Laura J. Moulton

Pelvic Surgical Site Infections in Gynecologic Surgery

The development of surgical site infection (SSI) remains the most common complication of gynecologic surgical procedures and results in significant patient morbidity. Gynecologic procedures pose a unique challenge in that potential pathogenic microorganisms from the skin or vagina and endocervix may migrate to operative sites and can result in vaginal cuff cellulitis, pelvic cellulitis, and pelvic abscesses. Multiple host and surgical risk factors have been identified as risks that increase infectious sequelae after pelvic surgery. This paper will review these risk factors as many are modifiable and care should be taken to address such factors in order to decrease the chance of infection. We will also review the definitions, microbiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of pelvic SSIs after gynecologic surgery.

Single-port laparoscopy in gynecologic oncology: seven years of experience at a single institution

BACKGROUND: Single‐port laparoscopy has gained popularity within minimally invasive gynecologic surgery for its feasibility, cosmetic outcomes, and safety. However, within gynecologic oncology, there are limited data regarding short‐term adverse outcomes and long‐term hernia risk in patients undergoing single‐port laparoscopic surgery. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to describe short‐term outcomes and hernia rates in patients after single‐port laparoscopy in a gynecologic oncology practice. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective, single‐institution study was performed for patients who underwent single‐port laparoscopy from 2009 to 2015. A univariate analysis was performed with χ2 tests and Student t tests; Kaplan‐Meier and Cox proportional hazards determined time to hernia development. RESULTS: A total of 898 patients underwent 908 surgeries with a median follow‐up of 37.2 months. The mean age and body mass index were 55.7 years and 29.6 kg/m2, respectively. The majority were white (87.9%) and American Society of Anesthesiologists class II/III (95.5%). The majority of patients underwent surgery for adnexal masses (36.9%) and endometrial hyperplasia/cancer (37.3%). Most women underwent hysterectomy (62.7%) and removal of 1 or both fallopian tubes and/or ovaries (86%). Rate of adverse outcomes within 30 days, including reoperation (0.1%), intraoperative injury (1.4%), intensive care unit admission (0.4%), venous thromboembolism (0.3%), and blood transfusion, were low (0.8%). The rate of urinary tract infection was 2.8%; higher body mass index (P = .02), longer operative time (P = .02), smoking (P = .01), hysterectomy (P = .01), and cystoscopy (P = .02) increased the risk. The rate of incisional cellulitis was 3.5%. Increased estimated blood loss (P = .03) and endometrial cancer (P = .02) were independent predictors of incisional cellulitis. The rate for surgical readmissions was 3.4%; higher estimated blood loss (P = .03), longer operative time (P = .02), chemotherapy alone (P = .03), and combined chemotherapy and radiation (P < .05) increased risk. The rate of incisional hernia rate was 5.5% (n = 50) with a mean occurrence at 570.2 ± 553.3 days. Higher American Society of Anesthesiologists class (P = .04), diabetes (P < .001), hypertension (P = .043), increasing age (P = .017; hazard ratio [HR], 1.03), and body mass index (P < .001; HR, 1.08) were independent predictors for incisional hernia development. Previous abdominal surgeries (P = .24) and hand assist (P = .64) were not associated with increased risk for incisional hernia. Patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists class III/IV had a 3 year hernia rate of 12.8% (HR, 1.81). Patients with diabetes mellitus had a 3 year hernia rate of 23.0% (HR, 3.60). CONCLUSION: In this large cohort of patients undergoing single‐port laparoscopy, the incidence of short‐term adverse outcomes is low. While the rate of incisional hernia was 5.5%, incidence reached 23.0% at 3 years in high‐risk groups. Previous studies with short follow‐up duration may underestimate the risk of hernia, especially in patients with significant comorbidities.

Endomyometritis after cesarean delivery in the era of antibiotic prophylaxis: incidence and risk factors

Abstract Purpose: To identify the rate of postpartum endomyometritis (PPE) after cesarean delivery (CD) in the era of antibiotic prophylaxis and determine risk factors. Methods: A single institution retrospective study was performed in women undergoing CD. Data regarding obstetrical and surgical variables were collected. Diagnosis of PPE was made clinically. Results: Among 2419 patients, the rate of PPE was 1.6% (n = 38) and was associated with lower age (27.0 versus 31.0; p < .001). 65.7% of patients having chorioamnionitits developed PPE, but only 5.4% of patients without PPE had chorioamnionitis (p < .001). On multivariate analysis, PPE was higher in emergent versus scheduled CD (OR: 5.89; p = .0081). There was no difference in PPE for cefazolin 2 g versus 1 g (OR: 1.91; p = .17) or 3 g versus 1 g (OR: 3.69; p = .29), gentamicin/clindamycin versus cefazolin (OR: 5.60; p < .001) had higher PPE. Women with PPE were more likely to have labor arrest (OR: 4.336; p = .001), sexually transmitted infection during the pregnancy (OR: 4.197; p = .02) or blood transfusion (OR: 9.50; p < .0001). Conclusions: While the overall rate of PPE was low, several risk factors were identified. Preoperative diagnosis of chorioamnionitits is associated with a higher rate of PPE. Further studies are needed to identify optimal regimens for antimicrobial prophylaxis in women undergoing CD.

Postoperative Outcomes after Single-port Laparoscopic Removal of Adnexal Masses in Patients Referred to Gynecologic Oncology at a Large Academic Center

STUDY OBJECTIVE To report surgical and pathologic outcomes after single-port laparoscopy (SPL) for adnexal masses in patients referred to a gynecologic oncology practice at a single academic institution. DESIGN A retrospective analysis (Canadian Task Force Classification II.2). SETTING A single academic institution with multiple hospital centers. PATIENTS Women who underwent at least 1 single-port laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of an adnexal mass from 2009 to 2015 after referral to a gynecologic oncology practice. INTERVENTION Data were collected on the surgical procedure, patient demographic variables, 30-day surgical outcomes, and hernia development. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Three hundred twenty-five surgeries were performed in 322 patients with a median follow-up of 42.7 months. The median age was 54.5 years, and the median body mass index was 28.1 kg/m2. All patients underwent unilateral or bilateral salpingectomy or oophorectomy with or without hysterectomy (26.5%). The median operative time was 90.0 minutes. The median mass dimension was 6.4 cm with 17.9% (n = 60) greater than 10 cm. Masses were categorized as simple (11.4%) and complex (69.5%). Although the majority (87.4%) of masses were benign, 7.4% were malignant, and 5.2% were borderline. Benign masses were physiologic (16.6%), serous cystadenomas (19.1%), mucinous cystadenomas (6.8%), endometriomas (12.3%), myomas (12.3%), and mature teratomas (9.2%). In malignant cases (7.4%), serous carcinoma was the most frequent histology (58.3%). The rate of adverse outcomes within 30 days, including reoperation (0.0%), intraoperative injury (1.5%), venous thromboembolism (0.3%), and transfusion (0.6%), was low. The development of incisional cellulitis was 4.6%. The rate of incisional hernia was 4.0%, with a median occurrence of 18.3 months. Diabetes mellitus (p = .03) and obesity (p = .04) were significant predictors for a hernia, but mass complexity (p = .28), American Society of Anesthesiologists class (p = .83), and smoking (p = .82) were not. CONCLUSION In patients undergoing SPL for the removal of adnexal masses in a gynecologic oncology practice, the rate of benign disease is high. SPL removal of adnexal masses is feasible and safe with favorable surgical outcomes, rare short-term adverse outcomes, and a low incisional hernia rate.

Trends in Survival of Patients With Uterine Serous Carcinoma From 1988 to 2011: A Population-Based Study

Objective Our study used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result database to determine if the changes in treatment paradigm observed over the last 2 decades have improved outcomes in patients with uterine serous carcinoma (USC). Methods Women with USC were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result database from 1988 to 2011 (n = 8230) and grouped into 3 cohorts (1988–1997, 1998–2004, and 2005–2011). Disease-specific survival and overall survival were estimated. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression models were used. Results Disease-specific survival (59 vs 94 months vs not reached; P < 0.001) and overall survival (31 vs 37 vs 45 months; P < 0.001) improved over time. In univariable analyses, only those with stage I–III and those who reside in the Western or Central regions were noted to have improvement over time. In multivariable analyses when adjusting for age, race, marital status, stage, geographic location, cancer-related surgery, extent of lymphadenectomy, and adjuvant radiation, patients who received the diagnosis during 2005 to 2011 were 22% less likely to die of uterine cancer (hazard ratio [HR], 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.70–0.87; P < 0.001) and 17% less likely to die of any cause (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.76–0.90; P < 0.0001) compared with patients who received a diagnosis during 1988–1997. Similarly, patients who received a diagnosis during 1998–2004 were 15% less likely to die of uterine cancer (HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.77–0.94; P = 0.0015) and 10% less likely to die of any cause (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.83–0.97; P = 0.0048) compared with patients who received a diagnosis during 1988–1997. Conclusions Changes in treatment trends for USC over the last 2 decades have resulted in an improvement in outcome especially those with stage I–III disease.

Surgical site infection after cesarean delivery: incidence and risk factors at a US academic institution

Abstract Purpose: To identify the rate of surgical site infection (SSI) after Cesarean delivery (CD) and determine risk factors predictive for infection at a large academic institution. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study in women undergoing CD during 2013. SSIs were defined by Centers for Disease Control (CDC) criteria. Chi square and t-tests were used for bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify SSI risk factors. Results: In 2419 patients, the rate of SSI was 5.5% (n = 133) with cellulitis in 4.9% (n = 118), deep incisional infection in 0.6% (n = 15) and intra-abdominal infection in 0.3% (n = 7). On multivariate analysis, SSI was higher among CD for labor arrest (OR 2.4; 95%CI 1.6–3.5; p <.001). Preterm labor (OR 2.8; 95%CI 1.3–6.0; p = .01) and general anesthesia (OR 4.4; 95%CI 2.0–9.8; p = .003) were predictive for SSI. Increasing BMI (OR 1.1; 95%CI 1.05–1.09; p = .02), asthma (OR 1.9; 95%CI 1.1–3.2; p = .02) and smoking (OR 1.9; 95%CI 1.1–3.2; p = .02) were associated with increased SSI. Conclusions: Several patient and surgical variables are associated with increased rate of SSI after CD. Identification of risk factors for SSI after CD is important for targeted implementation of quality improvement measures and infection control interventions.

Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) after term cesarean delivery: incidence and risk factors at a multi-center academic institution.

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) after Cesarean delivery (CD) and to determine if any factors increase risk of infection. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed at a multi-center institution for patients who underwent CD in 2013. All patients had urinary catheters inserted before surgery. Diagnosis followed IDSA guidelines with culture growing greater than 103 CFU of bacteria per mL with symptoms or symptomatic urinary tract infections treated at provider discretion. Statistical analysis was assessed with Chi-square and Student’s t-test followed by logistic regression. Results: Of 2419 patients, 36 patients developed CAUTI (1.5%). In the 24 (66.7%) cases diagnosed by IDSA guidelines, Escherichia coli was the most common causative organism (54.1%); followed by Enterococcus faecalis (16.7%), Streptococccus agalactiae (8.3%), and Group A Streptococcus (8.3%). Longer operative time (OR 1.013; 95% 1.002–1.023; p = .02) and pregnancies complicated by STI (OR 4.15; 95% CI 1.11–15.0; p < .05) were associated with higher rates of CAUTI. Conclusions: The overall rate of CAUTI after CD was low at 1.5%. Escherichia coli was the most common causative pathogen. Identification of the patients at high risk for CAUTI allows for risk reduction measures.

A model to predict risk of postpartum infection after Caesarean delivery

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study is to build and validate a statistical model to predict infection after caesarean delivery (CD). Methods: Patient and surgical variables within 30 d of CD were collected on 2419 women. Postpartum infection included surgical site infection, urinary tract infection, endomyometritis and pneumonia. The data were split into model development and internal validation (1 January–31 August; N = 1641) and temporal validation subsets (1 September–31 December; N = 778). Logistic regression models were fit to the data with concordance index and calibration curves used to assess accuracy. Internal validation was performed with bootstrapping correcting for bias. Results: Postoperative infection occurred in 8% (95% CI 7.3–9.9), with 5% meeting CDC criteria for surgical site infections (SSI) (95% CI 4.1–5.8). Eight variables were predictive for infection: increasing BMI, higher number of prior Caesarean deliveries, emergent Caesarean delivery, Caesarean for failure to progress, skin closure using stainless steel staples, chorioamnionitis, maternal asthma and lower gestational age. The model discriminated between women with and without infection on internal validation (concordance index = 0.71 95% CI 0.67–0.76) and temporal validation (concordance index = 0.70, 95% CI 0.62, 0.78). Conclusions: Our model accurately predicts risk of infection after CD. Identification of patients at risk for postoperative infection allows for individualized patient care and counseling.

Adverse post-operative outcomes in Jehovah's witnesses with gynecologic cancer within 30 days of surgery: A single institution review of 36 cases

Rates of blood transfusion are reported as high as 32% in women undergoing major gynecologic cancer surgery. Therefore, care of the gynecologic oncology patient who refuses blood products, such as Jehovahs witnesses, can pose a unique challenge. The objective of this study was to determine rate of adverse post-operative outcomes within 30 days of surgery in Jehovahs witnesses with gynecologic cancer. This was a retrospective cohort study of Jehovahs witnesses undergoing laparotomy or minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for gynecologic cancer at a single institution. Data for post-adverse complications within 30 days of surgery were recorded. In total, 36 patients were included with a median age of 58.5 years (32–85 years). The majority had endometrial adenocarcinoma (n = 23; 63.9%) or epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or peritoneal cancer (EOC) (n = 8; 22.2%). 61.1% (n = 22) of patients underwent laparotomy and 38.9% (n = 14) had MIS procedures. 31.8% of laparotomies (n = 7) were terminated prematurely due to surgeon concern for ongoing blood loss. In patients with advanced stage EOC, the rate of suboptimal cytoreduction (> 1 cm) was 50%. In the laparotomy cohort, there were four (18.2%) ICU admissions and two (9.1%) mortalities. The time to adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation was 45.5 days (31–64) for laparotomy compared to 35.0 days (12–64) for MIS. While the majority of patients (97.2%) were unwilling to accept packed red blood cells, over one third (38.9%) were agreeable to autologous blood transfusion. Additionally, five (13.9%) patients were accepting of fresh frozen plasma, six (16.7%) patients were agreeable to cryoprecipitate and seven (19.4%) patients were willing to accept platelet transfusions. There is a high rate of postoperative adverse outcomes among Jehovahs witnesses undergoing laparotomy for gynecologic malignancy compared. Acceptance of blood products is low among Jehovahs witnesses, even in the setting of major oncologic surgery.

Compliance with research standards within gynecologic oncology fellowship: A Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Research Network (GOFRN) study

OBJECTIVES Participation in clinical and basic science research is emphasized in gynecologic oncology training. We sought to identify trends in adherence to expected research practices and reasons for non-adherence among gynecologic oncology fellows. METHODS An anonymous 31-question online survey assessing academic behaviors, including IRB compliance, authorship assignment, data sharing, and potential barriers to non-adherence was distributed to all SGO gynecologic oncology fellow members in July 2016. Descriptive statistics and univariate analyses were performed. RESULTS Of 190 members, 35.3% (n=67) responded. 73% (n=49) of respondents reported personal non-compliance and 79.1% (n=53) reported having witnessed others being non-complaint with at least one expected research practice. Areas of compliance failure included changing a research question without appropriate IRB amendment (20%; n=14), conducting research under a nonspecific IRB (13.9%; n=9), and performing research without IRB approval (6.1%; n=4). Longer institutional time for IRB approval was significantly associated with IRB non-adherence (p<0.05). First year fellows were more likely to use a nonspecific IRB (p=0.04) or expand a question without amending the IRB (p=0.04). When asked about storage of protected health information (PHI) for research, 53% reported non-secure storage with 17.1% (n=6) having done so for >1000 patients. Thirty respondents (45.5%) assigned authorship to someone who failed to meet ICMJE criteria and twelve (18.5%) accepted authorship without meeting ICMJE criteria. Most commonly cited reasons for non-adherence were: cumbersome IRB processes (80.3%), pressure from senior authors (78.8%), fear of someone else publishing first, (74.2%) and lack of support navigating appropriate research practices (71.2%). CONCLUSIONS Fellow non-compliance with expected research practices is high, particularly with regards to secure storage of PHI and appropriate authorship assignment. Time-consuming and cumbersome IRB procedures, perceived pressure from senior authors, and lack of research support contribute to non-adherence. Further support and education of gynecologic oncology fellows is needed in order to help address these barriers.