First-trimester uterine rupture in a twin gestation after a motor vehicle collision: a case report

Uterine rupture following trauma in pregnancy is rare, especially in earlier gestational ages. The diagnosis can be challenging, and treatment may be delayed when patients present with nonspecific findings. Therefore, a high index of suspicion must be maintained. Once diagnosed, the treatment involves surgical exploration. We present a case report of a first-trimester uterine rupture of a twin pregnancy following a motor vehicle collision in a patient with prior cesarean sections.

3T external phased-array magnetic resonance imaging in detection of obstetric anal sphincter lesions: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Three-dimensional endoanal ultrasound (3D EAUS) has been the gold standard for detecting anal sphincter lesions in patients with a history of obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI). Advances in imaging technologies have facilitated the detection of these lesions with external phased-array magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which could offer an alternative imaging modality for the diagnosis of residual OASI (ROASI) in centers where 3D EAUS imaging is not available.

PURPOSE

To compare two diagnostic modalities: the 3D EAUS and 3T external phased-array MRI in the detection of residual anal sphincter lesions.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 24 women with a history of OASI were imaged with both 3D EAUS and 3T external phased-array MRI after primary repair of the injury. Intraclass correlation (ICC) and interrater reliability (IRR) values were calculated for the grade and circumference of the sphincter lesion. Sphincter lesions were graded according to the Sultan classification.

RESULTS

There was an almost perfect agreement between 3D EAUS and 3T external phased-array MRI in determining the extent of the sphincter lesions according to the Sultan classification (κ = 0.881; P < 0.001) and the circumference of the external anal sphincter defects, measured in degrees (κ = 0.896; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicate that 3T external phased-array MRI and 3D EAUS yield comparable results in the diagnosis of ROASI. These findings suggest that 3T external phased-array MRI could serve as an alternative diagnostic modality to 3D EAUS in the diagnosis of ROASI.

Should we inform women about the recognised risks of childbirth?

BACKGROUND

At present in Australia women are not routinely, systematically informed of the risks of childbirth.

AIMS

It is hoped this presentation of the perspective of some women who suffer unexpected obstetric complications will encourage change.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The experience of women involved in obstetric medicolegal reports prepared by a colorectal surgeon over ten years is analysed.

RESULTS

Twenty women were identified. Sixteen had vaginal deliveries. All 16 suffered third or fourth-degree tears, six developed rectovaginal fistulae, six required stomas and 11 developed faecal incontinence. Of the four women who delivered by caesarean section, there were two post-operative caecal perforations, one unrecognised small bowel enterotomy, and one patient developed sepsis due to an infected haematoma. Seventeen of the 20 women were noted to suffer psychological sequalae. None of the women recollected being warned of the complication they suffered, and there was no record of such warnings in their medical records.

CONCLUSION

Informed written 'consent' for natural vaginal delivery is, understandably, a contentious topic. Although learning from medicolegal cases may go against the grain, as medical professionals it is very difficult to ethically justify the status quo, where women are not routinely simply informed of the risks of childbirth. This is not fair. Even if informing women does not decrease the incidence of complications, the women who subsequently suffer these complications may well handle them much better, recognising they could occur.

Rectovaginal Fistulas Secondary to Obstetrical Injury

Rectovaginal fistula (RVF), defined as any abnormal connection between the rectum and the vagina, is a complex and debilitating condition. RVF can occur for a variety of reasons, but frequently develops following obstetric injury. Patients with suspected RVF require thorough evaluation, including history and physical examination, imaging, and objective evaluation of the anal sphincter complex. Prior to attempting repair, sepsis must be controlled and the tract allowed to mature over a period of 3 to 6 months. All repair techniques involve reestablishing a healthy, well-vascularized rectovaginal septum, either through reconstruction with local tissue or tissue transfer via a pedicled flap. The selection of a specific repair technique is determined by the level of the fistula tract and the status of the anal sphincter. Despite best efforts, recurrence is common and should be discussed with patients prior to repair. As the ultimate goal of RVF repair is to minimize symptoms and maximize quality of life, patients should help to direct their own care based on the risks and benefits of available treatment options.

Morbidity and Mortality Associated With Forceps and Vacuum Delivery at Outlet, Low, and Midpelvic Station

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to quantify perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality associated with forceps and vacuum delivery compared with Caesarean delivery in the second stage of labour and to estimate whether these associations differed by pelvic station.

METHODS

The investigators conducted a population-based, retrospective cohort study of term singleton deliveries by operative delivery with prolonged second stage of labour in Canada (2003-2013) using national hospitalization data. The primary study outcomes were severe perinatal morbidity and mortality (i.e., seizures, assisted ventilation, severe birth trauma, and perinatal death) and severe maternal morbidity and mortality (i.e., severe postpartum hemorrhage, cardiac complication, and maternal death). Logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) after stratifying by indication (dystocia or fetal distress). The Breslow-Day chi-square test for heterogeneity in ORs was used to test effect modification by pelvic station (outlet, low, or midpelvic).

RESULTS

There were 61 106 deliveries included in the study. Among women with dystocia, forceps and vacuum deliveries were associated with higher rates of perinatal morbidity and mortality compared with Caesarean delivery (forceps: aOR 1.56; 95% CI 1.13-2.17; vacuum: aOR 1.44; 95% CI 1.06-1.97). Vacuum delivery was associated with lower rates of maternal morbidity and mortality compared with Caesarean delivery (dystocia: aOR 0.64; 95% CI 0.51-0.81; fetal distress: aOR 0.43; 95% CI 0.32-0.57). Pelvic station did not significantly modify the associations between forceps or vacuum and perinatal or maternal morbidity and mortality.

CONCLUSION

Forceps and vacuum delivery is associated with increased rates of severe perinatal morbidity and mortality compared with Caesarean delivery among women with dystocia, whereas vacuum delivery is associated with decreased rates of severe maternal morbidity and mortality.

Temporal trends in severe maternal and neonatal trauma during childbirth: a population-based observational study

OBJECTIVE

Instrumental vaginal delivery is associated with birth trauma to infant and obstetric trauma to mother. As caesarean delivery rates increased during the past decades, the rate of instrumental vaginal delivery declined. We examined concomitant temporal changes in the rates of severe birth trauma and maternal obstetric trauma.

DESIGN

A retrospective observational study.

SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS

All hospital singleton live births in Washington State, USA, 2004-2013, excluding breech delivery. Severe birth trauma (brain, nerve injury, fractures and other severe birth trauma) and obstetric trauma (third/fourth degree perineal lacerations, cervical/high vaginal lacerations) were identified from hospitalisation data. Pregnancy and delivery characteristics were obtained from birth certificates. Temporal trends were assessed by the Cochran-Armitage test. Logistic regression was used to obtain adjusted ORs (AORs) and 95% CI.

RESULTS

Overall, 732 818 live births were included. The rate of severe birth trauma declined from 5.3 in 2004 to 4.5 per 1000 live births in 2013 (P<0.001). The decline was observed only in spontaneous vaginal delivery, the rates of fractures and other severe birth trauma declined by 5% and 4% per year, respectively (AOR: 0.95, 95% CI 0.94 to 0.97 and AOR: 0.96, 95% CI 0.93 to 0.99; respectively). The rate of third/fourth degree lacerations declined in spontaneous vaginal delivery from 3.5% to 2.3% (AOR: 0.95; 95% CI 0.94 to 0.95) and in vacuum delivery from 17.3% to 14.5% (AOR: 0.97, 95% CI 0.96 to 0.98). Among women with forceps delivery, these rates declined from 29.8% to 23.4% (AOR: 0.98, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.00).

CONCLUSION

While the rates of fractures and other birth trauma declined among infants delivered by spontaneous vaginal delivery, the rate of birth trauma remained unchanged in instrumental vaginal delivery and caesarean delivery. Among mothers, the rates of severe perineal lacerations declined, except for women with forceps delivery.

Perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality among term singletons following midcavity operative vaginal delivery versus caesarean delivery

Objective

To quantify severe perinatal and maternal morbidity/mortality associated with midcavity operative vaginal delivery compared with caesarean delivery.

Design

Population‐based, retrospective cohort study.

Setting

British Columbia, Canada.

Population

Term, singleton deliveries (2004–2014) by attempted midcavity operative vaginal delivery or caesarean delivery in the second stage of labour, stratified by indication for operative delivery (n = 10 901 deliveries; 5057 indicated for dystocia, 5844 for fetal distress).

Methods

Multinomial propensity scores and mulitvariable log‐binomial regression models were used to estimate adjusted rate ratios (ARR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Main outcome measures

Composite severe perinatal morbidity/mortality (e.g. convulsions, severe birth trauma and perinatal death) and severe maternal morbidity (e.g. severe postpartum haemorrhage, shock, sepsis and cardiac complications).

Results

Among deliveries with dystocia, attempted midcavity operative vaginal delivery was associated with higher rates of severe perinatal morbidity/mortality compared with caesarean delivery (forceps ARR 2.11, 95% CI 1.46–3.07; vacuum ARR 2.71, 95% CI 1.49–3.15; sequential ARR 4.68, 95% CI 3.33–6.58). Rates of severe maternal morbidity/mortality were also higher following midcavity operative vaginal delivery (forceps ARR 1.57, 95% CI 1.05–2.36; vacuum ARR 2.29, 95% CI 1.57–3.36). Among deliveries with fetal distress, there were significant increases in severe perinatal morbidity/mortality following attempted midcavity vacuum (ARR 1.28, 95% CI 1.04–1.61) and in severe maternal morbidity following attempted midcavity forceps delivery (ARR 2.34, 95% CI 1.54–3.56).

Conclusion

Attempted midcavity operative vaginal delivery is associated with higher rates of severe perinatal morbidity/mortality and severe maternal morbidity, though these effects differ by indication and instrument.

Tweetable abstract

Perinatal and maternal morbidity is increased following midcavity operative vaginal delivery.

Tweetable abstract

Perinatal and maternal morbidity is increased following midcavity operative vaginal delivery.

Management of rectovaginal fistulas and patient outcome

Rectovaginal fistulas are a relatively rare, but debilitating condition which pose a significant treatment challenge. Areas covered: In this manuscript we discuss the etiology, classification as well as the manifestations and evaluation of rectovaginal fistulas. We summarize the different surgical techniques and evaluate their success rates and perioperative considerations according to cited sources. Expert commentary: A deep understanding of the disease, treatment options, and familiarity with the different surgical treatment options available is mandatory for choosing the correct treatment. When the surgical treatment is tailored to the specific fistula and patient, many patients can eventually have successful resolution. This review will address the management and patient outcomes after treatment for rectovaginal fistulas.

Objective triage in the disaster setting: will children and expecting mothers be treated like others?

The study of disaster triage is made difficult by the complex emotional response of potentially lifesaving intervention that a triage officer must make basing decisions on a succinct and efficient algorithm. A survey of triage professionals in international settings was designed to identify possible emotionally led bias that affects objective decision making in identifying victims most likely to benefit from immediate life support intervention. This survey suggests a lack of correlation between triage priority and predictable clinical outcomes as predicted by the Revised Trauma Score tool. Among the subjects, it was observed that a pediatric victim is uniformly overtriaged when compared to less injured victims.

The association between maternal age at first delivery and risk of obstetric trauma

BACKGROUND

There are a number of poor birth outcomes with advancing maternal age. Although there is some evidence of a higher risk of trauma to obstetric anal sphincter and the levator ani muscle with advancing age, findings to date are inconclusive.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess the risk of pelvic floor injury using translabial 3- and 4-dimensional ultrasound relative to advancing maternal age in primiparous women after a singleton vaginal delivery at term and to determine any association between maternal age and obstetric trauma, including obstetric anal sphincter injuries, levator avulsion, and irreversible overdistension of the levator hiatus.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a subanalysis of a perinatal intervention trial conducted in a specialist urogynecology referral unit at 2 tertiary units. All primiparous women with singleton birth at term underwent 3- and 4-dimensional translabial pelvic floor ultrasound both ante- and postnatally for the assessment of the obstetric trauma including levator ani muscle avulsion, hiatal overdistension to 25 cm(2) or more, and obstetric anal sphincter injuries. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between maternal age and obstetric trauma diagnosed on 3- and 4-dimensional translabial ultrasound. Multiple confounders were included, and the most significant (forceps and vacuum delivery) were used for probability modeling.

RESULTS

Of 660 women recruited for the original study, a total of 375 women who had a vaginal delivery with complete data sets were analyzed. A total of 174 women (46.4%) showed evidence of at least 1 form of major pelvic floor trauma. Advancing maternal age at first delivery carries with it a significant incremental risk of major pelvic floor trauma with an odds ratio of 1.064 for overall risk of injury for each increasing year of age past age 18 years (P = .003). The probability of any type of trauma appears to be substantially higher for forceps delivery. Vacuum delivery appears to increase the risk of obstetric anal sphincter injuries but not of levator avulsion.

CONCLUSION

There is a significant association between the risk of major pelvic floor injury and increasing maternal age at first delivery.

Temporal trends in obstetric trauma and inpatient surgery for pelvic organ prolapse: an age-period-cohort analysis

BACKGROUND

The rates of cesarean delivery have increased over time in industrialized countries, while the rates of instrumental vaginal delivery have declined. Instrumental vaginal delivery and obstetric trauma are risk factors for pelvic floor disorders.

OBJECTIVE

We carried out a population-based study to quantify the association between temporal changes in obstetric trauma during childbirth and temporal changes in surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.

STUDY DESIGN

We designed a retrospective analysis to examine age-specific trends in vaginal and cesarean delivery, obstetric trauma, and surgery for pelvic organ prolapse among all women (pregnant and nonpregnant) in Washington State, from 1987 through 2009. Cases of obstetric trauma (including severe perineal tears and high vaginal lacerations) and inpatient surgery for pelvic organ prolapse were identified among all hospitalizations. Temporal trends and age-period-cohort regression analyses were used to quantify the time period, age, and birth cohort effects among women born from 1920 through 1980.

RESULTS

From 1987 through 2009, cesarean delivery rates among women aged 15-44 years increased from 12.7-18.1 per 1000 women, vaginal delivery rates remained stable, and instrumental vaginal delivery rates declined from 6.3-3.9 per 1000 women. Obstetric trauma decreased from 6.7 in 1987 to 2.5 per 1000 women aged 15-44 years in 2009. Surgery for pelvic organ prolapse decreased from 2.1 in 1987 to 1.4 per 1000 women aged 20-84 years in 2009. Obstetric trauma rates in 1987 through 1999 among women 15-44 years old were strongly correlated with the rates of surgery for pelvic organ prolapse among women 25-54 years of age 10 years later in 1997 through 2009 (correlation coefficient 0.87, P < .001). Similarly, rates of midpelvic forceps delivery in 1987 through 1999 were correlated with the rates of surgery for pelvic organ prolapse 10 years later (correlation coefficient 0.72, P < .01). Regression analyses showed a strong effect of age on surgery for prolapse, temporal decline in surgery, and an effect of birth cohort, as younger cohorts (women born in ≥1965 vs 1940) had lower rates of surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.

CONCLUSION

Temporal decline in instrumental vaginal delivery and obstetric trauma may have contributed to the reduction in surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.

Maternal language and adverse birth outcomes in a statewide analysis

Limited English proficiency is associated with disparities across diverse health outcomes. However, evidence regarding adverse birth outcomes across languages is limited, particularly among U.S. Asian and Pacific Islander populations. The study goal was to consider the relationship of maternal language to birth outcomes using statewide hospitalization data. Detailed discharge data from Hawaii childbirth hospitalizations from 2012 (n = 11,419) were compared by maternal language (English language or not) for adverse outcomes using descriptive and multivariable log-binomial regression models, controlling for race/ethnicity, age group, and payer. Ten percent of mothers spoke a language other than English; 93% of these spoke an Asian or Pacific Islander language. In multivariable models, compared to English speakers, non-English speakers had significantly higher risk (adjusted relative risk [ARR]: 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.34-3.04) of obstetric trauma in vaginal deliveries without instrumentation. Some significant variation was seen by language for other birth outcomes, including an increased rate of primary Caesarean sections and vaginal births after Caesarean, among non-English speakers. Non-English speakers had approximately two times higher risk of having an obstetric trauma during a vaginal birth when other factors, including race/ethnicity, were controlled. Non-English speakers also had higher rates of potentially high-risk deliveries.

Prospective regenerative medicine therapies for obstetric trauma-induced fecal incontinence

Fecal incontinence is a major public health issue that has yet to be adequately addressed. Obstetric trauma and injury to the anal sphincter muscles are the most common cause of fecal incontinence. New therapies are emerging aimed at repair or regeneration of sphincter muscle and restoration of continence. While regenerative medicine offers an attractive option for fecal incontinence there are currently no validated techniques using this approach. Although many challenges are yet to be resolved, the advent of regenerative medicine is likely to offer disruptive technologies to treat and possibly prevent the onset of this devastating condition. This article provides a review on regenerative medicine approaches for treating fecal incontinence and a critique of the current landscape in this area.

Dilatation and curettage of urinary bladder: A rarity

Twenty-eight-year-old female while undergoing a medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) encounter complete urethral loss and massive bladder curettage. After resuscitation, she developed continuous urinary leakage followed by progressive decline in urine output. Case is highlighted here because of the massive vesico-urethral trauma because of MTP, leading to permanent urinary diversion.

Overlapping sphincteroplasty: is it the standard of care?

Anal sphincter injury secondary to obstetric trauma during vaginal delivery occurs in nearly one of every five women. Episiotomy, forceps delivery, and prolonged second stage of labor have all been shown to increase the risk of sphincter disruption. One third of these women will go on to have alterations in anal continence ranging from occasional incontinence to gas to severely debilitating incontinence to solid stool. Symptoms often arise many years after delivery, suggesting that factors such as nerve damage and progressive degeneration of muscle fibers contribute to incontinence. Surgical treatment of fecal incontinence secondary to sphincter injury has been varied and creative attempts have been made to find the repair with the greatest durability and fewest complications. Over the past few decades, overlapping sphincteroplasty emerged as such a repair with many reports of excellent short-term outcomes. Recently, however, published reports of long-term data reveal decreased function over time, causing many to question whether this repair truly is the best possible treatment. Several controversies have arisen. These include (1) optimum timing from injury to repair; (2) how best to perform the repair; (3) whether or not fecal diversion, either medical or surgical, is beneficial; (4) whether or not pudendal neuropathy predicts outcome; and finally, (5) if patient's age at the time of repair affects outcome. Randomized controlled trials are lacking, so any conclusions drawn from reviewing current literature must be evaluated with this in mind. Nonetheless, important information can be gleaned from the available literature and future studies designed with the hope of improving treatment for this life-altering condition.