William P. Irvin

Minimizing the risk of neurologic injury in gynecologic surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The association of intraoperative neurologic injuries with gynecologic surgical procedures is well established. The sequelae of such injuries are usually transient and resolve with minimal intervention, although long-term disability can and does occasionally occur. The purpose of this study was to examine the mechanisms by which these injuries occur in order to reduce the risk of their occurrence. DATA SOURCES: A MEDLINE search was performed cross-referencing the index terms “neurological injury” and “gynecological surgery,” from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 2002. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: This article, based on the data and results (Level I–III) obtained from the MEDLINE search, examined the most common neurologic injuries that occur in association with abdominal and vaginal surgical procedures routinely performed by gynecologists. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: Neurologic injuries after pelvic surgery all generally share a common etiology, specifically injury to one or more components of the lumbosacral nerve plexus. Three major factors that predispose to neurologic injury at the time of gynecological surgery are 1) the improper placement or positioning of self-retaining or fixed retractors, particularly those with deep lateral retractor blades; 2) improper positioning of patients in lithotomy position preoperatively; and 3) radical surgical dissection resulting in autonomic nerve disruption. Level I data strongly implicate the improper placement of self-retaining or fixed retractors as the most common cause of femoral nerve injury arising in association with abdominal surgical procedures. CONCLUSION: A thorough understanding of the anatomy of the lumbosacral nerve plexus and the mechanisms by which operative injuries to this plexus occur will enable the gynecologic surgeon to reduce the subsequent risk of their occurrence in his or her own surgical practice.

Effects of Adjunctive Swedish Massage and Vibration Therapy on Short-Term Postoperative Outcomes: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of adjunctive postoperative massage and vibration therapy on short-term postsurgical pain, negative affect, and physiologic stress reactivity. DESIGN Prospective, randomized controlled trial. The treatment groups were: (1) usual postoperative care (UC); (2) UC plus massage therapy; or (3) UC plus vibration therapy. SETTING The University of Virginia Hospital Surgical Units, Gynecology-Oncology Clinic, and General Clinical Research Center. SUBJECTS One hundred and five (N = 105) women who underwent an abdominal laparotomy for removal of suspected cancerous lesions. INTERVENTIONS All patients received UC with analgesic medication. Additionally, the massage group received standardized 45-minute sessions of gentle Swedish massage on the 3 consecutive evenings after surgery and the vibration group received 20-minute sessions of inaudible vibration therapy (physiotones) on the 3 consecutive evenings after surgery, as well as additional sessions as desired. OUTCOME MEASURES Sensory pain, affective pain, anxiety, distress, analgesic use, systolic blood pressure, 24-hour urine free cortisol, number of postoperative complications, and days of hospitalization. RESULTS On the day of surgery, massage was more effective than UC for affective (p = 0.0244) and sensory pain (p = 0.0428), and better than vibration for affective pain (p = 0.0015). On postoperative day 2, massage was more effective than UC for distress (p = 0.0085), and better than vibration for sensory pain (p = 0.0085). Vibration was also more effective than UC for sensory pain (p = 0.0090) and distress (p = .0090). However, after controlling for multiple comparisons and multiple outcomes, no significant differences were found. CONCLUSIONS Gentle Swedish massage applied postoperatively may have minor effects on short-term sensory pain, affective pain, and distress among women undergoing an abdominal laparotomy for removal of suspected malignant tissues.

Abdominal tuberculosis mimicking metastatic ovarian carcinoma

A resurgence of abdominal tuberculosis has occurred recently, although it was formerly a relatively infrequent disease in the United States. Individuals with the greatest risk of tuberculosis are those with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); immigrants from high AIDS prevalence regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Haiti; the urban poor; the homeless; and the elderly, particularly those in nursing homes. The symptoms and signs of abdominal tuberculosis can be nonspecific. Given its resurgence, this disease must be considered in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain, mass, and ascites.

Cervical cancer and human papillomavirus in indigenous Guyanese women.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of cervical disease, human papillomavirus infection, and human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes in indigenous villages of Guyana. STUDY DESIGN This is a retrospective analysis of a clinical cervical cancer screening and treatment program: 2250 women underwent cytologic screening; 1423 women were concomitantly screened for HPV. HPV genotyping was performed in 45 women with high-grade dysplasia and in 9 women with cervical carcinoma. RESULTS We found invasive cervical carcinoma in 0.80% of the women, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia II and III in 5.07% of the women, and a high-risk HPV infection rate in 19.3% of the women, all of which peaked between the ages of 20-30 years. Sixteen genotypes were detected in women with high-grade dysplasia or cancer: HPV 31, 25.0%; HPV 16, 22.7%; HPV 18, 13.6%. The rate of HPV 16 and 18 in cervical cancer was 55.50%. CONCLUSION Indigenous Guyanese women have a high rate of cervical cancer and high-grade dysplasia, with an apparent predominance of HPV 16 and 18 in invasive cancer and overrepresentation of HPV 31 in high-grade dysplasia.