Gynae Procedures Flashcards
What is endometrial ablation?
- Outpatient procedure to remove or destroy endometrial layers (can prevent periods / heavy bleeding)
What are the indications for endometrial ablation?
- Menorrhagia in premenopausal or perimenopausal women with normal endometrial cavities
- Postmenopausal bleeding of unknown origin
- Anovulatory bleeding and bleeding secondary to fibroids – higher risk of failure as does not remove fibroids
- No desire for future fertility but desire to retain uterus or avoid hysterectomy
What are the complications of endometrial ablation?
- General = infection, bleeding, failure, damage to local structures (i.e. cervical os, uterus lining)
- Minor SE = cramping, nausea, frequent urination, watery discharge mixed with blood
- Rarely = pulmonary oedema due to fluid used to expand uterus being absorbed into blood stream
What device is most widely used for endometrial biopsy and why?
Pipelle
- Can be used without cervical dilatation
What are the indications for a endometrial biopsy?
- Over 55 +
- PMB (unexplained bleeding 12+ months after LMP)
- Unexplained discharge if its new, has thrombocytosis or reports haematuria
- Visible haematuria and low Hb, thrombocytosis, raised blood glucose
- Under 55 with unexplained bleeding 12+ months after LMP
What are the complications of endometrial biopsy?
- General = infection, bleeding, failure, damage to local structures
- Pipelle has poor negative predictive value
What are the indications for gynaecological laparoscopy?
- Diagnostic - pelvic pain, diagnose endometriosis, infertility (dye test for tubal patency)
- Therapeutic - sterilisation, adhesiolysis, ovarian cystectomy, salpingectomy, endometrial ablation
- Major surgery - myomectomy, hysterectomy
What are the complications of gynaecological laparoscopy?
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Failure
- Damage to local structures
- GA complications
- VTE
What different approaches are there for a hysterectomy?
- Vaginal (removed through vagina) - quickest recovery
- Laparoscopic-assisted vaginal
- Laparoscopic hysterectomy
- Midline-incision
What structures are removed in a total, radical and subtotal hysterectomy?
- Total → uterus and cervix
- Radical → removal of structures ± BSO
- Cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries
- Subtotal → upper part of uterus removed
- Cervix not removed so smears at 6 and 18 months are needed
What are the contraindications to a vaginal hysterectomy?
- Malignancy
- Uterus 12w+ pregnancy
What are the indications to a vaginal hysterectomy?
- Menstrual disorders with uterus <12w size
- Microinvasive cervical carcinoma
- Uterovaginal prolapse
What are the indications to am abdominal hysterectomy?
- Uterine, ovarian, cervical, fallopian tube carcinoma
- Pelvic pain from chronic endometriosis or chronic PID where pelvis is frozen and vaginal impossible
- Symptomatic fibroid uterus 12w+ in size
What incision is made for an abdominal hysterectomy?
- Pfannenstiel incision
- Midline incision if larger masses or malignancy
What are the complications of a hysterectomy?
- Infection - co-amoxiclav given intra-operatively
- Bleeding
- Failure
- Damage to local structures
- GA complications
- VTE