Gynae Problems Flashcards
‘prolonged and increased menstrual flow i.e. heavy menstrual bleeding’
is defined as what?
Menorrhagia
‘regular intermenstrual bleeding’
is defined as what?
Metrorrhagia
‘menses occurring at <21 day interval’
is defined as what?
Polymenorrhea
‘increased bleeding and frequent cycle’
is defined as what?
(more bleeding per day of period and more relevantly to the name have cycles more frequently)
polymenorrhagia
‘prolonged menses and intermenstrual bleeding’ is defined as what?
(period is longer and there’s bleeding inbetween periods)
menometrorrhagia
‘absence of menstruation >6 months’
is defined as what?
amenorrhea
‘menses at intervals of >35 days OR presence of fiver or fewer menstrual cycles over a year’
is defined as what?
Oligomenorrhea
List the ‘local disorders’ that can cause menorrhagia
- Fibroids
- Adenomyosis
- Endocervical or endometrial polyp
- Endometrial hyperplasia
- Intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD)
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- Endometriosis
- Malignancy of the uterine or cervix
- Hormone producing ovarian tumours
- Arteriovenous malformation
List the ‘systemic disorders’ that can cause menorrhagia
- Endocrine:
- Hyperthyroidism
- Hypothyroidism
- Diabetes mellitus
- Adrenal disease
- Prolactin disorders
- Haematological disease
- Von Willebrand’s disease
- Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
- Factor II, V, VII and XI deficiency
- Liver disorders
1. Cirrhosis - Renal disease
- Drugs
- anti-coagulants (warfarin, clopidrogel, rivaroxaban)
What obstetric causes of menorrhagia should be considered (as well as local and systemic causes)?
Pregnancy complications such as:
- miscarriage
- extopic pregnancy
- gestational trophoblastic disease
- or placenta praevia
Discuss dysfunctional uterine bleeding
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding occurs in the absence of pathology
It is a diagnosis of exclusion made in 50% of women with abnormal uterine bleeding
There are two types: anovulatory and ovulatory
Describe anovulatory dysfunctional uterine bleeding
- 85% of all DUB
- Occurs at extremes of reproductive life
- Irregular cycle
- More common in obese women
Describe ovulatory dysfunctional uterine bleeding
- More common in women aged 35-45 years
- Regular heavy periods
- Due to inadequate progesterone production by corpus luteum
What investigations should be considered in women presenting with menorrhagia?
- Full blood count
- Thyroid function tests
- Coagulation screen
- Renal/Liver function tests
- Transvaginal ultrasound
- endometrial thickness
- presence of fibroids and other pelvic masses
- Endometrial sampling
- pipelle biospies
- hysteroscopic directed endometrial biopsies under GA
- dilatation and curettage (D&C)
- Cervical…
- smear IF due
- if cervix looks abnormal on speculum refer for colposcopy
What are the medical options for management of dysfunctional uterine bleeding?
- Progestogen-releasing IUCD- Mirena IUS
- COCP
- Anti-fibrinolytics
- NSAIDs
- Oral progestogens
- GnRH analogus/agonists
- Danazol
According to NICE, what is the first line treatment for menorrhagia?
Mirena IUS
Discuss the Mirena as a management option for menorrhagia
Mirena IUS
- Compliance concerns
- Avoid drug interactions
- Mean reduction in menstrual blood loss=95% at one year
- Doubles up as contraception
- May cause breakthrough bleeding in the first 3-9 months after insertion
Discuss the combined oral contraceptive pills as a management option for dysfunctinal uterine bleeding
COCP
- Contraception
- 30% reduction in menstrual blood loss
- Contraindications attached
Discuss anti-fibrinolytics as a management option for dysfunctional uterine bleeding
Anti-fibrinolytics- tranexamic acid
- taken only during menstruation
- decreased blood loss by 50%
- appropriate when woman is considering conceiving
Discuss NSAIDs as a management option for dysfunctional uterine bleeding
Give example
NSAIDs- mefenamic acid
- taken during menstruation only
- appropriate when woman is considering conceiving
- apoptotic processes produces prostaglandins (effective when menorrhagia is accompanied by dysmenorrhea)
- contraindicated in Hx of duodenal ulcers or severe asthma
- decreases blood loss by 20-25%
What NSAID could be considered as a managment option for dysfunctional uterine bleeding?
Mefenamic acid
What oral progestogens can be considered as a management option for dysfunctional uterine bleeding?
- Norethisterone
- Medroxyprogesterone acetate
Discuss GnRH analogues/agonists as management options for dysfunctional uterine bleeding
List some examples
GnRH analogues
- act on the pituitary to stop oestrogen production
- results in amenorrhea
- long-term use causes osteoporosis unless combined with HRT and are therefore used in the short-term (<6 months)
- examples include: Goserelin, decapeptyl, Buserelin
Discuss Danazol as a management option for dysfunctional uterine bleeding
A synthetic mild androgen derivative that acts on the HPO axis and endometrium
Rarely used
What are the surgical options for dysfunctional uterine bleeding?
Who can they be offered to?
- Endometrial resectin/ablation
- Hysterectomy
Discuss endometrial ablation as a management option for dysfunctional uterine bleeding?
(in comparison to hysterectomy…)
- day case procedure
- shorter operating times
- shorter recovery
- fewer complications
- combined HRT required
- 20-70% of patients will become amenorrhoeic
- 20-30% will have a major reduction in bleeding
Discuss hysterectomy as a management option for dysfunctional uterine bleeding
- major operation
- longer operating time
- longer recovery
- more complications
- no cervical smears required (for total hysterectomies)
- oestrogen only HRT (unless cervix is retained)
- a definitive treatment (if total hysterectomy)
- infertility
What are the possible causes of intermenstrual bleeding?
- Cervical ectropion
- PID and STI
- Endometrial or cervical polyps
- Cervical cancer
- Endometrial cancer
- Undiagnosed pregnancy/pregnancy complications
- Hyatidiform molar disease
What are the ‘hallmark’ psychological changes seen in Premenstrual Syndrome?
- depression
- irritability
- emotional lability
What are the features of premenstrual syndrome?
- bloating
- cyclical weight gain
- mastalgia
- abdominal cramps
- fatigue
- headache
- depression
- changes in appeitie and increased craving
- irritability
What is the investigations/diagnosis of premenstrual syndrome?
Ask the woman to keep a menstrual diary of her symptoms over at least 2 cycles
What are some of the treatment options for PMS?
- SSRIs or SNRIs which are taken daily or during the luteal phase of the cycle
- CBT
- Lifesyle advice e.g. stress reduction, alcohol reduction, caffiene reduction, increase in exercise
- COCP, transdermal oestrogen, short-term GnRH
- Last resort: hysterectomy
How do GnRH analogues work?
When GnRH is given continuously (instead of in the pulsatile manner that natural endogenous GnRH is released) it desensitises the receptors in the anterior pituitary.
This downregulates the pituitary and decreases FSH and LH and therefore oestrogen and progesterone levels too
What are the possible causes of post-coital bleeding?
- Cervical ectropion
- Cervical carcinoma
- Trauma
- Atrophic vaginitis
- Cervicitis secondary to STIs
- Polyps
- Idiopathic
What is a cervical extropion?
Aslo known as a cervical erosion
Where the cervix develops a red, raw appearance that may bleed on contact
What is the most common cause of cervical ectropion?
Hormonal changes due to high oestrogenic states in pregnancy or use of hormonal contraceptives, especially the combined pill