Standards for gynecologic surgery

Unplanned Reoperation Following Gynaecological Surgeries: A report from Jordan

Objectives

Unplanned return to the operating theatre refers to an unplanned reoperation following a primary surgical procedure and can result in serious complications. The rate of unplanned reoperations is often used as a measure of in-hospital quality monitoring and improvement. This study aimed to review the prevalence rate and features of unplanned gynaecological reoperations at a major general hospital in Jordan.

Methods

This retrospective study took place between January 2011 and January 2018 at The Specialty Hospital in Amman, Jordan. The medical records of all women who underwent unplanned reoperations following a primary gynaecological procedure during this period were reviewed.

Results

A total of 4,895 primary gynaecological procedures were performed during the study period, of which 4,175 (85.3%) were elective and 720 (14.7%) were emergency operations. There were 15 unplanned reoperations (0.3%); of these, 14 (93.3%) followed elective procedures and one (6.7%) followed an emergency surgery. Most reoperations were performed following hysterectomies (53.3%). Bleeding was the predominant reason for reoperation (93.3%), with the source of the bleeding successfully identified in 71.3% of cases. In terms of outcome, none of the cases required a subsequent reoperation and there were no mortalities.

Conclusion

The rate of unplanned reoperation at a hospital in Jordan was 0.3%. Unplanned reoperations occurred primarily as a result of bleeding following hysterectomies. Development of care pathways may reduce surgical complications and rates of unplanned reoperation.

A case report of thrombosed varicosities of pubic collateral veins: Ideal treatment strategy and contribution of era imaging technologies in diagnosis

Collateral circulation is an alternative path occurring in case of venous or artery obstruction. This path may usually develop after primary recanalization. In our case, a 62-year-old woman presented to our Emergency Department complaining about a suprapubic swelling with a cyanotic discoloration of the overlying skin for the past 10 days for which she had been previously prescribed antibiotics. Investigation with ultrasound and contrast-enhanced computed tomography was performed. An imaging study revealed thrombosed pubic varicose collateral veins due to deep vein obstruction and occlusion of the left external iliac vein. The patient was treated with low-molecular-weight heparin, and swelling subsided gradually. Collateral veins of the abdominal wall and over the pubic tubercle are highly predictive of deep venous obstructive disease proximal to the groin level. These collaterals should never be removed, and the patient should be subjected to a diligent laboratory and imaging investigation.