Outcomes associated with trial of labor after cesarean in women with one versus two prior cesarean deliveries after a change in clinical practice guidelines in an academic hospital.

Objective: In 2010, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) published a new clinical practice guideline on trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) that was considered less restrictive. It allowed for offering TOLAC to women with two prior cesarean deliveries, even without a prior vaginal delivery, and for labor induction. As a result, our hospital, a public tertiary care academic center, updated our TOLAC practice guideline to reflect ACOG's new recommendations. We thus aim to evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes for women undergoing TOLAC with 1 versus 2 prior cesareans, with and without a prior vaginal delivery, following these clinical practice changes at our hospital.Study design: This was a secondary analysis of a 2-year retrospective cohort following implementation of a hospital guideline in women undergoing TOLAC with a live, cephalic, singleton without lethal anomaly ≥24 0/7 weeks and 1 or 2 prior cesarean deliveries. Maternal and neonatal outcomes in women with one prior cesarean were compared to women with two prior cesareans. The primary outcome was composite maternal morbidity (uterine rupture, uterine dehiscence, hysterectomy, transfusion, postpartum venous thromboembolism, delivery/surgical injury, chorioamnionitis or endometritis, shoulder dystocia, death). Secondary outcomes included neonatal morbidity. The analysis was performed in SAS; p < .05 was considered significant.Results: Seven hundred women with one prior cesarean and 73 women with two prior cesareans underwent TOLAC after the 2011 guideline implementation. Post guideline maternal demographics, labor length, comorbid conditions, simplified Bishop score, and induced labor were similar between groups. Composite maternal morbidity was similar between groups (18.3 versus 23.3%, p = .30 for women with 1 versus 2 prior cesarean deliveries, respectively). The same was true when comparing women with 1 versus 2 prior cesareans who had never had a prior vaginal delivery (25.5 versus 33.3%, p = .28 for 1 versus 2 prior cesarean deliveries, respectively). There were no differences in neonatal outcomes. Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) success rates were similar between groups (78.9% in women with 1 prior cesarean versus 74.0% in women with 2 prior cesareans, p=.33), even when only analyzing women without a prior vaginal delivery (69.4% in women with 1 prior cesarean versus 71.4% in women with 2 prior cesareans, p = .78).Conclusion: Adoption of ACOG's TOLAC practice changes, specifically offering TOLAC to women with two prior cesareans even without a prior vaginal delivery, and offering induction of labor regardless of cervical favorability, may increase VBAC rates without increasing maternal or neonatal morbidity from TOLAC.

Evaluation of outcomes associated with trial of labor after cesarean delivery after a change in clinical practice guidelines in an academic hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate maternal-neonatal morbidity for women undergoing trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) following clinical practice changes based upon ACOG's 2010 VBAC guideline. STUDY DESIGN: Four-year retrospective cohort analysis around implementation of a hospital guideline in women undergoing TOLAC with a live, cephalic, singleton without lethal anomaly ≥24 weeks and ≥1 prior cesarean. Maternal-neonatal outcomes pre- and post-guideline implementation were compared. Primary outcome was composite maternal morbidity (uterine rupture or dehiscence, hysterectomy, transfusion, thromboembolism, operative/delivery injury, chorioamnionitis/endometritis, shoulder dystocia, death). Secondary outcomes included neonatal morbidity. RESULTS: Four hundred and fifty women underwent TOLAC before and 781 after guideline implementation. Post-guideline, there was a significant increase in age, body mass index, labor length, women with >1 cesarean, comorbid condition and induced labor. Composite maternal morbidity was significantly higher after the guideline (13.78% versus 18.82%, p = 0.02), possibly due to an increased rate of chorioamnionitis/endometritis, which was no longer significant after control for potential confounders in multivariable analysis. There were no differences in neonatal outcomes. Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) success rates were unchanged (78.9% before versus 78.1% after, p = 0.75), however hospital VBAC rates increased after the guideline (26% versus 33%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Adoption of ACOG's TOLAC practice changes can increase VBAC rates without increasing maternal-neonatal morbidity from TOLAC.

Comparison of induction of labor methods for unfavorable cervices in trial of labor after cesarean delivery.

OBJECTIVE: To compare induction of labor methods in patients attempting a trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) with an unfavorable cervix. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study from patients attempting TOLAC from 2009 to 2013. Patients with a simplified Bishop score of three or less where labor was initiated with either a Cook balloon or oxytocin were included. Our primary outcome was mode of delivery. Our secondary outcomes included duration of labor and multiple maternal and neonatal morbidities. RESULTS: Two-hundred and fourteen women met inclusion criteria: 150 received oxytocin and 64 had the Cook balloon placed. The vaginal birth after cesarean delivery rate was significantly higher in the oxytocin group at 70.7% versus 50.0% in the Cook balloon group (p = 0.004). In the multivariable analysis, odds for cesarean delivery were two times higher with the Cook balloon than with oxytocin (Adjusted OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.05-4.18, p = 0.036). The duration of labor was longer with the Cook balloon versus oxytocin (21.9 versus 16.3 hours, p = 0.0002). There were no significant differences in maternal and neonatal health outcomes. CONCLUSION: Oxytocin induction of labor was associated with a higher rate of vaginal delivery and a shorter duration of labor compared to the Cook balloon in women undergoing TOLAC with an unfavorable cervix.

Combined femoral vein transposition and iliac vein to suprarenal vena cava bypass as a last resort dialysis access.

Patients undergoing hemodialysis are known to develop central venous occlusion and exhaust all options for vascular access to upper extremity sites; therefore, creating and maintaining vascular access is paramount in such patients. The present case report describes the condition of a 34-year-old woman with failed upper extremity access, frequent catheter-related issues, and multiple central venous occlusions. As a last resort, access to the lower extremity was pursued as follows: an inferior vena cava bypass was combined with a right femoral transposition fistula and a distal revascularization interval ligation procedure. This complex procedure that was carried out for the purpose of vascular access is a unique, albeit aggressive, surgical solution that resulted in autologous vascular access with a 6-month patency and also served to improve the quality of life in the seemingly hopeless case.

Surgical management of hemodialysis-related central venous occlusive disease: a treatment algorithm.

BACKGROUND: Creation and preservation of dialysis access in patients with central venous occlusive disease (CVOD) is a complex problem. The surgical approach and decision-making process remains poorly defined. We evaluated our experience in the surgical management of hemodialysis-related CVOD. Surgical technique, demographics, complications, reinterventions, access function rates, and factors influencing morbidity and mortality were examined. METHODS: From January 2006 to May 2010, we performed a total of 1,703 dialysis access-related procedures, 1,021 arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), 335 arteriovenous grafts (AVGs), and 314 access revisions including endovascular salvage procedures. Seventeen patients (10 women [58%] with a mean age of 44 ± 27 years) with CVOD who were not suitable for peritoneal dialysis or kidney transplant underwent 20 complex vascular access procedures. The indications were need for access creation in 14 cases (70%) and preservation in the remaining 6 (30%). Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was used for all surgical bypass grafts (BPG). All patients had previously undergone multiple access surgeries and had failed percutaneous interventions for CVOD. RESULTS: The surgical planning centered on finding venous outflow for an arteriovenous (AV) access; central venous reconstructions were necessary in 10 (50%) cases (seven [35%] in the thoracic central venous system and three [15%] in infradiaphragmatic vessels) and extracavitary venous BPG in two (10%) cases. Non-venous access options included axillary arterial-arterial chest wall BPG in five (25%) cases and brachial artery to right atrium BPG in three (15%). Technical success was achieved in all cases (100%). Mean follow-up was 14.1 months, both BPG and AV access patency rates were 66% at 6 months and overall average AV access function time was 9.2 months. Of these, 85% of patients were discharged home and following 19 (95%) cases they returned or improved their baseline functional status. One death occurred from multiorgan failure during the 30-day postoperative period. Four additional patients died within 3 years of the procedure secondary to nonsurgical-related comorbidities. CONCLUSION: The need for complex vascular accesses will continue as the number of patients with end-stage renal disease increases. CVOD is an access surgical challenge and with this article we propose a decision-making algorithm.

Spontaneous regression of an abdominal aortic aneurysm in an immunocompromised patient.

Spontaneous aneurysmal regression is a rare event, having been observed only in association with arteritides or immunosuppression following solid-organ transplantation. In particular, the spontaneous regression of an aortic aneurysm, to our knowledge, has never been documented. We report a case of a 46-year-old, HIV-positive, African-American man who developed an asymptomatic juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm, which significantly regressed over a 6-month period in the absence of arteritides or systemic immunosuppressive therapy. This case describes the spontaneous regression of an inflammatory AAA in an HIV-positive patient. Further studies will be required to determine if this was an isolated occurrence or if it occurs with any frequency in specific patient populations.