Revaz Botchorishvili

The learning curve of total laparoscopic hysterectomy: comparative analysis of 1647 cases.

STUDY OBJECTIVE To compare the frequency of complications of total laparoscopic hysterectomy performed in the first and more recent years of our experience, and based on that, offer ways to prevent them. DESIGN Retrospective, comparative study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING University tertiary referral center for endoscopic surgery. PATIENTS During 1989-1995 and 1996-1999, 695 and 952 women, respectively, with benign pathology. INTERVENTION Total laparoscopic hysterectomy. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS No differences in patient characteristics were found between 1989-1995 and 1996-1999. Substantial decreases in major complication rates were noted, 5.6% and 1.3%, respectively. No major vessel injury occurred. Excessive hemorrhage (1.9%) and need for blood transfusion (2.2%) during the first period were statistically higher than in the second period (both 0.1%, p <0.005). Urinary complications (2.2%) including 10 bladder lacerations, 4 ureter injuries, and 1 vesicovaginal fistula occurred more frequently in the first period than in the second period (0.9%), when 6 bladder and 2 ureter lacerations and 1 vesicovaginal fistula occurred (p <0.005). One bowel injury and one bowel obstruction occurred in the first period, but no bowel complications in the second. Between periods, 33 (4.7%) and 8 (1.4%) conversions to laparotomy were necessary. During the first period there were nine reoperations; of six laparotomies, four were due to urinary injuries, one due to heavy vaginal bleeding, and one due to a vesicovaginal fistula; three diagnostic laparoscopies were required due to postoperative abdominal pain. Three reoperations during the second period were two laparoscopies due to heavy vaginal bleeding and one laparotomy due to a vesicovaginal fistula (p <0.005). Statistically significant differences in median (range) uterine weight 179.5 g (22-904 g) and 292.0 g (40-980 g) and operating times 115 minutes (40-270 min) and 90 minutes (40-180 min), respectively, were recorded (p <0.005). CONCLUSION Laparoscopic hysterectomy was safe, effective, and reproducible after training, and with current technique, had a low rate of complications.

Laparoscopic management of adnexal masses: a gold standard?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW To review recent literature on the laparoscopic management of adnexal masses, when this approach may be considered as a gold standard. RECENT FINDINGS Cyst rupture was recently demonstrated to be a significant prognostic factor in stage I invasive epithelial carcinoma, and it was recommended to restrict the laparoscopic approach to patients with preoperative evidence that the cyst was benign. The laparoscopic approach is still highly controversial in masses suspicious at ultrasound. The limits of the laparoscopic approach are discussed reviewing recent literature and our experience. The laparoscopic management of adnexal masses appears to be safe in most hospitals even in developing countries. This approach is being used with increasing frequency in unusual indications such as newborns, children, adolescents and pregnant women. The learning curve for endoscopic surgery appears to be longer than expected. Many patients with benign adnexal masses, such as ovarian endometrioma, are still treated by laparotomy or with an inadequate endoscopic technique. Several studies have suggested that the stripping technique is a tissue-sparing procedure. SUMMARY The laparoscopic puncture of malignant ovarian tumours confined to the ovaries is uncommon, and should be avoided whenever possible. The teaching of endoscopy is essential to promote adequate procedures performed according to the principles of microsurgery and to preserve postoperative ovarian physiology.

Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy for Very Enlarged Uteri

STUDY OBJECTIVE To evaluate short-term outcome of total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) performed in women with very enlarged uteri. DESIGN Case control study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING Hospital gynecologic service. PATIENTS Thirty-four consecutive women with very enlarged uteri. INTERVENTION Total laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign pathology. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Women with uterine enlargement (group 1) were compared with 68 women with uteri weighing 300 g or less (group 2) who underwent TLH during the same period. Matching was based on patient age +/- 2 years, surgeon (experienced senior, fellow), whether or not Burch operation was performed, and whether or not adnexectomy was performed. The groups were compared for complication rates, operating time, hospital stay, change in perioperative hemoglobin concentration, and vaginal and laparoscopic uterine morcellation. They did not differ statistically significantly in terms of indications for surgery, parity, postmenopausal status, and preoperative hemoglobin levels. No difference was seen in complication rates between groups. Operating time was significantly shorter (p <0.001) in women with smaller uteri than in those with very enlarged uteri, 108 +/- 35 and 156 +/- 50 minutes, respectively. The groups did not differ significantly in day 1 hemoglobin level drop, analgesia requirement (oral, intravenous opioid), time to passing gas and stool, or hospital stay. No conversion to laparotomy was required in either group. CONCLUSION A very enlarged uterus should not be considered a contraindication for TLH. However, it may be necessary to undertake certain surgical steps to ensure optimal exposure of the operative field and more effective and safer excision of the uterine vascular pedicle.

“Iatrogenic” Parasitic Myomas: Unusual Late Complication of Laparoscopic Morcellation Procedures

STUDY OBJECTIVE To describe our experience in diagnosing and managing parasitic myomas developing as an unexpected late complication of laparoscopic morcellation. DESIGN Observational study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). SETTING University hospital. PATIENTS Retrospective chart review of all patients found to have parasitic myomas that developed after previous morcellation. INTERVENTION Laparoscopic morcellation. Review of the recent literature correlated with clinical, surgical, and pathologic features of our cases. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Four patients had heterogeneous pelvic masses after morcellation. In 3 patients, symptoms developed between 2 and 16 years after the primary surgery. One patient had no symptoms, and was referred because of a suspect pelvic mass. Vaginal examination revealed painful pelvic masses in the pouch of Douglas in 2 patients, and painless masses fixed to the vaginal vault and anterior vaginal wall, respectively, in the other 2 patients. Laparoscopic examination confirmed the presence of parasitic masses in 3 patients. In 1 patient, the mass was excised vaginally. Histologic analysis confirmed leiomyoma fragments in all patients. A well-differentiated endometrial carcinoma was incidentally found in 1 patient after hysterectomy. CONCLUSION These masses probably resulted from growth of missed fragments of uterine tissue after previous morcellation, culminating in development of symptomatic iatrogenic parasitic myomas. If morcellation is anticipated or required, exclusion of malignancy is mandatory. Meticulous inspection of the abdominal cavity is necessary after morcellation. In patients with a history of morcellation who have pelvic masses, iatrogenic parasitic myomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Tumor Growth and Dissemination After Laparotomy and CO2 Pneumoperitoneum: A Rat Ovarian Cancer Model ☆

OBJECTIVE To compare tumor growth, intraperitoneal implantation, and abdominal wall metastasis after laparotomy and CO2 pneumoperitoneum in a rat ovarian cancer model. METHODS To mimic intraoperative rupture of an ovarian tumor in a syngenic rat ovarian carcinoma model, 10(5) malignant cells were injected intraperitoneally after a 5-cm vertical midline laparotomy or after the insufflation of a CO2 pneumoperitoneum achieved with 4 mmHg or 10 mmHg intra-abdominal pressure. Two weeks later, the intraperitoneal tumor growth and the tumor dissemination were evaluated semiquantitatively with a scoring system. The scores attributed to each organ were added to calculate the dissemination score of each animal. RESULTS The mean (+/-SD) dissemination score was 83.4+/-12 in the laparotomy group and 67.3+/-16 and 71.9+/-17 in the 4 and 10 mmHg CO2 pneumoperitoneum groups, respectively (P < .01). The scores for the peritoneum were 21.8+/-3.8 in the 10 mmHg pneumoperitoneum group and 18+/-2.4 in the laparotomy group (P < .01). In the laparotomy group, the implant found along the midline scar accounted for a mean of 62.6+/-15% of the peritoneal score, whereas the trocar site metastases did not influence the peritoneal score in the pneumoperitoneum groups. The incidence of wound metastasis was 96% in the laparotomy group and 55% and 54% in the 4 mmHg and 10 mmHg pneumoperitoneum groups, respectively. CONCLUSION In this model, tumor growth was greater after laparotomy than after laparoscopy, but peritoneal tumor dissemination was more severe after CO2 pneumoperitoneum.

Risk of spread of ovarian cancer after laparoscopic surgery.

The incidence of the spread of ovarian cancer after laparoscopic surgery is difficult to establish from the current literature. The prognosis incidence of a trocar site metastasis without peritoneal dissemination is not known. Data from general surgeons in prospective studies from a single institution suggested that in colon cancer the risk is low, whereas it seems to be much higher in multicentric studies of undiagnosed gallbladder cancer. Experimental studies suggested that laparoscopy has advantages and disadvantages. However, the risk of dissemination is high when a large number of malignant cells and a carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum are present, a situation encountered when managing adnexal tumours with large vegetations. Animal studies will allow the development of a peritoneal environment adapted to the treatment of cancer. The ovary is an intraperitoneal organ and ovarian cancer a peritoneal disease, so the risk of peritoneal spread may be higher in ovarian cancer than in other gynecological cancers. A careful preoperative evaluation appears to be the best way to prevent these risks. It should also be used to choose which patient should be operated by which surgical team. The second step is a careful and cautious laparoscopic diagnosis, so that more than 98% of ovarian cancers encountered can be treated immediately and effectively. The laparoscopic management of ovarian cancer remains controversial; it should be performed only in prospective clinical trials. Until the results of such studies become available, an immediate vertical midline laparotomy remains the gold standard if a cancer is encountered.

Incidence of intraabdominal adhesions in a continuous series of 1000 laparoscopic procedures

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was the laparoscopic evaluation of the incidence of intraabdominal adhesions related to prior abdominal surgery. STUDY DESIGN This was a prospective monocentric study including a continuous series of 1000 gynecologic laparoscopic procedures. Data were collected on history of abdominal surgery. A precise initial description of intraoperative adhesions was performed. RESULTS Six hundred thirty-seven of the 1000 procedures (63.7%) were performed in patients with a history of 1 or more than 1 abdominal surgery. Intraoperative adhesions were found in 211 of the 1000 subjects (21.10%). Fifty-nine of the 211 cases (28%) involved bowel loops. The prior indication for surgery did not seem to influence adhesion formation. The rate of intestinal adhesions significantly increased with the number of prior abdominal surgeries. The rate of intestinal adhesions was significantly higher in cases of prior midline incisions in comparison with the other incisions. CONCLUSION Extensive preoperative knowledge of prior surgery is essential to evaluate the risk of adhesion formation.

Frozen Section in Laparoscopic Management of Macroscopically Suspicious Ovarian Masses

STUDY OBJECTIVE To study the usefulness of and applications for frozen section in the laparoscopic management of adnexal masses. DESIGN Historical prospective study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). SETTING Large tertiary care hospital with university affiliation. PATIENTS One hundred forty-one women undergoing laparoscopy for a suspicious adnexal mass. INTERVENTION Adnexal masses suspicious on ultrasound were managed by laparoscopy. After laparoscopic diagnosis, frozen sections were used to confirm a diagnosis of malignancy. Treatment was performed by laparoscopy whenever feasible. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS The results of frozen section were compared with the results of permanent sections, and the consequences of the intraoperative diagnosis on the surgical management were evaluated. The frozen section diagnosis was correct in 125 of the 141 patients (88.7%). In one patient, the result was false negative. Specifically, frozen section diagnosis was correct in 96.8% of cases when a cyst or biopsy was sent for pathologic examination and in 86.4% when the whole adnexa was sent. It was correct in 93% of the cases involving tumors smaller than 100 mm and in 74% of larger tumors. It was correct in 92.3% of the women younger than 50 years and in 81.6% of women older than age 50. Intraoperative pathologic diagnosis was correct in 95.5% of benign tumors, 77.8% of low-malignancy tumors, and 75% of cancer cases. CONCLUSION Frozen section is a useful examination for surgical management decision making; however, the limitations and the difficulties should be taken into account.

Excision of the posterior vaginal fornix is necessary to ensure complete resection of rectovaginal endometriotic nodules of more than 2 cm in size

The minimum distance between the vaginal mucosal epithelium and the endometriotic glands was <1,000 microm in 30 patients (49.2%), <2,000 microm in 44 patients (72.1%), and <5,000 microm in 60 patients (98.4%). Our findings provided histologic evidence that excision of the posterior vaginal fornix was necessary to completely remove large rectovaginal endometriotic nodules.

Educational Value of an Intensive and Structured Interval Practice Laparoscopic Training Course for Residents in Obstetrics and Gynecology: A Four-Year Prospective, Multi-Institutional Recruitment Study

OBJECTIVE To assess the educational value of an ongoing interval practice laparoscopy training program among obstetrics and gynecology residents. DESIGN Prospective cohort, multi-institutional recruitment study. We conducted structured laparoscopic training sessions for residents, using both inanimate and porcine models. The 6-day course was separated into two 3-day long modules conducted 2 months apart. A prospective evaluation of standardized tasks was performed using validated scales. Residents performance was compared using the Student t test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test when appropriate. SETTING International Center of Endoscopic Surgery (CICE), Clermont-Ferrand, France. PARTICIPANTS 191 PGY2 or PGY3 residents from different institutions. RESULTS Significant improvement in time and technical scores for both laparoscopic suturing and porcine nephrectomy was noted (p < 0.0001). After 2 months, we found no improvement in suturing time (p = 0.59) or technical scores (p = 0.62), and significant technical deterioration was observed for the right hand (p = 0.02). Porcine nephrectomy improvement remained significant after 2 months (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Despite significant short-term educational value of interval practice in laparoscopic performance, some acquired skills seem to deteriorate faster than anticipated.