Fertility outcomes after laparoscopic salpingectomy or salpingotomy for tubal ectopic pregnancy: A retrospective cohort study of 95 patients

The impact of systemic methotrexate and surgical management on fertility preservation in tubal ectopic pregnancy among Saudi women

BACKGROUND

The impact of various management plans on subsequent fertility after tubal ectopic pregnancy (EP) is not well known. The objective of the present study was an evaluation of the subsequent fertility outcome among women with EP managed either surgical or medical with systemic methotrexate or medical management followed by surgical one.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was done by reviewing of medical records of all women diagnosed with EP at King Faisal Military Hospital, Southern Region, Saudi Arabia throughout the period from January 2015 to December 2016 provided that they were hemodynamic stable, with starting βhCG level less than 10000 IU/L, and adnexal mass less than 5 cm. These cases were followed for four years from January 2017 to December 2020.

RESULTS

The study included 85 women with EP. Their mean age was 31.3 ± 6.7 years. Medical management (systemic Methotrexate) was followed in 48.2% of cases whereas surgical management was applied for 43.5% of them while medical management followed by surgical one was seen in 8.2% of cases. Complete follow-up throughout 2017-2020 was available for 52 women. A history of recurrent EP was observed among 3 women (5.8%). Most of them (75%) had a viable pregnancy. There was no statistically significant association between the method of management of EP and subsequent fertility, although the rate of normal pregnancy (intrauterine viable pregnancy ≥ 24 weeks which is the age of viability at our hospital) was higher among those managed surgically or by medical followed by surgical management than those managed medical only (84.6% and 100% vs. 62.5%).

CONCLUSION

Although the normal pregnancy rate was higher among those managed surgically or by medical followed by surgical management than those managed medically only, this was not statistically significant.

Reproductive outcomes after expectant and surgical management for tubal pregnancy: a retrospective study

Background: The management of ectopic pregnancy is widely debated. Salpingectomy, salpingostomy, and expectant management are widely performed, but the best approach in terms of keeping good future spontaneous fertility chances is yet to be determined. Material and methods: We performed a retrospective analysis (Clinical Trial ID: NCT05479786) of the medical records of patients with an ultrasonographic or surgical diagnosis of tubal ectopic pregnancy that were admitted to the University of Debrecen Clinical Centre between 2012 and 2020. Results: A total of 312 patients were included in the analysis. Patients managed expectantly and patients treated with salpingostomy had significantly higher rates of clinical pregnancy than patients treated with salpingectomy. Pregnancy outcomes and recurrence rates were comparable between the study groups. Salpingectomy was found to decrease the likelihood of conceiving spontaneously by 65%. A stratified analysis based on serum β-HCG levels demonstrated that all treatment modalities carry the same reproductive opportunities for patients presenting with β-HCG levels ≤ 1745 IU/L. Conclusion: Salpingectomy was found to decrease the patient's chance of achieving a natural conception. Conservative approaches should be considered with caution only when the patient's clinical condition permits, and the patient is appropriately counseled.

Successful Ultrasound-Guided Methotrexate Intervention in the Treatment of Heterotopic Interstitial Pregnancy: A Case Report and Literature Review

PURPOSE

This study aims to share the experience of minimally invasive ultrasound-guided methotrexate intervention in the treatment of heterotopic interstitial pregnancy (HIP) with good pregnancy outcomes, and to review the treatment, pregnancy outcomes, and impact on the future fertility of HIP patients.

METHODS

The paper describes the medical history, clinical manifestations, treatment history, and clinical prognosis of a 31-year-old woman with HIP, and reviews cases of HIP from 1992 to 2021 published in the PubMed database.

RESULTS

The patient was diagnosed with HIP by transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) at 8 weeks after assisted reproductive technology. The interstitial gestational sac was inactivated by ultrasound-guided methotrexate injection. The intrauterine pregnancy was successfully delivered at 38 weeks of gestation. Twenty-five HIP cases in 24 studies published on PubMed from 1992 to 2021 were reviewed. Combined with our case, there were 26 cases in total. According to these studies, 84.6% (22/26) of these cases were conceived by in vitro fertilization embryo transfer, 57.7% (15/26) had tubal disorders, and 23.1% (6/26) had a history of ectopic pregnancy; 53.8% (14/26) of the patients presented with abdominal pain and 19.2% (5/26) had vaginal bleeding. All cases were confirmed by TVUS. In total, 76.9% (20/26) of intrauterine pregnancies had a good prognosis (surgery vs. ultrasound interventional therapy 1:1). All fetuses were born without abnormalities.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnosis and treatment of HIP remain challenging. Diagnosis mainly relies on TVUS. Interventional ultrasound therapy and surgery are equally safe and effective. Early treatment of concomitant heterotopic pregnancy is associated with high survival of the intrauterine pregnancy.

Comparisons of Fertility Outcomes Following a Salpingectomy and a Salpingotomy with or Without Suturing for a Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy

Objective

This study aimed to compare fertility outcomes in patients who underwent different laparoscopic surgeries and to determine the most beneficial surgical treatment for tubal ectopic pregnancy (EP) patients who wished to become pregnant in the future.

Methods

In this retrospective study, patients aged 18–36 years, who had been diagnosed with a tubal EP in our hospital, were enrolled. Based on the treatment methods, the patients were divided into three groups, ie a salpingectomy group, a salpingotomy with suturing group and a salpingotomy without suturing group. The follow-up time for the enrolled patients was more than three years. Serum beta (β)-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) levels were monitored after surgery. The intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) rate at 12, 24 and 36 months postoperatively, and recurrent EP rate were compared.

Results

The median time for β-HCG level returning to normal in the salpingectomy group was much shorter than in the salpingotomy with suturing or salpingotomy without suturing groups (P < 0.001). The 12, 24 and 36-month IUP rates among the three groups were not significantly different. A recurrent EP was found in only one patient in the salpingotomy with suturing group and two patients in the salpingotomy without suturing group.

Conclusion

In this study, we found that salpingectomy and salpingotomy with or without suturing methods reflected no significant differences in fertility outcomes for tubal EP patients.

Time to pregnancy in women with previous ectopic pregnancy undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment: a retrospective cohort study

We aimed to investigate the difference in the time to pregnancy (TTP) between women with previous ectopic pregnancy (EP) and control women following in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment and the association between TTP and the number of oocytes retrieved and embryos available. A retrospective study involving 1097 women, 547 of which had previous EP and 550 were control women whose previous pregnancy were abortion, was conducted. Women in the EP group had significantly longer median TTP than those in the control group (36; range, 12–252 vs 28; range, 12–220; P = 0.019). For women with previous EP, > 48 months TTP was most likely associated with low numbers of oocytes retrieved and embryos available compared to TTP of ≤ 24 months or 25–48 months, and women with younger age had a shorter TTP, higher numbers of oocytes retrieved and embryos available. A Cox proportional hazards model showed that maternal age was significantly related to the pregnancy over the TTP (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.934; P < 0.001). In conclusion, women with previous EP have a significantly increased TTP than control women with previous abortion. For women with previous EP, TTP is negatively associated with the numbers of oocytes retrieved and embryos available.

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Surgical Treatment of Ectopic Pregnancy with Salpingectomy versus Salpingostomy

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the fertility outcomes of salpingectomy compared with those of salpingostomy among patients treated for tubal ectopic pregnancies, including a separate analysis of women with risk factors along with a review of the surgical technique.

DATA SOURCES

Systematic review and meta-analysis from 1990 to the present through PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Ovid MEDLINE. The search string included "tubal pregnancy" or "ectopic" as well as "salpingectomy" and various terms describing salpingotomy.

METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION

Articles studying women who underwent surgical management of an ectopic pregnancy and the contrasted outcomes of salpingectomy vs salpingostomy were reviewed. The primary outcomes included subsequent intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) and repeat ectopic pregnancy (REP).

TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS

Two randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which consisted mostly of patients classified as low risk, and patients from 16 cohort studies were included. In the RCTs, there was no significant difference in the odds of subsequent IUP in patients who underwent a salpingectomy compared with those who were treated with salpingotomy (odds ratio [OR] 0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.71-1.33). However, a significant and clinically meaningful difference was noted in the cohort studies, with the patients having a lower chance of IUP after salpingectomy (OR 0.45; 95% CI, 0.39-0.52). No significant difference was noted in the OR for a REP in the randomized trials (OR 0.77; 95% CI, 0.41-1.47), but the patients followed in the cohort studies had a cumulatively higher risk of REP after a salpingostomy (OR 0.73; 95% CI, 0.60-0.90). The subgroup analysis examining women within the studies with risk factors for tubal pathology found an even more impressive lowering in the odds of a subsequent IUP in patients classified as at-risk who were treated with salpingectomy (OR 0.30; 95% CI, 0.17-0.54), with a change in the direction of the odds for an REP rate favoring those who were treated with salpingostomy (OR 1.96; 95% CI, 0.88-4.35).

CONCLUSION

Salpingectomy has clear advantages over salpingostomy, and RCTs consisting mainly of patients classified as low risk show no difference in outcomes between salpingectomy and salpingostomy. However, in cohort studies inclusive of all patients, the likelihood of a subsequent spontaneous IUP is decreased in patients treated with salpingectomy, and salpingostomies may be especially underused in women with risk factors for tubal disease.

Fertility and reproductive outcome after tubal ectopic pregnancy: comparison among methotrexate, surgery and expectant management

Purpose

To compare fertility and reproductive outcome after surgical, medical, and expectant management for tubal ectopic pregnancy (EP).

Methods

133 of 228 patients, who were managed between January 2012 and December 2017 for a tubal EP, tried to conceive immediately after treatment: 86 out of 173 (49.7%) underwent surgical treatment; 38 (21.9%) were treated with methotrexate (MTX), and 49 (28.3%) had expectant management. Clinical data were retrieved by medical records, fertility outcomes were obtained by phone follow-up. The cumulative incidence (CI) of intrauterine clinical pregnancy (CP), miscarriage, live birth (LB), and recurrent EP, and the time between treatment and first intrauterine CP were compared between women treated with MTX, surgery and expectant management.

Results

The CI of intrauterine CP starting from 12 months after the EP was 65.3% for the expectant management, 55.3% for the MTX group, and 39.5% for surgery (p = 0.012). Post-hoc analysis showed expectant management having higher intrauterine CP and LB, and shorter time between treatment and first intrauterine CP compared to surgery (p < 0.05). The CI of recurrent EP was comparable between the 3 groups. The analysis stratified per βhCG cut-off of 1745 mUI/mL and EP mass cut-off of 25 mm reported consistent results.

Conclusions

Women successfully managed by expectation appear to have better reproductive outcomes compared to women who underwent surgery, with the shortest time to achieve a subsequent intrauterine CP. Therefore, if safely applicable the expectant management should be considered in the case of tubal EP. The fact that the chosen treatment was primarily guided by the βhCG value and EP mass diameter based on the protocol, which is intrinsically related to the characteristics of the EP, represents the main limitation of the present study. Indeed, we cannot completely exclude that the observed differences between treatments are related to the EP itself instead of the treatment.

Predictive value of serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin for early pregnancy outcomes

PURPOSE

To evaluate the relationship between serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) levels and early pregnancy outcomes in women who became pregnant using assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs).

METHODS

In this study, we retrospectively analyzed 523 pregnancies after ART use, with respect to the early clinical outcomes based on the serum β-HCG levels. The significance of using serum β-HCG levels to predict outcomes in early pregnancy was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and cutoff values of serum β-HCG.

RESULTS

We found that elevated serum β-HCG levels resulted in decreased biochemical pregnancy rates, increased multiple rates, and decreased ongoing and ectopic pregnancy rates. The cutoff values of serum β-HCG levels for the prediction of biochemical pregnancy were 213.15 IU/L, 986.65 IU/L, and 2206.5 IU/L for singletons, multiples, and twins or triplets, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The serum β-HCG level 14 or 12 days after D3 or D5 embryo transfer (conducted 3 or 5 days after oocyte retrieval), respectively, predicts biochemical/clinical pregnancy and singleton/multiple pregnancy with robust sensitivity and specificity.

The Significant Risk Factors of Intra-Operative Hemorrhage during Laparoscopic Myomectomy: A Systematic Review

Laparoscopic myomectomy (LM) is becoming increasingly common in the management of uterine myomas and is usually offered regardless of the number, location, and size of the myomas. It has a generally low rate of periprocedural complications and is preferred to laparotomy for several reasons that are not limited to decreased length of hospital stay, number of sutures, smaller incisions, and decreased pain. However, blood loss during LM remains a challenge. To be able to stratify patients and provide better management after LM, it is crucial to identify these predictors of blood loss. Therefore, the aim of this review was to identify the risk factors for periprocedural blood loss after laparoscopic uterine myomectomy. According to our data synthesis, age, body mass index, and phase of the menstrual cycle do not seem to affect the blood loss during LM. Conversely, size and number of myomas, as well as operative time, was directly related to the increase of blood loss.

Efficacy and safety of laparoscopy versus local injection with absolute ethanol in the management of tubal ectopic pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficacy and safety between laparoscopy and local injection with absolute ethanol (AE) for treating tubal ectopic pregnancy (EP).

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study of ectopic pregnancies in the fallopian tube from two tertiary hospitals between January 2015 and December 2017. Clinical information such as presenting symptoms, reproductive history, possible risk factors, initial diagnosis, serum beta-human chor-ionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) level, transvaginal ultrasonography findings, methods of treatment and outcomes were reviewed and analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 119 patients were identified for this study. The diagnosis was based on clinical manifestations, ultrasonography scan and dynamic serum β-HCG. 71.4% of women (85/119) had at least one risk factor for ectopic pregnancy, with the most common risk factors being a history of induced labor, uterine curettage, spontaneous abortion or tubal pregnancy. 64 patients were managed by laparoscopic surgery (Group A) and 2 subjects were failure and followed by a systemic methotrexate (MTX) prescription. The other 55 patients had local injection with absolute ethanol, of which 9 cases failed, followed by a second local injection and intramuscular MTX. The HCG decrease rate post absolute ethanol injection was a value predictive factor for prognosis. Moreover, the pregnancy rate one-year post treatment in local injection subjects (10/55, 18.2%) was higher than that of surgical subjects (5/64, 7.8%).

CONCLUSION

Local injection of absolute ethanol and laparoscopic surgery for tubal ectopic pregnancy are both effective and relatively safe, but laparoscopic surgery has better efficacy and shorten hospitalization day. Local injection may be less invasiveness and thus beneficial to fertility preservation.