Ji Ikimalo

Comparison of IVF/ICSI outcome in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome or tubal factor infertility

BACKGROUND One of the recognized treatment options for patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Fears are however sometimes raised concerning the likely outcome of treatment in such patients compared with their counterparts with tubal factor infertility. OBJECTIVE To compare the IVF/ICSI performance in women with PCOS and those with tubal factor infertility. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective analysis. Case notes of 30 patients, 35 years and below, with PCOS and who underwent 33 IVF/ICSI cycles and those of 42 age-controlled patients with tubal factor infertility and who had 43 cycles between December 2004 and April 2008 were retrieved. Data including duration of down-regulation, dose of human Menopausal Gonadotropin (hMG), number of cancelled treatments, endometrial thickness, number of oocytes retrieved and fertilization rate, in addition to the number of embryos transferred with resultant pregnancy outcome were compared between the two groups. The main outcome measures were response to gonadotropin stimulation, fertilization rate and clinical pregnancy rate. RESULTS There was no significant difference between the PCOS group and the tubal factor infertility group in the hMG dose (2.7 vs. 3.4 vials, respectively), endometrial thickness (10.5 vs. 10.1 mm, respectively) and embryos transferred (3.1 vs. 2.9, respectively). The fertilization rate was significantly higher in the tubal factor infertility group, which was 81.48% as against 63.24% for the PCOS group ( P < 0.0001). While more cases of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) occurred in the PCOS group ( P = 0.049), overall clinical pregnancy rate per embryo transfer was similar (45.45% vs. 42.85%; P = 1), with similar miscarriage rates. CONCLUSION IVF/ICSI performance in patients with PCOS is probably similar to their counterparts with tubal factor infertility with, however, a reduced fertilization rate and higher incidence of OHSS.

Experience with the bonanno catheter in the management of OHSS from IVF-ET cycles

Objective: To document our experience with the use of the Bonanno catheter as a closed abdominal drain for OHSS Methods: A retrospective study of all IVF embryo transfer (ET) treatment cycles carried out between May 2006 and April 2009 at a dedicated IVF centre. Case notes of patients with OHSS were retrieved and the outcome of the continuous closed abdominal drain with Bonanno catheter documented. Result: Within the period under review, 234 patients had controlled ovarian stimulation with ultrasound guided egg retrieval. Two hundred and twenty eight (228) got to the stage of embryo transfer with 72 clinical pregnancies. The clinical pregnancy rate was 31.58%. Fourteen (6%) of those who were stimulated developed OHSS and had a closed abdominal drain of the ascitic fluid using the Bonanno catheter. The average number of days of the abdominal drainage was 7.5days and the average volume of ascitic fluid drained from a patient per day was 2454.9 + 748mls. Eight (8) patients who had OHSS achieved clinical pregnancy (six intrauterine, one ectopic and one heterotopic pregnancies), giving a clinical pregnancy rate of 57.14% in patients with OHSS. Four patients had blocked Bonanno catheters and three of them had the catheter changed while the fourth had the catheter successfully flushed. Four patients had the insertion site dressing changed due to soaking with ascitic fluid. There was no incidence of injury to intra abdominal organs or broken catheter. Conclusion: Bonanno Catheter is both effective and safe in draining ascitic fluid following OHSS.