Influence of cervical cerclage interventions upon the incidence of neonatal death: a retrospective study comparing prophylactic versus rescue cerclages

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of prophylactic and rescue cervical cerclages for pregnant patients with an incompetent cervix, and to assess the neonatal outcomes of both clinical conditions.

METHODS

This was a retrospective observational study of all women who had an elective or rescue cerclage between January 2008 and December 2016 in our institution. Prophylactic cerclage was defined as a cerclage before 16 weeks of gestation, while rescue cerclages were performed between 16 and 23 weeks of gestation.

RESULTS

In total, we analyzed the outcomes of 212 cervical interventions; 71% of the recruited patients experienced prophylactic cerclage, while 29% underwent rescue cerclage. Most of the patients delivered vaginally (70%) and were able to leave the hospital with a healthy newborn (78%). The mean pregnancy prolongation time after cerclage in the prophylactic and rescue groups were 21 weeks and 10 weeks, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Prophylactic cerclage interventions are most likely to be associated with a reduction of fetal demise because of the correlation between fetal prognosis and the gestational age at which cerclage is performed. Once the diagnosis of cervical insufficiency is confirmed, cerclage should be recommended as this will help to prolong the pregnancy.

Prognostic impact of percentage of squamous differentiation in patients with nonbilharzial squamous cell carcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma treated with radical cystectomy

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Background: Squamous differentiation has been reported to occur in 10-22 % of transitional cell carcinoma. The prognostic impact of squamous differentiation is controversial. In addition, it remains unclear whether the percentage of squamous differentiation impact outcome of patients with nonbilharzial squamous cell carcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma treated with radical cystectomy Methods: We performed a retrospective study of patients with non-bilharzial squamous variants or squamous bladder carcinoma treated in two French institutions. The percentage of squamous differentiation was determined by an expert GU pathologist on radical cystectomy specimens. Progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were analyzed according to the percent of squamous differentiation. Survivals were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Results: Forty patients were identified including 28 and 12 patients which tumors were classified as transitional cell carcinomas cases with squamous cell differentiation and pure non-bilharzial squamous bladder carcinoma, respectively. Patients with tumors harboring more than 50% of squamous differentiation had a PFS of 6.3 months as compared to 60.2 months for those with squamous differentiation present in less than 50% (p = 0.014). In multivariate analysis, the percentage of squamous differentiation was the only independent prognostic factor for PFS (HR = 2.63 (IC 95%: 1.22-5.67). First site of recurrence of patients with squamous differentiation ≥50% were more frequently the pelvis (72% versus 17 %; p = 0.049). No difference in CSS were observed between patients with tumors < 50% or ≥50% squamous differentiation (16.3 months versus 62 months) (p = 0.2). Conclusions: Extensive squamous differentiation in bladder cancer is associated with poor PFS and pelvic progression, suggesting that those patients might benefit from adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy. Larger studies are needed to validate these findings.

Abstract P3-01-19: Relationship of axillary total tumor load (TTL) by OSNA (one step nucleic acid amplification) in early breast cancer and clinical outcomes using strict Z0011 study criteria for axilla management

Background: The study of sentinel lymph node (SNL) assessed by OSNA provides a new variable, Total Tumoral Load (TTL).This variable is defined as the amount of CK19 mRNA copies number in all positives SLN. TTL has been showed to predict the axillary node status and has been analysed to determine its usefulness in the axillary surgical management. Based on TTL values different cut-off points have been proposed (last 25.000 copies) to establish a new tool to practice axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). We present the follow-up data of at least 5 years of breast cancer patients who underwent ALND according, strictly, to Z0011 trial criteria. We hypothesized that there will be no correlation between TTL and locoregional relapse if Z0011 are followed.

Methods: Clinicopathological and follow up data were obtained from patients with invasive breast cancer and SLN assessed by OSNA between 2011 and 2012 at Complejo Asistencial de Ávila, Spain. ALND was decided based on Z0011 study criteria independently of TTL. All patients have been followed for a minimun of 5 years.

Results: A total of 106 patients underwent SN assessed by OSNA, age range 27-85 years (mean 58,96). Of them 90% were ductal, 7,5% lobular and 2% others. By inmunophenotype: Luminal A 55%, Luminal B 28%, Triple Negative 9,4%, Her2 positive 3,7% and Luminal B-Her2 positive 2,8%. TTL was equal to zero in 58 cases and greater than zero in 48 cases with a range of 280-2.700.000 copies. Only 5 cases met ALND criteria (average TTL 68.164). Average TTL in cases without ALND was 111.000. For the time being, none of them has had locoregional relapse (median follow up 65 months). 3 patients have died one metastatic desease (Negative SN), one uterine cervix cancer and one neutropenic fever.

Baseline and outcomes dataVARIABLE N%Age, years (median, range) 59 (27-85) Tumour TypeDuctal9690,5 Lobular87,5 Others21,8InmunophenotypeLuminal A5955,6 Luminal B3028,3 Luminal B-Her232,8 Her243,7 Triple Negative109,4Total Tumoral Load (TTL)=05854,7 &gt;04845,2Axillary Lymph Node Dissection (ALND) 254,7TTL &gt;25.000 2321,7Locoregional relapse 00Overall Survival  95,2

Conclusions:

-Using Z0011 criteria and OSNA no locoregional recurrence has been observed so far.

-TTL did not predict risk of recurrence

-If we had based axillary management only on TTL values (i.e higher than 25.000 copies) we would have unnecessarily increased the number of lymphadenectomies in a 22%.

This is an ongoing study that designed to increased the sample size and obtain longer follow-up data.

Citation Format: Tur R, De Grado C, Martin MR, De Castro J, Filipovich E, Segovia B, Ceballos J, Parra J, Revestido R, Alés-Martínez JE. Relationship of axillary total tumor load (TTL) by OSNA (one step nucleic acid amplification) in early breast cancer and clinical outcomes using strict Z0011 study criteria for axilla management [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-01-19.

Long-term oncological outcomes after robotic partial nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma: a prospective multicentre study

PURPOSE

This study aimed at reporting the long-term oncological outcomes of robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

METHODS

Data from all consecutive patients who underwent RAPN for RCC from July 2009 to January 2012 in three departments of urology were prospectively collected. Overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and disease free-survival (DFS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors associated with CSS were sought in univariate analysis. The log-rank test was used for categorical variables and the Cox model for continuous variables.

RESULTS

110 patients were included with a median follow-up of 64.4 months [95% CI = (61.0-66.7)]. Median age was 61 years (29-83) with 62.7% of men and 37.3% of women. Median RENAL score was 6 (4-10) with elective indications accounting for 95% of cases. Out of 27 patients (24.5%) who experienced peri-operative complication, 12 patients (10.9%) had a major complication (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ 3). The TRIFECTA achievement rate was 52.7%. Three patients (2.7%) experienced local recurrence and seven patients (6.4%) progressed to a metastatic disease. 5-year OS, CSS, DFS were 94.9, 96.8, 86.4%, respectively. In univariate analysis, no pre/peri-operative characteristic was associated with DFS. No port-site metastasis was observed and there was one case of peritoneal carcinomatosis.

CONCLUSION

In this multicenter series, long-term OS, DFS and CSS after RPN appeared comparable to large series of open partial nephrectomy, with no port-site metastasis and one case of peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Impact of thyroid autoimmunity in euthyroid women on live birth rate after IUI

Study question

Does thyroid autoimmunity (TAI) predict live birth rate in euthyroid women after one treatment cycle in IUI patients?

Summary answer

TAI as such does not influence pregnancy outcome after IUI treatment.

What is known already

The role of TAI on pregnancy outcome in the case of IVF/ICSI is largely debated in the literature. This is the first study to address this issue in the case of IUI.

Study design, size, duration

This was a retrospective cohort study. A two-armed study design was performed: patients anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO)+ and patients anti-TPO-. All patients who started their first IUI cycle in our fertility center between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014 were included. After exclusion of those patients with or being treated for thyroid dysfunction, 3143 patients were finally included in the study.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

After approval by the institutional review board we retrospectively included all patients who started their first IUI cycle in our center between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014 with follow-up of outcome until 31 December 2015. Patients with clinical thyroid dysfunction were excluded (thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) <0.01 mIU/l; TSH >5 mIU/l) as were patients under treatment with levothyroxine or anti-thyroid drugs. These patients were then divided into two main groups: patients anti-TPO+ and patients anti-TPO- (= control group). Live birth delivery after 25 weeks of gestation was taken as the primary endpoint of our study. As a secondary endpoint, we evaluated differences in live birth delivery after IUI according to different upper limits of preconception TSH thresholds (<2.5 and <5.0 mIU/l). Furthermore, the influence of thyroid function (TSH, free thyroxine (fT4)), anti-TPO status, age, smoking, BMI, parity, ovarian reserve (anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) and FSH), IUI indication and IUI stimulation on live birth rate was analyzed.

Main results and the role of chance

Between-group comparison did not show any significant difference between the anti-TPO+ and anti-TPO- group with respect to live birth delivery-, pregnancy- or miscarriage rate with odds ratio at 1.04 (95% CI: 0.63; 1.69), 0.98 (95% CI: 0.62; 1.55) and 0.74 (95% CI: 0.23; 2.39), respectively. In addition, there were no significant differences in live birth delivery-, pregnancy- or miscarriage rate when comparing subgroups according to TSH level (TSH ≥2.5 mIU/l vs. TSH <2.5 mIU/l) with an odds ratio at 1.05 (95% CI: 0.76; 1.47), 1.04 (95% CI: 0.77; 1.41) and  0.95 (95% CI: 0.47; 1.94), respectively.

Limitations, reasons for caution

This study was powered for the primary aim, live birth rate. The limitations of this study are the absence of region-specific reference ranges for thyroid hormones and the absence of follow-up of TSH values during ART and subsequent pregnancy. Moreover, there was a time difference of 5 months between thyroid assessment and the start of stimulation. The area where the study was conducted corresponds to a mild iodine deficient area and data should be translated with caution to areas with different iodine backgrounds.

Wider implications of the findings

Our findings indicate comparable pregnancy-, abortion- and delivery rates in women with and without TAI undergoing IUI. Moreover, we were unable to confirm a negative effect of TSH level above 2.5 mIU/l on live birth delivery rate. We therefore believe that advocating Levothyroxine treatment at TSH levels between 2.5 and 4 mIU/l needs to be considered with caution and requires further analysis in a prospective cohort study.

Study funding/competing interest(s)

No external funding was used for this study. No conflicts of interest are declared.

Preparation and characterization of injectable PMMA-strontium-substituted bioactive glass bone cement composites

In most minimally-invasive procedures used to address severe pain arising from compression fractures of the vertebral bodies, such as percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP), a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement is used. Shortcomings of this type of cement, such as high exotherm temperature and lack of bioactivity, are well known. We prepared different formulations of a composite bone cement, whose solid constituents consisted of PMMA beads and particles of a bioactive glass (BG), where 0-20%(w/w) of the calcium component was substituted by strontium. The difference between the formulations was in the relative amounts of the solid phase constituents and in the Sr-content of BG. We determined the influence of the mixture of solid phase constituents of the cement formulation on a collection of properties, such as maximum exotherm temperature (T_max ), setting time (t_set ), and injectability (I). The selection of the PMMA beads was crucial to obtain cement composite formulations capable to be efficiently injected. Results allowed to select nine solid phase mixtures to be further tested. Then, we determined the influence of the composition of these composite bone cements on T_max , t_set , I, and cell proliferation. The results showed that the performance of various of the selected composite cements was better than that of PMMA cement reference, with lower T_max , lower t_set , and higher I. We found that incorporation of Sr-substituted BGs into these materials bestows bioactivity properties associated with the role of Sr in bone formation, leading to some composite cement formulations that may be suitable for use in PVP. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1245-1257, 2018.

Efficacy of additional chemotherapy following failure of currently approved therapies in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer

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Background: Approved therapies for patients with castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) include next generation androgen receptor inhibitors as well as taxanes which are given sequentially. After failure of these drugs, physicians may use additional chemotherapy such as carboplatin, paclitaxel, mitoxantrone and vinorelbine. The clinical benefit of these drugs in this setting remains fully unknown. Methods: A retrospective monocentric study of patients treated for CRPC was performed. Presence of metastasis and visceral involvement at diagnosis and at castration resistance, time between start of hormonotherapy and castration resistance were recorded as well as several clinical and biological parameters at start of CRPC first line. The cohort was divided into two groups according to the use of additional chemotherapies following failure of currently approved therapies. Results: Fourty subjects out of 138 cases (28.9%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. At diagnosis, median patients age was 68 years (range, 53-86), median Gleason grade was 8 (6-10) and 53% of them harbored distant metastasis. At castration-resistance stage, 93% were metastatic including 27% out of them wihich harbored visceral involvement. Median overall survival (OS) of patients since castration-resistance was 34.9 months (range, 7.4-88.0). The two groups were comparable in terms of age, PSA level, and Gleason grade. Median OS for patients in the additional chemotherapy group (n = 16) was 42.4 months as compared to 37.3 months in the non additional treatment group (n = 24), with no statistical difference (p = 0.961). Main treatments administered consisted of carboplatin (n = 6), paclitaxel (n = 4) and mitoxantrone (n = 4). PSA response rate (decrease > 50%) obtained with use of additional treatment was 12%. Median progression-free survival was 1.9 months (range, 0.7-13.1) and median overall survival was 4.2 months (range, 2.2-17.8). Conclusions: Our retrospective study suggests that additional treatment after standard treatment failure for CRPC is associated with limited benefit. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of new agents therapies in this setting.

Antitumor activity of abiraterone, enzalutamide, and docetaxel following treatment with diethystilbestrol in castration-resistant prostate cancer

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Background: Docetaxel and Next-Generation Anti-Androgens (NGAA) including abiraterone and enzalutamide represent the standard of treatment for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Treatment sequencing of these agents is a challenge. Recent studies identified cross-resistances between hormonal therapies and taxanes, as well as between different NGAA. In aiming to elucidate whether synthetic oestrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) therapy impacts the efficacy of later-line treatments or not, we evaluated the antitumor activity of NGAA and docetaxel following DES therapy in CRPC patients. Methods: All patients with CRPC treated at Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital in first-line setting with DES from September 1995 to July 2016 were retrospectively identified. We evaluated further activities of abiraterone, enzalutamide and docetaxel in those patients after DES therapy, using Prostate Cancer Working Group 3 criteria. Clinicopathologic characteristics, including age, performans status, metastatic sites at diagnosis and treatments initiation, and data survival were also assessed. Results: Twenty-three patients with CRPC were initially treated with DES with a median time to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression of 9.7 months (range, 4.7-20.3). Thirteen patients(56.5%) received abiraterone or enzalutamide before docetaxel and 21 patients (91.3%) after. Median age at first NGAA initiation was 79 years) range, 55-91). Only one patient (7.7%) achieved a PSA decline before docetaxel and two out of 18 evaluable patients (11.1%) after docetaxel. Median time to PSA progression and overall survival with a NGAA treatment were respectively 2.8 (range, 2.0-4.1) and 16.5 months(range, 4.3-31.0). Fifty percent of patients showed a PSA response with docetaxel. No clinical factors were found to be significantly associated with PSA response to NGAA treatment, nor to docetaxel. Conclusions: The activity of NGAA appears markedly limited after a DES therapy, regardless of the PSA response to docetaxel. These data suggest the likelihood of a cross-resistance mechanism between DES and NGAA, without no impact on taxanes pathways.

Clinical and ultrasound features of benign, borderline, and malignant invasive mucinous ovarian tumors

OBJECTIVE

To compare clinical and sonographic features of benign, borderline, and malignant invasive mucinous ovarian tumors (MOTs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective observational multicenter study comprising 365 women (mean age: 46.1 years) with a histologically confirmed benign, borderline or malignant invasive MOT. Clinical data (patient's age, patient's complaints), tumor markers (CA-125 and CA-1 9.9), and sonographic data (tumor size, bilaterality, morphology -unilocular, multilocular, unilocular-solid, multilocular-solid and solid-, and IOTA color score) were reviewed and compared among these three groups. Women with ultrasound evidence on intra-abdominal disease spread were excluded.

RESULTS

Three hundred seventy-eight MOTs (14 women had bilateral lesions) were analyzed. Histologically, 287 tumors were benign, 51 were borderline, and 40 were malignant. No difference in patient's mean age was observed. Women with borderline or invasive tumors were less frequently asymptomatic. Tumors were larger in case of invasive lesions. Borderline and invasive tumors showed solid components and exhibited IOTA color score 3 or 4, more frequently than benign lesions (p < 0.001). However, the authors discovered that 16 out of 51 (31.4%) of borderline tumors and six out of 40 (15.0%) of invasive cancers had no solid components and a color score 1 or 2, and were considered as a benign lesion by the sonolo- gist. On the other hand, 96 out of 287 (33.4%) benign mucinous cystadenoma exhibited solid components and/or a color score of 3 or 4.

CONCLUSIONS

In spite of statistical differences, the authors observed significant overlapping in ultrasound features among benign, borderline, and invasive ovarian mucinous tumors that renders a difficult accurate preoperative discrimination among these lesions.

La adición de Enterococcus faecium aumenta la respuesta inmune intestinal en cerdos en crecimiento

El destete produce un periodo breve de ayuno y adaptación a una nueva ración sólida, la cual provoca disminución de la supervivencia de los lechones y proliferación de la microbiota patógena. Se ha propuesto la utilización de probióticos, evitando que los seres humanos consuman alimentados tratados con antibióticos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar el efecto de la adición de cepas de probióticos en cerdos en crecimiento sobre las poblaciones celulares del sistema inmune (eosinófilos, basófilos, neutrófilos, monocitos y linfocitos) en intestino delgado. Se sacrificaron 35 lechones escalonadamente los días 1 (21 días de edad), 15 y 30 posdetete, y se extrajo completamente el intestino. Los animales fueron alimentados con dos dietas: dieta comercial con y sin la adición de antibiótico; a esta última se adicionaron los diferentes probióticos (Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus o Enterococcus faecium) en el agua de bebida. Se utilizó un diseño de bloques al azar en un arreglo de parcelas divididas. Los aislamientos realizados a partir de las muestras intestinales de E. faecium presentaron un mayor número de poblaciones celulares del sistema inmune a nivel intestinal (p<0.01). Además, se realizó medición del pH intestinal, el cual presentó una disminución estadística significativa (p<0.01), donde los animales que consumieron E. faecium presentaron los valores más bajos de pH intestinal, frente a aquellos que consumieron la dieta con adición de antibiótico. La adición de la cepa E. faecium en el alimento de lechones recién destetados, estimula el aumento en el número de poblaciones celulares intestinales del sistema inmune y alcanzan una mayor disminución del pH intestinal.

Crecimiento y desarrollo intestinal de aves de engorde alimentadas con cepas probióticas

A través de la alimentación, los animales se exponen a agentes extraños, donde el epitelio intestinal actúa como una barrera natural contra las bacterias y sustancias tóxicas que estén presentes en el lumen intestinal. No obstante, la ingesta de bacterias probióticas podría influir sobre el desarrollo y función de órganos digestivos, específicamente el intestino, mejorando los parámetros fisiológicos, nutricionales e inmunológicos de este. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar diferentes cepas probióticas sobre el crecimiento alométrico y desarrollo intestinal de pollos de engorde durante su etapa productiva. Se utilizaron 125 pollos machos (Cobb) de un día de edad y alimentados con dos dietas: dieta comercial con y sin la adición de antibiótico. Los diferentes probióticos (Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus ó Enterococcus faecium) se suministraron en el agua de bebida de los animales que consumieron la dieta basal sin antibiótico garantizando una concentración de 107 UFC/ml. El diseño estadístico utilizado fue de bloques al azar en arreglo de parcelas divididas. La inclusión de probióticos, específicamente E. faecium, en la alimentación de pollos de engorde mejoraron el peso, desarrollo y crecimiento de órganos de importancia digestiva, específicamente intestino, lo cual se ve reflejado en vellosidades con mayor altura y ancho, y criptas menos profundas (p

Prevalence of alternative diagnoses in patients with suspected uncomplicated renal colic undergoing computed tomography: a prospective study

OBJECTIVES

Unenhanced computed tomography (CT) has become a standard imaging technique for uncomplicated renal colic in many countries. The appropriate timing of CT imaging has not been established, and guidelines recommend that this imaging be performed between 1 and 7 days of presentation. The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of alternative diagnosis identified with low-dose unenhanced CT in the emergency department (ED) in patients with suspected uncomplicated renal colic.

METHODS

This prospective single-centre study was carried out in a large university hospital ED. Over a 6-month period, all patients with clinically diagnosed renal colic and a plan to be discharged underwent low-dose unenhanced CT in the ED. Pregnant women, women of childbearing age not willing to have a pregnancy test, and patients who had already undergone diagnostic imaging were excluded. The primary outcome was the number and nature of the alternative diagnosis. Univariate analyses were performed to assess factors associated with the primary outcome.

RESULTS

A total of 178 patients were screened, and 155 underwent CT in the ED. The mean age was 42.2 years; 69% were male. The diagnosis of uncomplicated renal colic was confirmed in 118 participants (76%); 27 (17%) had an inconclusive CT scan. Overall, 10 patients (6%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3-10) had an alternative diagnosis, 5 of whom were subsequently hospitalized.

CONCLUSION

Low-dose unenhanced CT in the ED detects alternative diagnoses in 6% (95% CI 3-10) of patients with suspected uncomplicated renal colic, half of whom are subsequently hospitalized. Our prospective findings, which were similar to those reported in retrospective studies, are a potential argument for a systematic approach to ED imaging in suspected renal colic. Future research involving intervention and control groups would be helpful.

[Functional outcomes obtained after vesicoureteral reimplantation surgery in adults: A review]

OBJECTIVES

Vesico-ureteral reimplantations (VUR) for adults are complex procedures, often practicing for distal ureteral lesions. Our goal was to synthesis the main indications for VUR, different techniques and their functional outcomes.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A literature review in English by Medline, Embase and Google scholar was performed using the following keywords: ureter; laparoscopy; robotics, reimplantation; surgery; obstruction; morbidity; complications; psoas hitch; Boari flap; ureteroneocystostomy.

RESULTS

In more than half of the cases, aetiology was a iatrogenic ureteral lesion. When the ureteral defect was less than 2 cm, direct or non-refluxing VUR was the technique of choice. If defect was superior than 2 cm the Boari flap or vesicopsoas hitch were preferred. Several surgical approaches were feasible: open, laparoscopic only, robot assisted laparoscopic. Estimated blood loss, pain and mean hospital stay seemed better with conventional or robotic coelioscopy. Nevertheless, complications, pre-/post-operative renal function and mean operative time seemed similar. The most frequent major complication was the anastomotic urine leakage.

CONCLUSIONS

The VUR techniques are well codified now even if it's a rare procedure. Functional outcomes are satisfied according to literature and morbidity is more and more decreasing but the level of evidence of the studies is low.