A study of pregnancy after endometrial ablation using linked population data

Intrauterine chilled saline instillation reduces endometrial impairment on MRI after ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation of uterine adenomyosis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether intrauterine chilled saline can reduce endometrial impairment during US-guided percutaneous microwave ablation (PMWA) of adenomyosis.

METHODS

An open-label, randomized trial was conducted with sixty symptomatic adenomyosis patients who were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive PMWA treatment assisted by intrauterine saline instillation (study group) or traditional PMWA treatment alone (control group). The primary endpoint was endometrial perfusion impairment grade on post-ablation contrast-enhanced MRI. The secondary endpoints were endometrial dehydration grade, ablation rate, and intra-ablation discomfort.

RESULTS

The baseline characteristics of the two groups were similar. The incidence rates of endometrial perfusion impairment on MRI in the study and control groups were 6.7% (2/30) and 46.7% (14/30), respectively (p < 0.001). There were 28 (93.3%), 2 (6.7%), 0, and 0 patients in the study group and 16 (53.3%), 7 (23.3%), 5 (16.7%), and 2 (6.7%) in the control group (p < 0.001) who had grade 0, 1, 2, and 3 perfusion impairment, respectively. Additionally, there were 27 (90%), 3 (10%), and 0 patients in the study group and 19 (63.3%), 10 (33.3%), and 1 (3.3%) in the control group who had grade 0, 1, and 2 endometrial dehydration (p = 0.01). The ablation rates achieved in the study and control groups were 93.3 ± 17% (range: 69.2-139.6%) and 99.7 ± 15.7% (range: 71.5-129.8%), and they were not significantly different (p = 0.14). No significant difference was found in the intra-ablation discomfort.

CONCLUSION

Intrauterine chilled saline can effectively reduce endometrial impairment after PMWA treatment for adenomyosis.

CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

This trial demonstrated that the instillation of intrauterine chilled saline reduced endometrial impairment on MRI during PMWA of adenomyosis. This approach allows more precise and safe ablation in clinical practice.

KEY POINTS

Endometrial impairment occurs in the PMWA treatment of adenomyosis. Intrauterine chilled saline can reduce endometrial impairment during PMWA for adenomyosis. An intrauterine catheter is a practical endometrial protecting method during thermal ablation.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2100053582. Registered 24 November 2021, www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=141090 .

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Management of Uterine Fibroids: 2023 Update

Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumor in women of reproductive age and can present with symptoms including bleeding, bulk related symptoms, and infertility. Several treatment options are available for the management of uterine fibroids, including medical management, minimally invasive therapies such as uterine artery embolization and MR-guided focused ultrasound ablation, and surgical interventions ranging from laparoscopic myomectomy to open hysterectomy. Given this wide range of therapeutic interventions, it is important to understand the data supporting these interventions and to be able to apply it in different clinical settings. This document provides a summary of recent trials supporting various therapies for uterine fibroids, including recent evidence for MR-guided focused ultrasound ablation and a detailed discussion of fertility outcomes in myomectomy and uterine fibroid embolization. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision process support the systematic analysis of the medical literature from peer reviewed journals. Established methodology principles such as Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE are adapted to evaluate the evidence. The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method User Manual provides the methodology to determine the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where peer reviewed literature is lacking or equivocal, experts may be the primary evidentiary source available to formulate a recommendation.

Spontaneous Heterotopic Cesarean Scar Triplet Gestation Following Uterine Ablation

Heterotopic triplet pregnancy, cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy, and pregnancy following uterine ablation are all rare events that confer significant morbidity including spontaneous abortion, intrauterine fetal demise, preterm labor, abnormal placentation, and uterine rupture. A woman in her 30s, G6P4014, with a history of uterine ablation presented with delayed menses and vaginal spotting with imaging showing two intrauterine pregnancies (one with cardiac activity) and one live pregnancy at the cesarean scar. The patient was extensively counseled on risk to her and to the pregnancies; treatment options were discussed including expectant management and termination of pregnancy. The patient underwent an uncomplicated dilation and curettage with bilateral salpingectomy and was discharged home the day of the procedure in stable condition. This case highlights the potential compound effect of comorbid conditions that can pose difficulty in counseling and management. Key Points Patients undergoing endometrial ablation should be carefully selected and counseled extensively on highly effective contraception.Suspected cesarean scar pregnancies should be carefully evaluated early in gestation. Management should include thorough counseling and may be indivisualized.Many conditions pose a significant threat to maternal health and warrant a discussion of termination, which should be widely availaible and safe for all who need and/or desire it.

Fertility preserving management for postpartum haemorrhage secondary to subinvolution of the placental implantation site

A 40-year-old woman presents with recurrent secondary postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) following her third normal vaginal delivery. Histology from subsequent evacuation of the uterus confirmed that she had subinvolution of the placental implantation site. Hysterectomy is the most common method of managing this condition and recurrent PPH, most often due to significant vaginal bleeding. We present a case of subinvolution of the placental implantation site with recurrent PPH managed with medical treatment alone, to offer a fertility-sparing treatment option.