Pre-operative ureteric catherisation for major endoscopic gynaecological surgery.

BACKGROUND: Several strategies have been implemented to better identify the course of the ureters intra-operatively due of the morbidity associated with ureteric injuries especially during gynaecological surgery. We described our experience with pre-operative ureteric catherisation in women who underwent major endoscopic gynaecological surgery. METHODS: A case-controlled study of 862 women who underwent major endoscopic gynaecological surgery sourced from two health institutions were conducted. Two groups were compared: those who had pre-operative prophylactic ureteric catherisation (study group) and those who had routine cystoscopy performed immediately post surgery (control group). RESULTS: There were no intra-operative ureteric injuries or associated complications noted in the study group. When compared to the control group, length of hospital stay (2 days vs 5 days; p < 0.05) and overall mean time for cystoscopy (11 min vs 35 min; p < 0.05) was significantly shorter in the study group. There was no long-term morbidity recorded in the study group. CONCLUSION: Our experiences with prophylactic pre-operative bilateral ureteric catheterisation for major endoscopic gynaecological surgeries were favourable and are associated with low complication rates. Routine or adjunct use before major gynaecological and pelvic surgery combined with meticulous surgical technique can help reduce iatrogenic and unintentional ureteric injuries.

Manifestation and management of intravenous leiomyomatosis: A systematic review of the literature.

Intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) is characterized by the presence of vascular extension and invasion of benign smooth muscle lesions in a worm-like manner from uterine fibroids into the systemic vasculature system. Surgery with complete tumour resection remains the main treatment approach, however both treated and untreated of this disease is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this systematic review is to highlight the systemic manifestations and surgical management of IVL.

Trends and outcomes of ruptured ovarian cysts.

BACKGROUND: Ruptured ovarian cysts are common gynaecological presentation to health institutions with abdominal pain. While this phenomenon is generally self-limiting, surgery may be necessary in cases of haemodynamic compromise or association with torsion. The aim of this audit is to identify the trend of hospital presentations, as well as the review the management of modern gynaecology practice. METHODS: A retrospective audit of all women who presented to the emergency department with an imaging diagnosis of ruptured ovarian cysts was conducted over a 5-year period at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney. RESULTS: During the study period, 408 women were identified. There was a trend towards conservative management, as observed in 84.7% of women, while the remaining 15.4% underwent surgery. Haemorrhagic or ruptured corpus luteum was the most common diagnoses. As expected, women who had surgical intervention were more likely to have larger cysts (20 vs 50%; p<0.05), and larger free fluid findings on imaging (1.4 vs 23.8%; p<0.05) compared with those managed conservatively. There were no statistically significant differences in location of ovarian cysts (right or left) or antecedent to hospital presentation (vaginal intercourse or trauma). CONCLUSION: Ruptured ovarian cysts of both functional and non-functional types remained a common clinical presentation of acute pain for women to the emergency department. Majority of women were managed conservatively in our cohort, and indications for surgery were large ovarian cysts and large free fluid seen on imaging findings. Surgery was largely feasible with minimal complications.

Intra-abdominal haemorrhage from uterine fibroids: a systematic review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Uterine leiomyomas are common benign tumours found in women of reproductive age that are rarely associated with intra-abdominal haemorrhage. The aetiology behind this relationship is poorly understood and the aforementioned association poorly recognized from a patient's clinical presentation. Available information in the literature is limited to case reports. The aim of this systematic review is to document and highlight the occurrence of intra-abdominal haemorrhage from uterine fibroids, and determine associated morbidity and mortality. METHODS: A systematic review of Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and The Cochrane Library - CENTRAL was performed from the databases inception through to December 2018 for case report and series of patients who experienced intra-abdominal haemorrhage from uterine fibroids. Findings were presented according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. RESULTS: We identified 115 publications reporting on 125 original case reports. The documented intra-abdominal haemorrhage were commonly due to the rupture of superficial blood vessels over the surface of a fibroid, followed by rupture and avulsion of the fibroid involved. A clinical picture of sudden and profound hypovolemic shock with severe abdominal pain was often the presenting complaint, with a correct pre-operative diagnosis only made in 7 cases on computed tomography imaging. Hysterectomy and myomectomy were the most common surgery performed. Mortality was reported in 4 cases which were directly related to complications of uterine fibroids. CONCLUSION: Intra-abdominal haemorrhage secondary to uterine fibroids remained a rare phenomenon which is poorly recognized among clinicians. While this association is not representative of the population of interest, it highlights the pathophysiological spectrum of uterine fibroids and its relevance to emergency physicians, surgeons and gynaecologists during clinical practice.

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia masquerading as a labial lump.

We report a case of an 82-year-old woman who presented with a 2-week history of a left labial lump. She had a history of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) for several years and remained stable without clinical evidence of disease progression. She was observed with regular blood tests and clinical assessment. She was hypogammaglobulinaemic from the CLL and due to frequent symptomatic infections requiring hospitalisation, was commenced on monthly intravenous immunoglobulin. A tissue biopsy of the labial lump confirmed involved CLL in the genital area and further investigations and management followed.

Ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy with negative serum beta hCG--a case for ongoing vigilance?

A 25-year-old female with a history of recent miscarriage presents with haemodynamic shock and a negative serum beta hCG. She presents to six different healthcare facilities within a single metropolitan area, during which a pelvic ultrasound scan showed an empty uterus with a subnormal rise in serum beta hCG. Suspected ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy was confirmed following laparoscopy and salpingectomy, with histopathological confirmation of chorionic villi in the extirpated fallopian tube. This case report highlights the ongoing clinical diagnostic challenges that are associated with ectopic pregnancy; illustrates the importance of teamwork; and perhaps also draws attention to the need for a robust protocol to facilitate consistent, good-quality early pregnancy care for all women.