Awareness and intention-to-use of digital health applications, artificial intelligence and blockchain technology in breast cancer care.

Emerging digital technologies promise to improve breast cancer care, however lack of awareness among clinicians often prevents timely adoption. This study aims to investigate current awareness and intention-to-use of three technologies among breast cancer healthcare professionals (HCP): (1) digital health applications (DHA), (2) artificial intelligence (AI), and (3) blockchain technology (BC). A 22-item questionnaire was designed and administered before and after a 30 min educational presentation highlighting technology implementation examples. Technology awareness and intention-to-use were measured using 7-point Likert scales. Correlations between demographics, technology awareness, intention-to-use, and eHealth literacy (GR-eHEALS scale) were analyzed. 45 HCP completed the questionnaire, of whom 26 (57.8%) were female. Age ranged from 24 to 67 {mean age (SD): 44.93 ± 12.62}. Awareness was highest for DHA (68.9%) followed by AI (66.7%) and BC (24.4%). The presentation led to a non-significant increase of intention-to-use AI {5.37 (±1.81) to 5.83 (±1.64)}. HCPs´ intention-to-use BC after the presentation increased significantly {4.30 (±2.04) to 5.90 (±1.67), p < 0.01}. Mean accumulated score for GR-eHEALS averaged 33.04 (± 6.61). HCPs´ intended use of AI significantly correlated with eHealth literacy (ρ = 0.383; p < 0.01), intention-to-use BC (ρ = 0.591; p < 0.01) and participants´ age (ρ = -0.438; p < 0.01). This study demonstrates the effect that even a short practical presentation can have on HCPs´ intention-to-use emerging digital technologies. Training potential professional users should be addressed alongside the development of new information technologies and is crucial to increase HCPs´ corresponding awareness and intended use.

Prevention of peritoneal adhesions after gynecological surgery: a systematic review.

IMPORTANCE: The formation of adhesions after gynecological surgery not only has detrimental impacts on those affected, including pain, obstruction, and infertility, but also imposes a high economic burden on healthcare systems worldwide. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review was to evaluate the adhesion prevention potential of all currently available adhesion barriers for gynecological surgery. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: We systematically searched MEDLINE and CENTRAL databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the use of adhesion barriers as compared with peritoneal irrigation or no treatment in gynecological surgery. Only RCTs with second-look surgery to evaluate adhesions in the pelvic/abdominal (but not intrauterine) cavity were included. RESULTS: We included 45 RCTs with a total of 4,120 patients examining a total of 10 unique types of barriers in second-look gynecological surgery. While RCTs on oxidized regenerated cellulose (significant improvement in 6 of 14 trials), polyethylene glycol with/without other agents (4/10), hyaluronic acid and hyaluronate + carboxymethylcellulose (7/10), icodextrin (1/3), dextran (0/3), fibrin-containing agents (1/2), expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (1/1), N,O-carboxymethylchitosan (0/1), and modified starch (1/1) overall showed inconsistent findings, results for expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, hyaluronic acid, and modified starch yielded the greatest improvements regarding adhesion reduction at 75%, 0-67%, and 85%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Best results for adhesion prevention were reported after applying Gore-Tex Surgical Membrane, hyaluronic acid, and 4DryField®. As Gore-Tex Surgical Membrane is nonabsorbable, it is associated with a greater risk of new adhesion formation due to second-look surgery to remove the product. 4DryField® yielded the greatest improvement in adhesion score compared to all other barrier agents (85%). For better comparability, future studies should use standardized scores and put more emphasis on patient-reported outcome measures, such as pain and infertility.

Statement of the Uterus Commission of the Gynecological Oncology Working Group (AGO) on Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Prior to Definitive Radiochemotherapy in Patients with Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer.

The presentation of the results of the prospective randomized international multicenter GCIG INTERLACE trial at the 2023 congress of the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) is likely to change the therapy for locally advanced cervical cancer. In the GCIG INTERLACE trial, six cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy administered weekly and consisting of carboplatin AUC2 and paclitaxel 80 mg/m 2 followed by definitive radiochemotherapy with pelvic radiotherapy (40 - 50.4 Gray) and cisplatin (40 mg/m 2 once a week for 5 weeks) and brachytherapy (total dose EQD2 at least 78 Gy at point A) (experimental arm) were compared with definitive radiochemotherapy alone (standard arm) in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (Fédération Internationale de Gynécologie et d'Obstétrique [FIGO] 2008 stage IB1/node positive, IB2, II, IIIB and IVA) and was found to be significantly superior with significantly longer recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio [HR] 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64 - 0.91; p = 0.013) and significantly longer overall survival rates (HR 0.61; 95% CI: 0.40 - 0.91; p = 0.04) after 5 years' follow-up. After considering the results of the GCIG INTERLACE trial published at the congress, the Uterus Commission of the AGO is of the opinion that neoadjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin AUC2 and paclitaxel 80 mg/m 2 d1, q7, x6 may be offered to patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (FIGO stage IB1/node positive, IB2, II, IIIB and IVA) in addition to the current standard therapy after the patient has been informed about the risks, with the decision taken on a case-by-case basis. However, before this approach can be discussed at guideline level or defined as the new therapy standard, it will be necessary to wait until the data from the full publication are available.

Management of Patients with Breast Biopsy under Anti-Coagulation or Anti-Platelet Therapy: Results of a Survey of German Experts.

Introduction: Pre-therapeutic histologic diagnosis through image-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) or vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) for suspicious breast findings is a standard procedure. Despite the moderate risk of bleeding, a significant proportion of patients are on temporary or permanent anti-coagulation therapy (ACT) or anti-platelet therapy (APT). Currently, there are no established guidelines for managing biopsies in such patients, leading to varying approaches in clinical practice. Methods: An online survey was conducted among all members of the breast ultrasound working group at the German Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (DEGUM) and the working group for breast diagnostics at the German Radiology Society (DRG). It included n = 51 questions about individual risk perception of biopsy-related bleeding complications and the specific management of biopsies on ACT/APT. Results: A total of 332 experts participated, with 51.8% reporting the absence of a standardized management plan for breast biopsies on ACT/APT. Concerning specific ACT/APT medications, the survey revealed discrepancies in risk perception and management: The majority preferred discontinuing medication with directly acting oral anti-coagulants (DOACs; CNB: 66.9%; VAB: 91.1%), phenprocoumon (CNB: 74.9%; VAB: 96.7%), or therapeutic heparin (CNB: 46.1%; VAB: 72.7%). However, there was a lower inclination to discontinue acetylsalicylic acid (ASA; CNB: 15.2%; VAB: 50.3%) or prophylactic heparin (CNB: 11.9%, VAB: 36.3%). Conclusion: Breast biopsies for patients on ASA or prophylactic heparin are deemed safe and part of standard clinical practice. However, despite available feasibility studies, conducting breast biopsies on ACT medications such as DOACs or phenprocoumon appears feasible only for a minority of experts.

App-based assessment of patient-reported outcomes in the Molecular Tumor Board in the Center for Personalized Medicine-(TRACE).

Background: Biomarker-based therapies are increasingly used in cancer patients outside clinical trials. Systematic assessment of patient-reported outcomes (PRO) is warranted to take patients' perspectives during biomarker-based therapies into consideration. We assessed the feasibility of an electronic PRO assessment via a smartphone application. Methods: An interdisciplinary expert panel developed a smartphone application based on symptom burden and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) metrics reported in a retrospective analysis of 292 neuro-oncological patients. The app included validated assessments of health-related quality of life (HRQoL), the burden of symptoms, and psychological stress. Feasibility and usability were tested in a pilot study. Semi-structured interviews with patients and health care professionals (HCP) were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed according to Mayring´s qualitative content analysis. Furthermore, we assessed compliance and descriptive data of ePROs. Results: A total of 14 patients have been enrolled, (9 female, 5 male). A total of 4 HCPs, 9 patients, and 1 caregiver were interviewed regarding usability/feasibility. The main advantages were the possibility to complete questionnaires at home and comfortable implementation in daily life. Compliance was high, for example, 82% of the weekly distributed NCCN distress thermometer questionnaires were answered on time, however, with interindividual variability. We observed a median distress score of 5 (range 0-10, 197 results, n = 12, weekly assessed) and a median Global health score of 58.3 according to the EORTC QLQ-C30 instrument (range 16.7-100, 77 results, n = 12, monthly assessed). Conclusions: This pilot study proved the feasibility and acceptance of the app. We will therefore expand its application during biomarker-guided therapies to enable systematic PRO assessments.

Association between Doppler assessment and secondary cesarean delivery for intrapartum fetal compromise in small-for-gestational-age fetuses.

PURPOSE: To elucidate the association between arterial and venous Doppler ultrasound parameters and the risk of secondary cesarean delivery for intrapartum fetal compromise (IFC) and neonatal acidosis in small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetuses. METHODS: This single-center, prospective, blinded, cohort study included singleton pregnancies with an estimated fetal weight (EFW) < 10th centile above 36 gestational weeks. Upon study inclusion, all women underwent Doppler ultrasound, including umbilical artery (UA) pulsatility index (PI), middle cerebral artery (MCA) PI, fetal aortic isthmus (AoI) PI, umbilical vein blood flow (UVBF), and modified myocardial performance index (mod-MPI). Primary outcome was defined as secondary cesarean section due to IFC. RESULTS: In total, 87 SGA pregnancies were included, 16% of which required a cesarean section for IFC. Those fetuses revealed lower UVBF corrected for abdominal circumference (AC) (5.2 (4.5-6.3) vs 7.2 (5.5-8.3), p = 0.001). There was no difference when comparing AoI PI, UA PI, ACM PI, or mod-MPI. No association was found for neonatal acidosis. After multivariate logistic regression, UVBF/AC remained independently associated with cesarean section due to IFC (aOR 0.61 [0.37; 0.91], p = 0.03) and yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.78 (95% CI, 0.67-0.89). A cut-off value set at the 50th centile of UVBF/AC reached a sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 58% for the occurrence of cesarean section due to IFC (OR 8.1; 95% CI, 1.7-37.8, p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Low levels of umbilical vein blood flow (UVBF/AC) were associated with an increased risk among SGA fetuses to be delivered by cesarean section for IFC.

Attrition in the First Three Therapy Lines in Patients with Advanced Breast Cancer in the German Real-World PRAEGNANT Registry.

Background With more effective therapies for patients with advanced breast cancer (aBC), therapy sequences are becoming increasingly important. However, some patients might drop out of the treatment sequence due to deterioration of their life status. Since little is known about attrition in the real-world setting, this study assessed attrition in the first three therapy lines using a real-world registry. Methods Patients with information available on the first three therapy lines were selected from the German PRAEGNANT registry (NCT02338167). Attrition was determined for each therapy line using competing risk analyses, with the start of the next therapy line or death as endpoints. Additionally, a simple attrition rate was calculated based on the proportion of patients who completed therapy but did not start the next therapy line. Results Competitive risk analyses were performed on 3988 1st line, 2651 2nd line and 1866 3rd line patients. The probabilities of not starting the next therapy line within 5 years after initiation of 1st, 2nd and 3rd line therapy were 30%, 24% and 24% respectively. Patients with HER2-positive disease had the highest risk for attrition, while patients with HRpos/HER2neg disease had the lowest risk. Attrition rates remained similar across molecular subgroups in the different therapy lines. Conclusion Attrition affects a large proportion of patients with aBC, which should be considered when planning novel therapy concepts that specifically address the sequencing of therapies. Taking attrition into account could help understand treatment effects resulting from sequential therapies and might help develop treatment strategies that specifically aim at maintaining quality of life.

Evolution of publicly available large language models for complex decision-making in breast cancer care.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the concordance of five different publicly available Large Language Models (LLM) with the recommendations of a multidisciplinary tumor board regarding treatment recommendations for complex breast cancer patient profiles. METHODS: Five LLM, including three versions of ChatGPT (version 4 and 3.5, with data access until September 3021 and January 2022), Llama2, and Bard were prompted to produce treatment recommendations for 20 complex breast cancer patient profiles. LLM recommendations were compared to the recommendations of a multidisciplinary tumor board (gold standard), including surgical, endocrine and systemic treatment, radiotherapy, and genetic testing therapy options. RESULTS: GPT4 demonstrated the highest concordance (70.6%) for invasive breast cancer patient profiles, followed by GPT3.5 September 2021 (58.8%), GPT3.5 January 2022 (41.2%), Llama2 (35.3%) and Bard (23.5%). Including precancerous lesions of ductal carcinoma in situ, the identical ranking was reached with lower overall concordance for each LLM (GPT4 60.0%, GPT3.5 September 2021 50.0%, GPT3.5 January 2022 35.0%, Llama2 30.0%, Bard 20.0%). GPT4 achieved full concordance (100%) for radiotherapy. Lowest alignment was reached in recommending genetic testing, demonstrating a varying concordance (55.0% for GPT3.5 January 2022, Llama2 and Bard up to 85.0% for GPT4). CONCLUSION: This early feasibility study is the first to compare different LLM in breast cancer care with regard to changes in accuracy over time, i.e., with access to more data or through technological upgrades. Methodological advancement, i.e., the optimization of prompting techniques, and technological development, i.e., enabling data input control and secure data processing, are necessary in the preparation of large-scale and multicenter studies to provide evidence on their safe and reliable clinical application. At present, safe and evidenced use of LLM in clinical breast cancer care is not yet feasible.

Implementation and Evaluation of a Breast Cancer Disease Model Using Real-World Claims Data in Germany from 2010 to 2020.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women in Germany and worldwide. This retrospective claims data analysis utilizing data from AOK Baden-Wuerttemberg, a major statutory German health insurance provider, aimed to construct and assess a real-world data breast cancer disease model. The study included 27,869 female breast cancer patients and 55,738 age-matched controls, analyzing data from 2010 to 2020. Three distinct breast cancer stages were analyzed: Stage A (early breast cancer without lymph node involvement), Stage B (early breast cancer with lymph node involvement), and Stage C (primary distant metastatic breast cancer). Tumor subtypes were estimated based on the prescription of antihormonal or HER2-targeted therapy. The study established that 77.9% of patients had HR+ breast cancer and 9.8% HER2+; HR+/HER2- was the most common subtype (70.9%). Overall survival (OS) analysis demonstrated significantly lower survival rates for stages B and C than for controls, with 5-year OS rates ranging from 79.3% for stage B to 35.4% for stage C. OS rates were further stratified by tumor subtype and stage, revealing varying prognoses. Distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS) analysis showed higher recurrence rates in stage B than in stage A, with HR-/HER2- displaying the worst DRFS. This study, the first to model breast cancer subtypes, stages, and outcomes using German claims data, provides valuable insights into real-world breast cancer epidemiology and demonstrates that this breast cancer disease model has the potential to be representative of treatment outcomes.

Usability and User Experience of an mHealth App for Therapy Support of Patients With Breast Cancer: Mixed Methods Study Using Eye Tracking.

BACKGROUND: Early identification of quality of life (QoL) loss and side effects is a key challenge in breast cancer therapy. Digital tools can be helpful components of therapeutic support. Enable, a smartphone app, was used in a multicenter, prospective randomized controlled trial in 3 breast cancer centers. The app simultaneously serves as a therapy companion (eg, by displaying appointments), a tool for documenting QoL (eg, by enabling data collection for QoL questionnaires), and documentation of patient-reported side effects. The need for digital tools is continually rising. However, evidence of the effects of long-term use of mobile health (mHealth) apps in aftercare for patients with breast cancer is limited. Therefore, evaluating the usability and understanding the user experience of this mHealth app could potentially contribute valuable insights in this field. OBJECTIVE: A usability study was conducted to explore how patients with breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or palliative outpatient treatment rated their engagement with the app , the user experience, and the benefits of using the app. METHODS: A mixed methods approach was chosen to combine subjective and objective measures, including an eye-tracking procedure, a standardized usability questionnaire (mHealth App Usability Questionnaire), and semistructured interviews. Participants were surveyed twice during the study period. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. Analysis of the eye-tracking data was carried out using the tracker-integrated software. Descriptive analysis was conducted for the quantitative data. RESULTS: The mHealth App Usability Questionnaire results (n=105) indicated good overall usability for 2 different time points (4 wk: mean 89.15, SD 9.65; 20 wk: mean 85.57, SD 12.88). The qualitative analysis of the eye-tracking recordings (n=10) and interviews (n=16) showed that users found the Enable app easy to use. The design of the app, information about therapies and side effects, and usefulness of the app as a therapy companion were rated positively. Additionally, participants contributed requests for additional app features and suggestions for improving the content and usability of the app. Relevant themes included optimization of the appointment feature, updating the app's content regularly, and self-administration. In contrast to the app's current passive method of operation, participants expressed a desire for more active engagement through messaging, alarms, or emails. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate the good usability of the Enable app as well as the potential for further development. We concluded from patients' feedback and requests that mHealth apps could benefit from giving patients a more active role (eg, being able to actively document side effects as they occur). Additionally, regular updates of app content could further contribute to encouraging continued use of mHealth apps. Our findings may also assist other researchers in tailoring their mHealth apps to the actual needs of patients undergoing breast cancer therapy.

Exploring the current state of clinical and practical teaching in obstetrics and gynecology in the era of competency-based education: a nationwide survey among German teaching coordinators.

BACKGROUND: Obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) is an essential medical field that focuses on women's health. Universities aim to provide high-quality healthcare services to women through comprehensive education of medical students. In Germany, medical education is undergoing a phase of restructuring towards the implementation of competency-based learning. The objective of the current survey was to gain insights into the teaching methods, resources, and challenges at German medical universities in the field OB/GYN. This aims to document the current state of medical education and derive potential suggestions for improvements in the era of competency-based learning. The survey was conducted with teaching coordinators from the majority of OB/GYN departments at German universities. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to the teaching coordinators in all 41 OB/GYN departments at German university hospitals. The survey was delivered via email with a link to an online survey platform. RESULTS: The study received 30 responses from 41 universities. Differences were observed in the work environment of teaching coordinators concerning release from clinical duties for teaching purposes and specialized academic training. Overall, medical education and student motivation were perceived positively, with noticeable gaps, particularly in practical gynecological training. Deficiencies in supervision and feedback mechanisms were also evident. Subfields such as urogynecology and reproductive medicine appear to be underrepresented in the curriculum, correlating with poorer student performance. E-learning was widely utilized and considered advantageous. CONCLUSION: The present study provides valuable insights into the current state of medical education in OB/GYN at German universities from the perspective of teaching experts. We highlight current deficits, discuss approaches to overcome present obstacles, and provide suggestions for improvement.

Relationship of Ki-67 index in biopsies of metastatic breast cancer tissue and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) at the time of biopsy collection.

BACKGROUND: The proliferation marker Ki-67 is a major pathological feature for the description of the state of disease in breast cancer. It helps to define the molecular subtype and to stratify between therapy regimens in early breast cancer and helps to assess the therapy response. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are a negative prognostic biomarker for progression free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Therefore, the CTC count is often described as surrogate for the tumor burden. Both, decrease of Ki-67 and CTC count are considered as evidence for therapy response. The presented work analyzed the correlation between the Ki-67 indices of metastatic tissue biopsies and CTC counts in biopsy time-adjacent peripheral blood samples. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Blood samples from 70 metastatic breast cancer patients were obtained before the start of a new line of systemic therapy. CTCs were enumerated using CellSearch® (Menarini Silicon Biosystems, Bologna, Italy) whereas intact CTCs (iCTCs) and non-intact or apoptotic CTCs (aCTCs) were distinguished using morphologic criteria. The proportion of cells expressing Ki-67 was evaluated using immunohistochemistry on biopsies of metastases obtained concurrently with CTC sampling before the start of a new line of systemic therapy. RESULTS: 65.7% of patients had a Ki-67 index of > 25%. 28.6% of patients had ≥ 5, 47.1% ≥ 1 iCTCs. 37.1% had ≥ 5, 51.4% ≥ 1 aCTCs. No correlation was shown between Ki-67 index and iCTC and aCTC count (r = 0.05 resp. r = 0.05, Spearman's correlation index). High CTC-counts did not coincide with high Ki-67 index. High Ki-67, ≥ 5 iCTCs and aCTCs are associated with poor progression free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). CONCLUSION: CTCs and Ki-67 are independent prognostic markers in metastatic breast cancer. High Ki-67 in metastatic tumor tissue is not correlated to high iCTC or aCTC counts in peripheral blood.

Minimally Invasive Breast Biopsy After Neoadjuvant Systemic Treatment to Identify Breast Cancer Patients with Residual Disease for Extended Neoadjuvant Treatment: A New Concept.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer patients with residual disease after neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NAST) have a worse prognosis compared with those achieving a pathologic complete response (pCR). Earlier identification of these patients might allow timely, extended neoadjuvant treatment strategies. We explored the feasibility of a vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) after NAST to identify patients with residual disease (ypT+ or ypN+) prior to surgery. METHODS: We used data from a multicenter trial, collected at 21 study sites (NCT02948764). The trial included women with cT1-3, cN0/+ breast cancer undergoing routine post-neoadjuvant imaging (ultrasound, MRI, mammography) and VAB prior to surgery. We compared the findings of VAB and routine imaging with the histopathologic evaluation of the surgical specimen. RESULTS: Of 398 patients, 34 patients with missing ypN status and 127 patients with luminal tumors were excluded. Among the remaining 237 patients, tumor cells in the VAB indicated a surgical non-pCR in all patients (73/73, positive predictive value [PPV] 100%), whereas PPV of routine imaging after NAST was 56.0% (75/134). Sensitivity of the VAB was 72.3% (73/101), and 74.3% for sensitivity of imaging (75/101). CONCLUSION: Residual cancer found in a VAB specimen after NAST always corresponds to non-pCR. Residual cancer assumed on routine imaging after NAST corresponds to actual residual cancer in about half of patients. Response assessment by VAB is not safe for the exclusion of residual cancer. Response assessment by biopsies after NAST may allow studying the new concept of extended neoadjuvant treatment for patients with residual disease in future trials.

Status quo and future directions of digitalization in gynecology and obstetrics in Germany: a survey of the commission Digital Medicine of the German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics.

PURPOSE: Digitalization plays a critical role and is beginning to impact every part of the patient journey, from drug discovery and data collection to treatment and patient-reported outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the status quo and future directions of digital medicine in the specialty of gynecology and obstetrics in Germany. METHODS: An anonymous questionnaire was distributed via the German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics newsletter in December 2022. The questionnaire covered the domains baseline demographic information, telemedicine, digital health applications (DIGAs), and future expectations. RESULTS: In all, 91 participants completed the survey. Median age was 34 years; 67.4% (60 of 89) were female and 32.6% (29 of 89) were male. About 10% (9 of 88) have prescribed DIGAs to date and 14% (12 of 86) offer telemedical appointments. Among those who do not use digital medicine, very few plan to do so in the near future. Reasons include missing software interfaces, lack of time to try out new things, lack of knowledge, lack of monetary compensation (66.3%), and employee concerns. A majority agreed that digitalization will help to save time and improve patient care and that intelligent algorithms will aid clinicians in providing patient care to women. CONCLUSIONS: The status quo and future directions of digital medicine in gynecology and obstetrics in Germany are characterized by contradicting expectations regarding the benefits of digital medicine and its actual implementation in clinical routine. This represents an important call to action to meet the requirements of modern patient care.

Intranasal Lidocaine Administration via Mucosal Atomization Device: A Simple and Successful Treatment for Postdural Puncture Headache in Obstetric Patients.

(1) Background: Postdural puncture headache (PDPH) remains a serious complication in obstetric patients. While the epidural blood patch represents the current gold standard in therapy, a growing number of alternative measures are thought to be beneficial for clinical management. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyze the efficacy of intranasal lidocaine administration to treat PDPH in obstetrics at our university hospital; (2) Methods: A retrospective analysis of the medical records of patients with PDPH has been performed focusing on the techniques of administration, dosing, treatment duration, impact on pain intensity as well as side effects of intranasal lidocaine; (3) Results: During the study period, 5610 obstetric patients received neuraxial anesthesia, of whom 43 (0.77%) developed PDPH. About one third of the patients with PDPH after spinal anesthesia (n = 8), epidural anesthesia (n = 5) or both (n = 2) were treated with intranasal lidocaine. Lidocaine was administered either via gauze compresses (GC, n = 4), a mucosal atomization device (MAD, n = 8) or with a second-line mucosal atomization device due to low gauze compress efficacy (n = 3). All patients treated with lidocaine refused the epidural blood patch. Nebulization of lidocaine resulted in a significant reduction in pain intensity after the first dose (p = 0.008). No relevant side effects developed except sporadic temporal pharyngeal numbness. The utilization of the mucosal atomization device averted the necessity for an epidural blood patch, whether employed as the primary or secondary approach; (4) Conclusions: Our data imply that the mucosal atomization device enhances the efficacy of intranasal lidocaine administration in obstetric patients suffering from PDPH.

Using an Electronic Mindfulness-based Intervention (eMBI) to improve maternal mental health during pregnancy: Results from a randomized controlled trial.

Prevalence rates of peripartum depression and anxiety are high and correlate with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) have been shown to reduce mental distress during pregnancy. A multicenter, randomized controlled study was conducted after screening for depressive symptoms. The intervention group (IG) was given access to an 8-week supervised eMBI between weeks 29 and 36 of pregnancy and followed up to 5 months postpartum. Psychometric data were collected using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire (PRAQ-R), the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI-14) as well as the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). Out of 5299 pregnant women, 1153 scored >9 on the EPDS and N = 460 were included in the RCT. No significant interaction effects for depressive symptoms and anxiety were found. Pregnancy- and birth-related anxiety decreased significantly in the IG and 6 weeks after birth, the rate of women at risk for adverse mental outcome was significantly lower compared to the CG. Mindfulness scores improved significantly in the IG. The eMBI program did not show effective regarding general depressive or anxiety symptoms, however, positive results were demonstrated regarding pregnancy and birth-related anxiety and the prevention of postpartum depression.

Abortion in the First Trimester. Guideline of the DGGG (S2k-Level, AWMF Registry No. 015-094, December 2022) - Part 2 with Recommendations for Surgical Termination of Pregnancy and Follow-up Care After Termination of Pregnancy.

Purpose The aim was to develop evidence-based recommendations where possible. The guideline presents the medical principles and scientific evidence for indications, counselling of affected persons, performing terminations, the choice of method, and the care and monitoring of a terminated pregnancy up until week 12 + 0 of gestation p. c. Methods In accordance with the requirements for an S2k-guideline, the contents of the guideline were drafted following a systematic search of the literature by a representative interdisciplinary group of experts. Guideline authors held several formal meetings under the auspices of the German Society for Gynaecology and Obstetrics (DGGG) during which the contents of the guideline were finalised and agreed upon. Recommendations The guideline provides recommendations on the surgical termination of pregnancy and follow-up care after termination of pregnancy.

Abortion in the First Trimester. Guideline of the DGGG (S2k-Level, AWMF Registry No. 015-094, December 2022) - Part 1 with Recommendations on Care Structures, Information and Advice on Decision-Making, Measures Before Abortion and Medical Abortion.

Purpose The aim was to develop evidence-based recommendations where possible. The guideline presents the medical principles and scientific evidence for indications, the counselling of affected women, performing terminations, the choice of method, and the care and monitoring of a terminated pregnancy up until week 12 + 0 of gestation p. c. Methods In accordance with the requirements for S2k-guidelines, the contents of the guideline were drafted following a systematic search of the literature by a representative interdisciplinary group of experts. Guideline authors held several formal meetings under the auspices of the German Society for Gynaecology and Obstetrics (DGGG) during which the contents of the guideline were finalised and agreed upon. Recommendations A total of 61 recommendations are provided, covering care structures, provision of information and counselling to support decision-making, the measures to be taken before terminating the pregnancy, and medical termination of the pregnancy.

Current landscape of hospital information systems in gynecology and obstetrics in Germany: a survey of the commission Digital Medicine of the German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics.

PURPOSE: Hospital information systems (HIS) play a critical role in modern healthcare by facilitating the management and delivery of patient care services. We aimed to evaluate the current landscape of HIS in the specialty of gynecology and obstetrics in Germany. METHODS: An anonymous questionnaire was distributed via the German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics newsletter in December 2022. The questionnaire covered the domains baseline demographic information, satisfaction with daily use, satisfaction with implementation, and degree of digitization. RESULTS: Ninety-one participants completed the survey. Median age was 34 years; 67.4% (60 of 89) were female, and 32.6% (29 of 89) were male. Of the survey participants, 47.7% (42 of 88) were residents, 26.1% (23 of 91) senior physicians, and 9.1% (8 of 88) medical directors. The degree of digitization of clinical documentation is mainly mixed digital and paper-based (64.0%, 57 of 89) while 16.9% (15 of 89) operate mainly paper-based. The current HIS has been in use on average for 9 years. The median number of different software systems used in daily routine is 4. About 33.7% (30 of 89) would likely or very likely recommend their current HIS to a colleague. CONCLUSIONS: The current landscape of HIS in gynecology and obstetrics in Germany is characterized by a high heterogeneity of systems with low interoperability and long service life; thus, many healthcare professionals are not satisfied. There is both a need to enhance and an interest in modernizing the technological infrastructure to meet today's requirements for patient care.