The 46th AAGL Global Congress on Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery starts Nov. 12, 2017, in National Harbor, Md., and attendees will have a chance to hear presentations on more than 300 studies, plus numerous virtual posters.
Dr. Charles E. Miller, a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon in Naperville, Ill., and a past president of the AAGL, offered his top picks for not-to-be-missed research at this year’s meeting.
Cesarean-induced isthmoceles
On Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 12:17 p.m., researchers from West Virginia University in Morgantown and Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León in Mexico will present data from a prospective study on the anatomy of cesarean-induced isthmoceles. The paper won the Golden Hysteroscope Award for best paper on hysteroscopy. It is being presented during the Open Communications 13 session on reproductive medicine.
The study includes more than 200 premenopausal women who underwent a benign hysterectomy because of uterine bleeding, fibroids, or adenomyosis. The researchers identified a high incidence of architectural healing–related changes at the previous cesarean section scar, including regional wall thinning from nonunion healing. Most of the nonunion healing observed was inner – which can be visualized hysteroscopically – but there was outer, combined, and complete nonunion healing as well.
“Isthmocele has become such a hot topic,” Dr. Miller said. “Besides the implications in terms of pelvic pain and abnormal bleeding, it can be a cause of infertility as fluid goes into the endometrial cavity and impacts implantation.”
Dr. Miller will be performing a telesurgery featuring robotic-assisted excision and repair of a cesarean section isthmocele on Thursday, Nov. 16, as part of General Session V from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Rectosigmoid endometriosis
On Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 12:50 p.m., researchers from the University of Pittsburgh will show a surgical video on anterior discoid resection for rectosigmoid endometriosis. They use various laparoscopic instruments and techniques to assess and resect the nodule, including a “squeeze” technique, barbed suture, and a V-shaped closure. The video, which won the Golden Laparoscope Award for best surgical video, is being presented during the Plenary 6 session on endometriosis and adenomyosis.
“There is great debate in just how aggressively patients should be treated when a woman has deep infiltrative endometriosis involving the rectosigmoid area,” Dr. Miller said.
Most of the research in this area is from single-institution studies that do not always completely describe the procedure, leaving surgeons “unsure of which way to go,” Dr. Miller said. In addition, because many patients with endometriosis are young, surgeons need to consider how the procedure will impact them in 20 or even 50 years. While more aggressive than shaving, discoid resection is less aggressive than standard bowel resection.
Postsurgical pain control
On Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 3:46 p.m., researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, Oregon Health & Science University, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, will present results from a prospective, double-blind, randomized study comparing intravenous acetaminophen with placebo for postsurgical pain control and patient satisfaction after laparoscopic hysterectomy. Their findings indicate no difference in either pain or satisfaction, casting doubt on routine use during hysterectomy. The study, which won the Jay M. Cooper Award for best paper on minimally invasive gynecology by a fellow, will be presented during the Open Communications 9 session on laparoscopy.
On Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 1:21 p.m., researchers from the University of Maryland, Baltimore; Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore; and Yoyodyne General Services, New York, will present a single-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to assess the use of a single belladonna and opium suppository placed after laparoscopic or robotic hysterectomy to control postoperative pain. As with acetaminophen, they also found that the suppositories did not significantly lower pain or narcotic use. However, the belladonna/opium suppository reduced time to discharge from the postanesthesia care unit in phase I. The research, which won the Jerome J. Hoffman Award for best abstract by a resident or fellow, will be presented during Session 2 of the Virtual Posters.
“Here again are two treatments that really have minimal basis,” Dr. Miller said. “In the days of cost containment, is there really any reason for either?”
Cervical ripening
Dr. Miller also recommended that attendees take note of a randomized controlled trial evaluating whether misoprostol oral is as effective as vaginal tablets for cervical ripening. Researchers at Cairo University in Egypt considered this question among more than 350 women who were undergoing operative hysterectomy for various indications. They found no statistically significant difference in efficacy and similar adverse effects.
“There has been some concern raised about, is there a better way?” Dr. Miller said. “This is especially important as we move hysteroscopy to the office.”
The cervical priming study, which won the Robert B. Hunt Award for best paper published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology between September 2016 and August 2017, will be presented on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 7:10 a.m. during the journal’s editorial/advisory board breakfast. You can read the full article online ( J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2016 Nov – Dec;23[7]:1107-12 ).
mschneider@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @maryellenny
