Patients’ awareness of postoperative adhesions: results from a multi-centre study and online survey

Long term follow-up concerning safety and efficacy of novel adhesion prophylactic agent for laparoscopic myomectomy in the prospective randomized ADBEE study

We conducted a prospective randomized single blind - subject study in the University Clinic of Gynecology of Pius-Hospital Oldenburg. The primary objective of the ADBEE study was to assess the safety and manageability of ADBLOCK when used as an adjunct to laparoscopic surgery for the primary of myomas in women wishing to improve pregnancy outcomes. The study population included 32 women aged between 18-45 years, in good general health condition, who have not completed their family planning and who are undergoing primary ('virgin') laparoscopic myomectomy with an aim to improve pregnancy outcomes. The patients were randomized in 2 groups, ADBLOCK arm with 21 patients and surgery only arm with 11 patients. The study was single blind - subject and the investigators were blinded to treatment group assignment until completion of uterine suturing and prior to removal of the endoscope. A vigorous follow-up of subjects was organized, focusing on its two critical characteristics: completeness and duration. Completeness represented the percentage of subjects who returned to every planed follow - up appointments. The patients were evaluated in a specific period of time, which defined the duration of follow-up. Safety of the ADBLOCK was estimated after analyzing and documentation of any adverse events occurred, clinical and physical examination of patients as well as evaluation of laboratory measures. There were 25 adverse events reported in ADBLOCK treatment group and 12 events in NO-ADBLOCK group over the 24-months treatment. All adverse events in both treatment arms were not anticipated, with all events in the ADBLOCK group being resolved. At 28 days, there was no significant difference in proportion of events between the two treatments (p = 0.440). Overall, the number of events reported was low and the severity of events was generally mild with an unlikely or no relationship to treatment. There were no unanticipated device related adverse events seen in both treatment groups over the immediate post-operative period or during the 24 months follow up period. By 12 weeks all patients reported their wound as healing well or healed and at 6 months all wounds were reported as healed. There were no differences between both treatment groups regarding the use of painkillers over 24 months follow up period. This clinical first - in - human study, sustained by a rigorous follow-up of the subjects has demonstrated that ADBLOCK is a safe product, presenting no additional safety risk or burden to the patients over surgery alone. The device was relatively easy to use, with a low device failure rate that had no impact on the surgical procedures.

A European survey on awareness of post-surgical adhesions among gynaecological surgeons

The present survey was conducted among gynaecological surgeons from several European countries to assess the actual knowledge and practice related to post-surgical adhesions and measures for reduction. From September 1, 2012 to February 6, 2013, gynaecological surgeons were invited to answer an 18-item online questionnaire accessible through the ESGE website. This questionnaire contained eight questions on care settings and surgical practice and ten questions on adhesion formation and adhesion reduction. Four hundred fourteen surgeons participated; 70.8 % agreed that adhesions are a source of major morbidity. About half of them declared that adhesions represented an important part of their daily medical and surgical work. About two thirds informed their patients about the risk of adhesion. Most cited causes of adhesions were abdominal infections and extensive tissue trauma, and endometriosis and myomectomy surgery. Fewer surgeons expected adhesion formation after laparoscopy (18.9 %) than after laparotomy (40.8 %); 60 % knew the surgical techniques recommended to reduce adhesions; only 44.3 % used adhesion-reduction agents on a regular basis. This survey gives a broad picture of adhesion awareness amongst European gynaecological surgeons, mainly from Germany and the UK. The participants had a good knowledge of factors causing adhesions. Knowledge of surgical techniques recommended and use of anti-adhesion agents developed to reduce adhesions need to be improved.

Adhesion awareness: a nationwide survey of gynaecologists

OBJECTIVE

Adhesions and related complications lead to substantially increased morbidity and mortality which increase medical costs. We investigated the awareness of adhesions among Dutch gynaecologists and gynaecology residents.

STUDY DESIGN

A survey, assessing knowledge and opinion about adhesions, was sent to a randomly selected group of 381 gynaecologists and 256 residents. In addition, the informed consent process and application of anti-adhesive agents were questioned.

RESULTS

The response rate was 56.9%. Complications due to adhesions were highly underestimated, leading to low knowledge scores (mean score 35.1%). Of all respondents 73.8% agreed that adhesions exert a clinically relevant and negative effect, but only 51.2% expressed a positive opinion on adhesion prevention. This correlated with a stronger belief in the clinically relevant and negative effects of adhesions and the opinion that adhesion prevention belongs to standard care (ρ=0.212, p<0.001; ρ=0.495, p<0.001). Of all respondents 31.4% expressed a positive attitude towards anti-adhesive agents and 19.8% expressed a negative one. A negative attitude correlated with a negative view in terms of cost-benefits (ρ=0.245, p<0.001). Although 43.5% had used anti-adhesive agents in the past year, 20.9% had used them before but stopped using agents in the past year. Only 5.2% routinely included adhesions or related morbidity in the informed consent.

CONCLUSIONS

Awareness of adhesions is limited and informed consent is provided inadequately. Implementing adhesion prevention is related with awareness of adhesions. These findings underline the need to embed adhesions, related morbidity and prevention in educational programmes.

Prevention of adhesions in gynaecological surgery: the 2012 European field guideline

Postoperative adhesions have become the most common complication of open or laparoscopic abdominal surgery and a source of major concern because of their potentially dramatic consequences. The proposed guideline is the beginning of a major campaign to enhance the awareness of adhesions and to provide surgeons with a reference guide to adhesion prevention adapted to the conditions of their daily practice. The risk of postoperative adhesions should be systematically discussed with any patient scheduled for open or laparoscopic abdominal surgery prior to obtaining her informed consent. Surgeons should adopt a routine adhesion reduction strategy with good surgical technique. Anti-adhesion agents are an additional option, especially in procedures with a high risk of adhesion formation, such as ovarian, endometriosis and tubal surgery and myomectomy. We conclude that good surgical practice is paramount to reduce adhesion formation and that anti-adhesion agents may contribute to adhesion prevention in certain cases.

Is Patient Education About Adhesions a Requirement in Abdominopelvic Surgery?

Background: Over the past decades, our knowledge and understanding of adhesions and adhesion-related complications has increasingly grown and it has become evident that adhesions have significant implications for patients, physicians and the healthcare system. The question arises whether this has resulted in greater awareness of adhesion-related problems among practicing physicians and appropriate patient education on this topic in daily practice. The following article provides a brief overview of the important subject of adhesions, discusses current awareness of adhesions among patients and doctors and addresses the consequences of failure to provide patient education and consent from a medical perspective. Methods: Selective literature searches were conducted in PubMed and the Cochrane Library. A patient information and consent form was developed based on several years' experience and expertise in the field of adhesions. Results: Adhesions are the most common type of complication in abdominopelvic surgery today, with devastating consequences for some patients. Surveys investigating the awareness of adhesions among physicians and patients clearly showed that even well-informed physicians fail to educate their patients adequately. Such failure could potentially lead to successful medical malpractice lawsuits against doctors. Conclusion: Considering their clear clinical impact, adhesions and related consequences should always be discussed with patients preoperatively. A newly developed consent form that specifically addresses adhesion formation may serve to thoroughly educate patients preoperatively and to adequately document the process of doing so.

A review of the problematic adhesion prophylaxis in gynaecological surgery

Background

Adhesions lead to considerable patient morbidity and are a mounting burden on surgeons and the health care system alike. Although adhesion formation is the most frequent complication in abdominal and pelvic surgery, many surgeons are still not aware of the extent of the problem. To provide the best care for their patients, surgeons should consistently inform themselves of anti-adhesion strategies and include these methods in their daily routine.

Methods

Searches were conducted in PubMed and The Cochrane Library to identify relevant literature.

Findings

Various complications are associated with adhesion formation, including small bowel obstruction, infertility and chronic pelvic pain. Increasingly, an understanding of adhesion formation as a complex process influenced by many different factors has led to various conceivable anti-adhesion strategies. At present, a number of different anti-adhesion agents are available. Although some agents have proved effective in reducing adhesion formation in randomised controlled trials, none of them can completely prevent adhesion formation.

Conclusion

To fulfil our duty to provide best possible care for our patients, it is now time to regard adhesions as the most common complication in surgery. Further research is needed to fully understand adhesion formation and to develop new strategies for adhesion prevention. Large clinical efficacy trials of anti-adhesion agents will make it easier for surgeons to decide which agent to use in daily routine.