Ching Hui Chen

Comparing robotic surgery with conventional laparoscopy and laparotomy for cervical cancer management.

Objective The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of robotic surgery, laparoscopy, and laparotomy for the surgical treatment of stage IA to IIB cervical cancer. Methods This retrospective study was carried out in a university-affiliated teaching hospital. A total of 100 women with an initial diagnosis of stage IA to IIB cervical cancer, without preoperative brachytherapy or chemotherapy, were included in this study. With selection of the cases, 44 patients received laparotomy surgery, 32 patients received laparoscopic surgery, and 24 patients received robotic surgery. The perioperative parameters measured included operation time, blood loss, transfusion rate, lymph node yield, adhesion score, laparotomy conversion rate, postoperative and 24-hour pain scores, time to full diet resumption, and hospital stay. The perioperative complication and disease-free survival were also evaluated. Results The robotic group showed a shorter operation time, less blood loss, lower transfusion rate, and lower laparotomy conversion rate than the laparoscopic or laparotomy group. As for the postoperative parameters, the robotic group showed reduced postoperative and 24-hour pain scores, shortened length of hospital stay, and decreased time to full diet resumption compared with the other 2 surgical groups. No significant differences were found between the groups in perioperative complication rate or disease-free survival. Conclusions The data suggested that robotic surgery is a feasible and potentially optimal option for the treatment of stage IA to IIB cervical cancer with favorable short-term surgical outcomes.

Comparison of robotic surgery and laparoscopy to perform total hysterectomy with pelvic adhesions or large uterus.

Background: Currently, benefits of robotic surgery in patients with benign gynecological conditions remain unclear. In this study, we compared the surgical outcome of robotic and laparoscopic total hysterectomies and evaluated the feasibility of robotic surgery in cases with pelvic adhesions or large uterus. Materials and Methods: A total of 216 patients receiving total hysterectomy via robotic or laparoscopic approach were included in this study. Of all 216 patients, 88 underwent robotic total hysterectomy and 128 underwent laparoscopic total hysterectomy. All cases were grouped by surgical type, adhesion score, and uterine weight to evaluate the interaction or individual effect to the surgical outcomes. The perioperative parameters, including operation time, blood loss, postoperative pain score, time to full diet resumption, length of hospital stay, conversion rate, and surgery-related complications were compared between the groups. Results: Operation time and blood loss were affected by both surgical type and adhesion score. For cases with severe adhesions (adhesion score greater than 4), robotic surgery was associated with a shortened operation time (113.9 ± 38.4 min versus 164.3 ± 81.4 min, P = 0.007) and reduced blood loss (187.5 ± 148.7 mL versus 385.7 ± 482.6, P=0.044) compared with laparoscopy. Moreover, robotic group showed a lower postoperative pain score than laparoscopic group, as the effect was found to be independent of adhesion score or uterine weight. The grade-II complication rate was also found to be lower in the robotic group. Conclusions: Comparing to laparoscopic approach, robotic surgery is a feasible and potential alternative for performing total hysterectomy with severe adhesions.

A cohort study to evaluate the effectiveness of laparoscopic-guided local injection of etoposide in the management of women with unruptured tubal pregnancy

OBJECTIVE To assess the feasibility of laparoscopic-guided local injection of etoposide or methotrexate (MTX) in the management of unruptured tubal pregnancy and compare the effectiveness of the two regimens. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Medical center. PATIENT(S) Thirty-one women with laparoscopically diagnosed unruptured tubal pregnancy. INTERVENTION(S) A regimen of etoposide 50 mg via laparoscopic-guided local injection (n = 17) compared with a conventional MTX 50 mg regimen (n = 11), after 3 patients were excluded (2 refusals and 1 with salpingostomy). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Serial serum β-hCG levels and the success rate in both groups. RESULT(S) General characteristics of the patients were similar in both groups. The overall success rate was 96.4% (27 of 28). The duration between treatment and nadir of serum β-hCG level (<5 mIU/mL) was significantly shorter in the etoposide group than in the MTX group (19.7 ± 13.0 days vs. 33.4 ± 8.1 days). No patient in the etoposide group and only 1 in the MTX group needed reintervention, which led to 100% and 91% success rates for the etoposide and MTX groups, respectively. Three women in the etoposide group had subsequently successful term deliveries. CONCLUSION(S) Both regimens-etoposide 50 mg and MTX 50 mg via laparoscopic-guided local injection-were acceptable in the management of women with unruptured tubal pregnancy because of their similar and high success rates. More studies are needed to confirm this observation.

Comparison of robotic approach, laparoscopic approach and laparotomy in treating epithelial ovarian cancer.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of robotic surgery and compare its surgical outcomes with those of laparoscopic surgery and laparotomy, with regard to performing staging surgery to manage ovarian cancer.

Successful treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy using laparoscopically assisted local injection of etoposide with transvaginal ultrasound guidance

OBJECTIVE To present a case of cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy (CSEP) successfully diagnosed and treated with a laparoscopic local injection of 100 mg etoposide under transvaginal ultrasound assistance. DESIGN Case report. SETTING University-affiliated teaching hospital. PATIENT(S) A 37-year-old woman with CSEP. INTERVENTION(S) Local injection of 100 mg etoposide. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Serial serum levels of beta-hCG and return of normal menstruation. RESULT(S) Serial serum beta-hCG levels were 572.2 mIU/mL before operation, 340.7 mIU/mL on the first postoperative day, 28.1 mIU/mL on postoperative day 9, and 5 mIU/mL on postoperative day 17. Menstruation was initiated on postoperative day 45. CONCLUSION(S) Use of laparoscopic local injection of 100 mg etoposide with transvaginal ultrasound guidance might be an effective method for the management of CSEP.

Female sexual dysfunction: definition, classification, and debates.

Sexual dysfunction refers to difficulties that occur during the sexual response cycle that prevent the individual from experiencing satisfaction from sexual activity. It is relatively difficult to estimate the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction (FSD), because the definition and diagnostic criteria are still controversial and under development. These difficulties reveal our insufficient understanding of the basis of FSD. This review was conducted in an effort to deal with this complicated clinical issue, by examining the most updated clinical criteria of FSD under the context of a redefined female sexual response model.

Long-term follow-up of severely symptomatic women with adenomyoma treated with combination therapy

OBJECTIVE The aim of our study was to assess the long-term efficacy of conservative surgery combined with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist therapy for uterine adenomyoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS We carried out an uncontrolled descriptive study of 285 women who had symptomatic uterine adenomyoma. A total of 186 women with pathologically proven adenomyoma underwent ultramini-laparoscopic adenomyomectomy and a 6-month course of goserelin acetate treatment, and were evaluated semi-annually during a follow-up period of at least 3 years. RESULTS Patient scores for dysmenorrhea using a self-reported six-point verbal numeric rating scale significantly declined compared with the baseline assessment, from 3.84 ± 0.65 to 0.33 ± 0.57, 0.52 ± 0.86, and 0.88 ± 1.29 at the end of the 1-, 2-, and 3-year follow-up visits, respectively (p < 0.001). Similar reductions were observed for analgesic usage scores. Menorrhagia scores significantly decreased compared with the baseline assessment, from 3.45 ± 1.46 to 0.42 ± 0.59, 0.65 ± 0.83, and 1.1 ± 1.34 at the end of the 1-, 2-, and 3-year follow-up visits, respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Combination therapy for adenomyoma provides an effective treatment option for long-term symptom control and uterine preservation in severely symptomatic women for whom previous long-term drug therapy has failed or proven to be intolerable.

Uterine sarcoma Part II—Uterine endometrial stromal sarcoma: The TAG systematic review

Endometrial stromal tumors are rare uterine tumors (<1%). Four main categories include endometrial stromal nodule, low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LG-ESS), high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (HG-ESS), and uterine undifferentiated sarcoma (UUS). This review is a series of articles discussing the uterine sarcomas. LG-ESS, a hormone-dependent tumor harboring chromosomal rearrangement, is an indolent tumor with a favorable prognosis, but characterized by late recurrences even in patients with Stage I disease, suggesting the requirement of a long-term follow-up. Patients with HG-ESS, based on the identification of YWHAE-NUTM2A/B (YWHAE-FAM22A/B) gene fusion, typically present with advanced stage diseases and frequently have recurrences, usually within a few years after initial surgery. UUS is, a high-grade sarcoma, extremely rare, lacking a specific line of differentiation, which is a diagnosis of exclusion (the wastebasket category, which fails to fulfill the morphological and immunohistochemical criteria of translocation-positive ESS). Surgery is the main strategy in the management of uterine sarcoma. Due to rarity, complex biological characteristics, and unknown etiology and risk factors of uterine sarcomas, the role of adjuvant therapy is not clear. Only LG-ESS might respond to progestins or aromatase inhibitors.

Uterine rupture secondary to placenta percreta in a near‐term pregnant woman with a history of hysterotomy

Uterine rupture during near‐term pregnancy is a life‐threatening condition. A 31‐year‐old pregnant woman with a breech presentation at the gestation age of 35+2 weeks had complained of a dull abdominal pain for days. She was treated 2 years ago with bilateral uterine artery ligation and hysterotomy for removal of the retained placenta. An aggravation of abdominal pain occurred suddenly 4 h after hospitalization. The cardiotocogram showed a fetal heart beat with loss of variability, but increasing deceleration. An urgent cesarean section was performed because of suspected placenta abruption. After successful delivery of the fetus, a protruding placental tissue was found on the fundal uterine wall. We performed wedge resection of the ruptured uterine wall with the aid of an intrauterine muscle injection of 20 IU oxytocin, a local injection of diluted vasopressin (1:60) into the myometrium around and into the rupture site, an intramuscular injection of 0.2 mg methylergonovine, and primary repair of the defect, but in vain. Cesarean hysterectomy was used to control the intractable bleeding. The accumulated blood loss was more than 10 000 mL. The final pathology confirmed placenta percreta with uterine rupture. Luckily, both mother and fetus recovered well and were discharged 7 days later. We concluded that women with retained placenta and/or postpartum hemorrhage managed by previous hysterotomy and uterine artery ligation still need careful prenatal care, since the possibility of re‐occurrence of the placenta percreta is easily overlooked and may result in a further life‐threatening situation, such as the uterine rupture in this case.

Uterine sarcoma Part I—Uterine leiomyosarcoma: The Topic Advisory Group systematic review

Uterine sarcomas account for 3-7% of all uterine cancers. Because of their rarity, unknown etiology, and highly divergent genetic aberration, there is a lack of consensus on risk factors for occurrence and predictive poor outcomes as well as optimal therapeutic choices. Tumor types according to the World Health Organization classification include leiomyosarcoma, endometrial stroma sarcoma, and undifferentiated sarcoma. Staging is done using the 2014 Federation International Gynecology and Obstetrics and 2010 American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor, lymph node, and metastases systems. Tumor grade can be classified based on the French Federation of Cancer Centers Sarcoma Group system or the Broders system that incorporates tumor differentiation, mitotic count, and tumor necrosis. This review is a series of articles discussing uterine sarcoma, and this is Part I, which focuses on one of the subtypes of uterine sarcomas-uterine leiomyosarcoma. The clinical characteristics, diagnosis, outcome, and recent advances are summarized in this article.