Evaluation of the Utility of Online Objective Structured Clinical Examination Conducted During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic led to profound restrictions on the face-to-face learning and assessment in all educational institutions, particularly the medical schools. The College of Medicine and Medical Sciences of the Arabian Gulf University (CMMS-AGU) conducted the final exams, both theoretical and clinical components, for its MD students online. This study was conducted to evaluate the utility of online clinical exams held at CMMS-AGU. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, mixed method study that included samples from final year medical students, examiners, and heads of clinical departments. Data were collected through surveys, structured interviews, documents' review, and calculation of online examination's psychometrics. Descriptive statistics were used. Quantitative data were presented in the form of means and standard deviations. Responses of heads of clinical departments in the structured interview were transcribed and analyzed thematically based on three pre-established themes. Results: Quantitative and qualitative data on the utility (validity, reliability, acceptability, educational impact, and cost and feasibility) of online objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) were collected. Content validity of the online clinical examination was established through high mean scores of content representativeness, which was confirmed by the heads of clinical departments regarding the proper coverage of clinical skills. Criterion validity was established through a high correlation between clinical and theoretical exam results (r = 0.75). Reliability of the exam was established through an acceptable Cronbach's alpha value (0.70 to 0.78) over the four days of the examinations. The examinations were perceived as highly acceptable by both students and examiners. High educational impact was inferred from students' responses and review of documents. The examination was found to be feasible and of reasonable cost. Conclusion: Online OSCE might be a good alternative of conventional clinical assessments in times of crises and impossibility of having in-person contact between students, examiners, and patients. An important major drawback is still present in such initiatives, which is the inability to assess students' physical examination skills.

Induction of bacterial cystitis in female rabbits by uropathogenic Escherichia coli and the differences between the bladder dome and trigone.

This study is designed to evaluate the histological effects of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) infection in the urinary bladder of female rabbits and compare the differences between the dome and trigone. Bacterial cystitis was induced in 13 female rabbits by transurethral inoculation of UPEC into the urinary bladder. Eight animals served as controls. Urine samples were collected by catheterization and cultured for bacterial growth after 12 and 24 hours then every 48 hours. Infection was defined as ≥(1X105) colony-forming unit/ml of UPEC in the first two urine samples. Bladder dome and trigonal specimens were examined by light and scanning electron microscopy eight days after infection. There was a sustained increase in bacterial count, with urethral bleeding and rabbit weakness suggesting bladder colonization in the 10/13 study group (77%). Infection was not demonstrated in two animals and was spontaneously cleared in the third after 48 hours. No control animals developed an infection. In infected rabbits (n = 10), the dome showed inflammatory changes including the epithelial loss or thinning, inflammatory cell infiltration, and congested blood vessels compared to controls. The trigone showed a more pronounced inflammatory response than the dome. The presence of urinary bacterial growth, infection manifestations, and inflammatory changes that were more severe in the trigone than in the dome indicate successful bacterial inoculation and induction of cystitis. This animal model can be used for clinical trials on female cystitis. Our histological findings support a possible role of trigone in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infection.

Episiotomy in modern clinical practice: friend or foe?

The Cochrane library first published a meta-analysis in 2000 on the role of the episiotomy in modern clinical practice, which concluded that only a policy of selective episiotomy is acceptable with evidence-based improvement in maternal health compared with routine episiotomy. Many years later, however, the new version of the Cochrane meta-analysis changed the previous recommendations in that the selective use of episiotomy could not be considered beneficial in all cases. A selective policy is associated with a statistically significant reduction in severe perineal and/or vaginal trauma, whereas routine episiotomy seems to protect against these complications only after instrumental deliveries. Both in the short and the long term, selective medio-lateral episiotomy has no additional beneficial effects without clear evidence of causing harm to the mother or baby.

Circulating matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors as markers for ethnic variation in pelvic floor tissue integrity.

The purpose of the present study was to measure the plasma levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2 and -9 and their tissue inhibitors (TIMP)-1 and -2, as surrogate biomarkers for pelvic floor tissue integrity in young, healthy multi-ethnic women. This was hoped to elucidate ethnic vulnerability to support-related pelvic floor dysfunctions. The plasma levels of MMP-2 and -9 and TIMP-1 and -2 were measured by sandwich ELISA in nulliparous, young (18-29 years) women volunteers (n=85) from five ethnic groups [n=17/group; Bahrainis, other Arabs, Filipinos, Indians/Pakistanis and Caucasians (Italians)] and compared with levels in Italians as the reference group. It was identified that the levels of plasma MMP-2 were significantly higher in Italians than in Bahrainis (P<0.001) and Filipinos (P<0.001), but significantly lower than in Indians/Pakistanis (P=0.013); whereas, the levels of plasma MMP-9 were significantly higher in Italians than in Bahrainis (P=0.009) and Indians/Pakistanis (P<0.015). The levels of plasma TIMP-2 were significantly lower in Italians than in Indians/Pakistanis (P=0.003), but the levels of plasma TIMP-1 were significantly higher in Italians than in all other groups (P<0.05) excluding Bahrainis. Although MMP-2 correlated negatively with TIMP-2 and MMP-9 correlated positively with TIMP-1, both correlations were not significant (r=0.071, P=0.533 and r=0.197, P=0.8, respectively). In all ethnic groups, MMP-9 level correlated positively with BMI (r=0.26, P=0.02), and TIMP-2 level with age (r=0.23, P=0.045). Overall, the trends for higher levels of MMP-2 and -9 and lower levels of TIMP-2 in the plasma of Caucasian women may indicate a greater tendency for collagenolysis and weaker connective tissue with increased risk of developing pelvic floor dysfunctions, and thus may potentially serve as biomarkers for pelvic floor tissue integrity.

Causes and management of urogenital fistulas. A retrospective cohort study from a tertiary referral center in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: To reviewe the etiology and management of urogenital fistulas at a tertiary care referral center. METHODS: We retrospectively identified all patients with urogenital fistula referred to the King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between January 2005 and July 2016 from electronic records. We collected data on age, parity, etiology and type of fistula, radiologic findings, management, and outcome. Results: Of the 32 patients with urogenital fistula identified, 17 (53.1%) had vesicovaginal fistula. The mean parity was 5.9 (0-15). Obstetric surgery was the most common etiology, accounting for 22 fistulas (68.8%). Twenty of these (90.9%) were complications of cesarean delivery, of which 16 (80%) were repeat cesarean delivery. Forty surgical repair procedures were performed: 20 (50%) via an abdominal approach, 11 (27.5%) via a vaginal approach, 7 (17.5) via a robotic approach, and 2 (5%) using cystoscopic fulguration. The primary surgical repair was successful in 23 patients (74%), the second repair in 5 (16.1%), and the third repair in one (3.1%). One fistula was cured after bladder catheterization, and 2 patients are awaiting their third repair. Conclusion: Unlike the etiology of urogenital fistulas in other countries, most fistulas referred to our unit followed repeat cesarean delivery: none were caused by obstructed labor, and only a few occurred after hysterectomy. Most patients were cured after the primary surgical repair.

Prevalence, Severity, and Correlates of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Symptoms Among Women in the Arabian Peninsula.

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) symptom patterns among women in the United Arab Emirates and to measure the debilitating nature of PMDD symptoms and sociodemographic correlates. METHODS: This cross-sectional sample study used the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview-Plus (MINI-Plus) and Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) to screen for presence and severity of PMDD symptoms in Arab women attending ambulatory health services in Alain city, Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for routine health care between May 2005 and September 2005. RESULTS: The study participants include 508 women (76% Emiratis, 15% Omanis, and 8% other Arabs) of childbearing age. In total, 94 women (18.6%) met MINI-Plus criteria for PMDD; of these, 21 (4.1%) met PSST criteria for severe symptoms, 29 (5.7%) for moderate symptoms, and 44 (8.7%) for mild or less symptoms. One woman (0.2%) with severe symptoms and 12 women (2.4%) with moderate symptoms had negative MINI-Plus scores. Presence of PMDD symptoms was significantly associated with higher education (P = .000), single marital status (P = .001), major life stressors (P = .001), and personal/family use of psychotropic medications (P = .000/P = .006), personal/family psychological problems (P = .000/P = .001), irregular/painful menses (P = .043/P = .001), and functional impairment on the Sheehan Disability Scale (P = .000). Multilogistic regression analysis showed higher education, major life stressor, personal use of psychotropic medications, personal/family psychological problem, and painful menses were independent predictors of PMDD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: PMDD symptoms were common among the Arab women in our study. The cyclically triggered mood disturbances were clustered in women with personal/familial psychological problems, perhaps linking biologic constitution to genetic predisposition for the development of PMDD symptomatology.

Guidelines and enabling objectives for training primary healthcare providers, gynecologists and obstetric and gynecology residents in Female Pelvic Floor Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery.

AIM: For four decades, the training for fellows in Urogynecology has been defined by taking into account the proposals of the relevant international societies. Primary health care providers and general OB/GYN practitioners could not find validated guidelines for the integration of knowledge in pelvic floor dysfunctions. The FIGO Working Group (FWG) in Pelvic Floor Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery has looked for the consensus of international opinion leaders in order to develop a set of minimal requirements of knowledge and skills in this area. METHOD: This manuscript is divided into three categories of knowledge and skills, these are: to know, to understand, and to perform in order to offer the patients a more holistic health care in this area. RESULTS: The FWG reached consensus on the minimal requirements of knowledge and skills regarding each of the enabling objectives identified for postgraduate obstetrics and gynecology physicians and for residents in obstetrics and gynecology. CONCLUSIONS: Our goal is to propose and validate the basic objectives of minimal knowledge in pelvic floor medicine and reconstructive surgery. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:514-517, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

In the footsteps of Bonney and Nichols: hysterectomy during surgical repair of pelvic organ prolapse.

Based on the available urogynecological literature, the role of hysterectomy in the surgical strategy of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair remains controversial. Currently, there are no data to favor either the removal or preservation of the uterus in women with POP. The findings that hysterectomy may contribute to a higher success rate and to the development of urinary incontinence and/or female sexual dysfunction are not supported by evidence. It is not clear why both hysteropexy was sometimes performed in the presence of overt uterine prolapse and/or concomitant vaginal hysterectomy was often included in vaginal prolapse repair in the absence of uterine prolapse. In our opinion, it makes both anatomical and clinical sense to remove the uterus only (and always) when the uterus is one of the pelvic organs directly involved in the prolapse, but to preserve and suspend the uterus otherwise.

Sacrocolpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse: evidence-based review and recommendations.

Sacrocolpopexy is considered a reference operation for pelvic organ prolapse repair but its indications and technical aspects are not standardized. A faculty of urogynecology surgeons critically evaluated the peer-reviewed literature published until September 2015 aiming to produce evidence-based recommendations. PubMed, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials published in English language. The modified Oxford data grading system was used to access quality of evidence and grade recommendations. The Delphi process was implemented when no data was available. Thirteen randomized, controlled trials were identified, that provided levels 1 to 3 of evidence on various aspects of sacrocolpopexy. Sacrocolpopexy is the preferred procedure for vaginal apical prolapse (Grade A), monofilament polypropylene mesh is the graft of choice and the laparoscopic approach is the preferred technique (Grade B). Grade B recommendation supports the performance of concomitant procedures at the time of sacrocolpopexy. Grade C recommendation suggests either permanent or delayed sutures for securing the mesh to the vagina, permanent tackers or sutures for securing the mesh to the sacral promontory and closing the peritoneum over the mesh. A Delphi process Grade C recommendation supports proceeding with sacrocolpopexy after uncomplicated, intraoperative bladder or small bowel injuries. There is insufficient or conflicting data on hysterectomy (total or subtotal) or uterus preservation during sacrocolpopexy (Grade D). Sacrocolpopexy remains an excellent option for vaginal apical prolapse repair. The issue of uterine preservation or excision during the procedure requires further clarification. Variations exist in the performance of most technical aspects of the procedure.

Recurrent pelvic organ prolapse: International Urogynecological Association Research and Development Committee opinion.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: This committee opinion paper summarizes available evidence about recurrent pelvic organ prolapse (POP) to provide guidance on management. METHOD: A working subcommittee from the International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) Research and Development Committee was formed. The literature regarding recurrent POP was reviewed and summarized by individual members of the subcommittee. Recommendations were graded according to the 2009 Oxford Levels of Evidence. The summary was reviewed by the Committee. RESULTS: There is no agreed definition for recurrent POP and evidence in relation to its evaluation and management is limited. CONCLUSION: The assessment of recurrent POP should entail looking for possible reason(s) for failure, including persistent and/or new risk factors, detection of all pelvic floor defects and checking for complications of previous surgery. The management requires individual evaluation of the risks and benefits of different options and appropriate patient counseling. There is an urgent need for an agreed definition and further research into all aspects of recurrent POP.