Bowel and Bladder Injury Repair and Follow-up After Gynecologic Surgery

Characteristics and management of iatrogenic urinary tract injuries in teaching hospital: A single-centered study

Context and Aims

Despite its rarity, iatrogenic urinary tract injury can cause severe morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of urinary tract injuries caused by medical treatment in a hospital in Medan, Indonesia.

Settings and Design

This retrospective descriptive study was conducted at H. Adam Malik General Hospital and Universitas Sumatera Utara Hospital in Medan from March to August 2022.

Subjects and Methods

Medical data of individuals who had iatrogenic urinary tract injuries in a Medan teaching hospital from 2018 to 2022 were obtained using total sampling. SPSS version 25 was utilized to analyze patient characteristics, the type of surgery, urinary tract injuries, and urologic procedures.

Results

There were 11 ureteral injuries and 23 bladder injuries in 32 iatrogenic urinary tract injuries. The average age of the patients was 40.5 ± 13.3. Patients who received obstetrical care had the highest rate of iatrogenic urinary tract injury (56.3%), followed by patients who received gynecological care (21.9%) and surgical care (21.9%). The procedure most likely to cause iatrogenic urinary tract injury was hysterectomy (40.6%). Bladder rupture (65.5%) and ureteral transection (28.1%) were common types of iatrogenic bladder and ureteral injuries. Majority of iatrogenic urinary tract injuries were treated with bladder repair (68.8%).

Conclusions

Obstetrical and gynecologic procedures, especially hysterectomy, were the most common causes of iatrogenic urinary tract injury; bladder repair was the most common treatment. Iatrogenic urinary tract injury is best managed by knowing the anatomical position of the urinary tract inside the operative field.

Impact of patient-reported salpingitis on the outcome of hysterectomy and adnexal surgery: A national register-based cohort study in Sweden

INTRODUCTION

Salpingitis is caused by ascending microbes from the lower reproductive tract and contributes to tubal factor infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. The aim of this study was to analyze if the risk for complications and dissatisfaction after hysterectomy and adnexal surgery was increased in women reporting previous salpingitis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This is an observational cohort study including women undergoing gynecologic surgery from 1997 to 2020, registered in the Swedish National Quality Register of Gynecologic Surgery (GynOp). Patient-reported previous salpingitis was the exposure. Complications up to 8 weeks and satisfaction at 1 year postoperatively were the outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression and ordinal regression were performed. Results were adjusted for potential confounders including age, body mass index, smoking and year of procedure as well as endometriosis and previous abdominal surgery. Multiple imputation was used to handle missing data.

RESULTS

In this study, 61 222 women were included, of whom 5636 (9.2%) women reported a previous salpingitis. There was an increased risk for women reporting previous salpingitis in both the unadjusted and fully adjusted models to have complications within 8 weeks of surgery (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-1.32). The highest odds ratios were found for bowel injury (aOR 1.62, 95% CI 1.29-2.03), bladder injury (aOR 1.52, 95% CI 1.23-1.58), and postoperative pain (aOR 1.37, 95% CI 1.22-1.54). Women exposed to salpingitis were also more likely to report a lower level of satisfaction 1 year after surgery compared with unexposed women (aOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.81-0.92).

CONCLUSIONS

Self-reported salpingitis appears to be a risk factor for complications and dissatisfaction after gynecologic surgery. This implies that known previous salpingitis should be included in the risk assessment before gynecologic procedures.

Laparoscopic retrovesical lower uterine segment bypass for hysterectomy with previous caesarean section: Hung Up the Bladder Bypass (HUBB) technique

Patients with a history of cesarean section and a highly adherent bladder may have difficulty in bladder dissection and may suffer damage. It may also be difficult to orient the patient for repair in the event of damage. In such cases, dissection from the side between the bladder and cervix is a good way to avoid complication. This video reviews the steps of the HUBB technique procedure, provides tips and tricks for performing a successful adhesiolysis, and illustrates the procedure's adaptability. The first is the identification of the uterine artery and its position. Step2, a Laparoscopic retrovesical lower uterine segment bypass is created. Step3 a Hung Up the Bladder Bypass is created, the bladder is completely dissected. Step4, an adhesiolysis and leak test is performed. In this report, we would like to introduce a technique for creating a retrovesical lower uterine segment bypass using a laparoscope and traction on the bypass to dissect the bladder.

Care Delivery for Patients with Leiomyomas: Failures, Real-Life Experiences, Analysis of Barriers, and Proposed Restorative Remedies

In this narrative review, we describe historical and contemporary influences that prevent patients with fibroids from getting appropriate medical care. Using patient stories as examples, we highlight how misogyny on all levels hurts patients and prevents medical teams from doing their best. Importantly, inequity and disparities result in massive gaps in care delivery. We suggest that we, as gynecologists and surgeons, must join public discourse on this topic to highlight the inadequacies of care delivery and the reasons behind it, suggest potential solutions, and join patients and communities in formulating and implementing remedies.

Transvaginal vesicovaginal fistula closure: A retrospective study of 28 cases at a single facility in Japan

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to report the background of patients with vesicovaginal fistulas (VVFs) at our center, which has treated a relatively large number of such patients in Japan, as well as the ingenuity and outcomes of vesicovaginal fistula closure (VVFC). We also investigated the causes of VVFs.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed for 28 patients with VVFs treated at our center. Age, body mass index, etiology, site of fistula, and postoperative outcomes were investigated.

RESULTS

Twenty-one (75%) fistulas occurred following hysterectomy. The overall success rate of VVFC was 85.7%, and the success rate limited to the first attempt was 89.5%. In 68% of cases, no bladder injury suspected as the cause of VVF was noticed during the surgery. Energy devices were used in all 12 patients for whom information on the type of device used for hysterectomy was confirmed.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this is the first report to evaluate a relatively large number of VVFCs in Japan. Although VVF is thought to be caused by bladder injury during hysterectomy, delayed thermal damage might also result in this pathology, even if there is no apparent intraoperative bladder injury.

Urologic Complication after Laparoscopic Hysterectomy in Gynecology Oncology: A Single-Center Analysis and Narrative Review of the Literature

Background and Objectives: Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has recently increased its application in the treatment of gynecological malignancies. Despite technological and surgical advances, urologic complications (UC) are still the main concern in gynecology surgery. Current literature reports a wide range of urinary tract injuries, and consistent scientific evidence is still lacking or dated. This study aims to report a large single-center experience of urinary complications during laparoscopic hysterectomy for gynecologic oncologic disease. Materials and Methods: All patients who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy for gynecologic malignancy at the Department of Medicine and Surgery of the University Hospital of Parma from 2017 to 2021 were retrospectively included. Women with endometrial cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine sarcoma, or borderline ovarian tumors were included. Patients undergoing robotic surgery with incomplete anatomopathological data or patients lost during follow-up were excluded from the analysis. Intraoperative and postoperative UC were analyzed and ranked according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Results: Two hundred-sixty patients were included in the study: 180 endometrial cancer, 18 cervical cancer, nine ovarian cancer, two uterine sarcomas, and 60 borderline ovarian tumors. Nine (3.5%) UCs were reported (five intraoperative and four postoperative complications). No anamnestic variables showed a statistical correlation with the surgical complication in the univariable analyses. C1 radical hysterectomy, a higher FIGO stage, and postoperative adjuvant treatment (p-value = 0.001, p-value = 0.046, and p-value = 0.046, respectively) were independent risk factors associated with the occurrence of UC. Conclusions: The urological complication rates in patients with oncological disease are relatively rare events in the expert hands of dedicated surgeons. Radical hysterectomy, FIGO stage, and adjuvant treatment are independent factors associated with urinary complications.

A Comparative Study of Braided versus Barbed Suture for Cystotomy Repair

Background

In this study, we aim to compare outcomes after cystotomy repair between standard sutures (910 polyglactin, poliglecaprone) versus barbed (V-Loc^TM 90) suture. As a secondary outcome, we analyzed factors for suture preference between the two groups.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was undertaken for surgeries complicated by cystotomy, identified by ICD-9/10 codes from 2016 to 2019 at West Virginia University (WVU) Hospital. Comparisons were made between cystotomy repair using barbed suture versus standard braided suture. Injuries were categorized by procedure, surgical route, type of suture used in repair, and subsequent complications related to repair. Primary endpoints were examined by Pearson's Chi-square test and interval data by t-test. A p < 0.05 was significant.

Results

Sixty-eight patients were identified with iatrogenic cystotomy at WVU. Barbed suture was used for cystotomy repair in 11/68 (16.2%) patients. No significant difference was seen in postoperative outcomes between patients repaired with barbed suture versus standard braided suture. Barbed suture was significantly more likely to be used for cystotomy repair in minimally invasive surgery (p = 0.001). It was most often utilized in a robotic approach 7/11 (63.6%) followed by laparoscopic 3/11 (27.3%). Body mass index (BMI) was significantly higher in patients receiving a barbed suture repair (p = 0.005).

Conclusion

Barbed suture may be comparable to standard braided suture for cystotomy repair. Barbed suture may offer a practical alternative to facilitate cystotomy repair in minimally invasive surgery, especially in patients with a high BMI.

Incidence of bowel injury during gynecologic surgery for benign indications: A nationwide cross-sectional study of cases from 2009 to 2018

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the incidence and risk factors of intestinal injury during gynecologic surgery for benign diseases, based on a national database.

METHOD

The study cohort was generated by extracting patients with operation codes for benign gynecologic diseases from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service National Inpatient Sample from 2009 to 2018. After analyzing the incidence of bowel injury during gynecologic surgery, a multivariate analysis was performed to identify the associated risk factors for bowel injury.

RESULTS

Among 81 451 patients who underwent gynecologic surgery for benign diseases, the incidence of bowel injury was 6.14 per 1000 women. The risk of bowel injury decreased with laparoscopy (odds ratio [OR] 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.41-0.69; P < 0.001) and increased with subtotal hysterectomy (OR 2.83; 95% CI 1.79-4.46; P < 0.001) and adnexectomy (OR 2.83; 95% CI 1.93-4.16; P < 0.001). Old age, higher Charlson comorbidity index, low socioeconomic status, and a higher clinic grade were associated with a higher risk of bowel injury.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed the incidence of bowel injury during benign gynecologic surgery in a Korean national population-based cohort. The risk of bowel injury increased with open surgery, subtotal hysterectomy, and adnexectomy.

Urinary Tract Injury During Gynecologic Surgery: Prevention, Recognition, and Management

Lower urinary tract (LUT) injuries may occur during gynecologic surgery due to the close proximity of pelvic organs and vary by procedure, surgical indication, and route. Prevention of LUT injury should be a primary goal of gynecologic surgery. LUT injuries are more common in patients with aberrant anatomy, during difficult procedures, and with surgeons with less experience. Immediate recognition and management of LUT injuries is optimal, although delayed postoperative diagnoses may be unavoidable. Surgical management is based on the size and location of injury and should be performed by an experienced surgeon with thorough knowledge of pelvic anatomy, surgical technique, and postoperative management.

CT Imaging Characteristics and Influence Factors of Renal Dialysis-Associated Peritoneal Injury

Peritoneal dialysis (PD), as one of the main renal replacement modalities for end-stage renal disease, gets the advantages of better protection of residual renal function and better quality of survival. However, ultrafiltration failure after peritoneal injury is an important reason for patients to withdraw from PD treatment. Peritonitis is a major complication of peritoneal dialysis, which results in an accelerated process of peritoneal injury due to direct damage from acute inflammation and local release of cytokine TGF-β. In this paper, the application of ultrasound to examine the peritoneum revealed a positive correlation between peritoneal thickness and the development of peritonitis. The results of this study also further confirmed the effect of peritonitis on peritoneal thickening. A multifactorial regression analysis also revealed that peritonitis and its severity were independent risk factors for peritoneal thickening and omental structural abnormalities. This paper reported a correlation between mural peritoneal thickness and peritoneal transit function. In this study, patients with high peritoneal transit and high mean transit were found to be more prone to omental structural abnormalities than patients with low mean and low transit and a higher proportion of patients with mural peritoneal thickening, but this did not reach statistical significance, which may be related to the still small number of cases.

Cesarean bladder injury - obstetrician's nightmare

Urinary bladder is an adjacent viscus susceptible for intraoperative injury during cesarean section (CS). Prolonged labor, scarred uterus, intraabdominal adhesion, emergency CS, advanced labor, cesarean hysterectomy etc., are the predisposing factors for bladder injury during CS. While operating on such conditions, one should be meticulous to explore the possibility of bladder injury. Family physician practicing community obstetrics should be aware of this and know how to tackle this. Usually the dome of the bladder is injured and the trigonal area remains away from the injury field by 6-10 cm. Bladder rent is repaired in two layers either by continuous simple or interrupted suture with 3-0 & 2-0 polyglycolic acid suture. Suprapubic cystostomy and transurethral catheter are kept for 10-14 days. While postoperative adhesion, CS during full dilatation of cervix, abnormal anatomy etc., may not proceed for negligence, bladder injury in normal patients and unrecognized intraoperative bladder injury may attract penalty from the consumer court.

Prevention and management of bowel injury during gynecologic laparoscopy: an update

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The current article aims to briefly review recent literature on bowel injury in gynecologic surgery with a focus on minimally invasive techniques, strategies for prevention, and management of injury.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent reviews describe a low incidence of bowel injury that is likely affected by low rates of reporting and inconsistent definitions. The major risk factor for bowel injury is adhesive disease, and assessment and prevention techniques for the presence of adhesive disease are evolving. When bowel injury occurs, prompt diagnosis and intraoperative repair yields more favorable outcomes than delayed diagnosis. Repair can be performed by a gynecologic surgeon, with or without the help of a consultant depending on the extent of the injury and surgeon comfort.

SUMMARY

Bowel injury is a potentially catastrophic complication in gynecologic surgery, but its rarity presents a challenge in research. A high index of suspicion and meticulous surgical technique are the cornerstones of managing a bowel injury.