present during pregnancy and may mimic symptoms of acute cholecystitis. Laparoscopic treatment of a solitary, acutely infected colonic diverticulum is feasible in this setting.

Modified cesarean hysterectomy for placenta previa percreta with bladder invasion: retrovesical lower uterine segment bypass.

BACKGROUND: Present conservative and radical surgical management of placenta previa percreta with bladder invasion is associated with significant hemorrhage and the need for blood salvage, transfusion, and component therapy. Conventional cesarean hysterectomy strategies have high surgical morbidity, despite adequate personnel and resources. CASE: A 37-year-old, gravida 3, para 2-0-0-2, with a radiographic diagnosis of placenta previa percreta with bladder invasion, and confirmed fetal lung maturity, had a modified cesarean hysterectomy at 34 weeks' gestation. The bladder was partially mobilized beneath the percreta invasion site via the paravesical spaces. Estimated blood loss was 900 mL. Superficial placental bladder invasion was confirmed by pathology. The postoperative course was uneventful. CONCLUSION: Modified cesarean hysterectomy prevented hemorrhage and need for blood salvage, transfusion, or component therapy in managing a case of placenta previa percreta with bladder invasion.

Alignment of the umbilical axis: an effective maneuver for laparoscopic entry in the obese patient.

BACKGROUND: In obese patients, a panniculus may cause a caudal deviation in the vertical axis of the umbilicus and make laparoscopic entry difficult. TECHNIQUE: First, the presence or absence of caudal deviation of the umbilical axis is ascertained by measuring the distance between the external umbilical orifice and the anterior superior iliac spines along the length of the patient. Second, the caudally deviated umbilicus is displaced cranially by manual pressure on the panniculus so that the external umbilical orifice rests approximately 8 cm above the level of the anterior superior iliac spines. Third, open laparoscopy is performed through the base of the umbilicus by elevating it with clamps and incising skin, fascia, and peritoneum in a vertical axis. EXPERIENCE: In an 18-month period, 67 consecutive obese women (weight range 99-213 kg) underwent surgery by the authors for gynecologic conditions requiring primary intraperitoneal evaluation or treatment. All of these patients were scheduled for laparoscopy and underwent the assessment, alignment, and entry technique described above to commence the operations. Laparoscopic entry by this technique was successful and rapid in all 67 cases and was not complicated by preperitoneal insufflation, subcutaneous emphysema, visceral injury, vascular injury, penetration of an underlying skin fold, or postoperative wound complications. CONCLUSION: Umbilical axis assessment and alignment safely facilitates laparoscopy in obese patients.

Should uterine size alone require laparoscopic assistance? Vaginal hysterectomy for a 2003-g uterus.

The main determinants of suitability for vaginal hysterectomy for benign uterine pathology in the medically stable patient are uterine mobility and adequate vaginal exposure. The removal of a 2,003-g fibroid uterus by total vaginal hysterectomy by morcellation in a woman suffering from severe menometrorraghia is reported.

Laparoscopic colposuspension with a transvaginal illuminator.

A series of 63 women with anatomic stress urinary incontinence were treated at two institutions by laparoscopic urethrovesical suspension with vaginal transillumination of the paraurethral endopelvic fascia to facilitate laparoscopic dissection and ligature carrier and suture needle placement. In no case did illumination-assisted suture placement require suture removal or replacement for inadequate or traumatic placement within the bladder, or was it associated with hemorrhage. At a minimum of 2 years' follow-up, there were six treatment failures. The reusable illuminator enhances visual contrast between the pelvic floor and bladder neck for laparoscopic dissection and paraurethral needle placement. It also provides an effective backstop to the needle, eliminates needle injuries to operators' fingers during suturing, stabilizes the endopelvic fascia during dissection, and increases visual contrast between the bladder neck and adjacent endopelvic fascia.

Transvaginal needle suspension with LeFort colpocleisis for stress incontinence and advanced uterovaginal prolapse in a high-risk patient.

Surgical therapy in high-risk patients with advanced symptomatic pelvic floor defects sometimes mandates a compromise in the extent of proposed and desired repairs in favor of procedures that can be performed more rapidly. An 80-year-old woman with disabling genuine stress urinary incontinence and stage IV uterovaginal prolapse who was unable to retain a pessary was at high surgical risk due to ischemic heart disease. Uterovaginal prolapse was treated by LeFort partial colpocleisis, and stress urinary incontinence by transvaginal needle suspension with symptomatic cure and without significant perioperative morbidity. Operating time was 29 minutes and estimated blood loss was 50 ml. The patient was discharged on the second postoperative day with adequate spontaneous voiding and without urinary retention. A combination of partial colpocleisis with transvaginal needle suspension worked well in this case and may represent an effective and rapid surgical option for similar women.

Laparoscopic-assisted transpectineal needle suspension of the bladder neck.

We performed laparoscopic-assisted colposuspension combining features of Burch retropubic and transvaginal needle colposuspension for the treatment of genuine stress incontinence in 10 women. No patient had previously undergone incontinence surgery. Mean operating time was 27 minutes (range 21-40 min). Mean postoperative hospital stay was 36 hours (range 24-72 hrs). The surgeries were uncomplicated. One patient experienced transient urinary retention. At a mean follow-up interval of 20 months (range 12-35 mo), all women remain free of stress urinary incontinence. The speed and simplicity of Pereyra-type suture placement are retained without recourse to endoscopic suturing, and laparoscopic assistance permits the development of the space of Retzius and incorporation of Cooper's ligament in the path of suspending sutures under direct vision. Our preliminary experience suggests that this procedure may be an effective alternative to transvaginal needle suspension and open or laparoscopic retropubic colposuspension.