Gynaecology Flashcards
What are the presentations of fibroids?
Often asymptomatic
Heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia)
Prolonged menstruation
Abdominal pain (especially when menstruating)
Bloating
Urinary/bowel symptoms (due to pressure on surrounding structures)
Deep dyspareunia
Reduced fertility
What investigations are done with fibroids?
Hysteroscopy –> Initial investigation for submucosal fibroids
Pelvic ultrasound –> Larger fibroids
MRI –> Determine size, shape and blood supply before surgery
What is the management of fibroids less than 3cm?
Same as heavy menstrual bleeding:
Mirena coil (first line)
Manage symptoms –> NSAIDs, tranexamic acid
Combined oral contraceptive pill
Cyclical oral progestogens
Surgical options:
Endometrial ablation
Resection
Hysterectomy
What is the management of fibroids >3cm?
Refer to gynaecology
Symptomatic management with NSAIDs and tranexamic acid
Mirena coil
COCP
Cyclical oral progestogens
Surgical options:
Uterine artery embolisation
Myomectomy
Hysterectomy
What drug can help reduce the size of a fibroid?
Triptorelin (GnRH agonists)
What are possible complications of fibroids?
Heavy menstrual bleeding –> anaemia
Reduced fertility
Miscarriage/premature labour
Constipation
UTI/urinary outflow obstruction
Ischaemia/infarction/necrosis of the fibroid
Malignant change to leiomyosarcoma
What is the difference in significant in ovarian cysts in pre- vs post-menopausal women?
Pre-menopausal = often benign
Post-menopausal = more concerning, potentially malignant, need further investigation
What is the presentation of ovarian cysts?
Mostly asymptomatic and found incidentally
Pelvic pain
Bloating/fullness
Palpable pelvic mass
What are the different types of ovarian cysts?
Follicular cyst = When the follicle fails to rupture and release the egg –> Often disappears after a few menstrual cycles
Corpus luteum cyst = When the corpus luteum fails to break down and fills with fluid –> Seen in early pregnancy
Serous/mucinous cystadenoma = Benign tumour of epithelium
Endometrioma = Lumps of endometrium in the ovary due to endometriosis
Dermoid cyst/germ cell tumour = Benign ovarian tumours
What are the risk factors for ovarian malignancy?
Increasing age
Post-menopausal
Increased number of ovulations (eg. early menarche, late menopause, no Mirena/COCP etc, no pregnancies, infertility treatment)
Obesity
HRT
Smoking
No breastfeeding (breastfeeding is protective)
Family history/BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes
What factors reduce the risk of ovarian cancer?
Later menarche
Early menopause
Any pregnancies
Use of COCP/Mirena
Breastfeeding
What is the management of ovarian cysts?
Raised CA125/complex cyst = 2 week wait
Dermoid cyst = Referral
Simple + <5cm = Self limiting and will most likely resolve
Simple + 5-7cm = Routine referral to gynaecology
Simple + >7cm = MRI/surgical evaluation
What is Meig’s syndrome?
Ovarian fibroma (benign ovarian tumour)
Pleural effusion
Ascites
Removal of tumour resolves symptoms
What is the presentation of ovarian cancer?
Bloating/fullness
Loss of appetite
Pelvic pain
Urinary symptoms
Weight loss
Abdominal/pelvic mass
Ascites
What findings on physical examination would indicate a 2-week-wait referral for suspected ovarian cancer?
Ascites
Pelvic mass (unless clearly due to fibroid)
Abdominal mass
What are the initial investigations in suspected ovarian cancer?
CA125 blood test
Pelvic ultrasound
What are the stages of ovarian cancer?
Stage 1 = Confined to the ovary
Stage 2 = Spread past the ovary but still in the pelvis
Stage 3 = Spread past the pelvis but in the abdomen
Stage 4 = Spread outside abdomen (distant metastasis)
What is the management of ovarian cancer?
Surgery and chemotherapy
What are non-ovarian cancer causes of a raised CA125?
Breast, endometrial and metastatic lung cancer
Adenomyosis
Ascites
Endometriosis
Menstruation
Ovarian torsion
Liver disease
NOT VULVAL CANCER
What is endometrial hyperplasia?
Precancerous condition involving thickening of the endometrium
Risk factors, presentation and investigations are the same as for endometrial cancer
Most cases return to normal over time
What is the management of endometrial hyperplasia?
IUS (Mirena)
Continuous oral progestogens
What are the risk factors for endometrial cancer?
Increase exposure to unopposed oestrogen
Increased age
Early menarche
Late menopause
Oestrogen-only HRT
No/fewer pregnancies
Obesity –> Adipose tissue is a source of oestrogen in post-menopausal women
PCOS
Tamoxifen
Also:
Type 2 diabetes
Lynch syndrome
What factors are protective against endometrial cancer?
COCP
Mirena
Increased pregnancies
Cigarette smoking
What is the presentation of endometrial cancer?
Postmenopausal bleeding –> Endometrial cancer until proven otherwise
Postcoital bleeding
Intermenstrual bleeding
Unusually heavy bleeding
Abnormal vaginal discharge
Haematuria
Anaemia
Raised platelets
What is the referral criteria for a 2-week-wait referral for endometrial cancer?
Postmenopausal bleeding more than 12 months after last period
What are the investigations for endometrial cancer?
Transvaginal US –> endometrial thickness
Pipelle biopsy
Hysteroscopy with biopsy
What are the stages of endometrial cancer?
Stage 1 = Confined to uterus
Stage 2 = Invades the cervix
Stage 3 = Invades uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina or lymph nodes
Stage 4 = Invades bladder, rectum or beyond
What is the management of endometrial cancer?
Stage 1 + 2 = Total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy
Other options:
Radical hysterectomy (also removing the pelvic lymph nodes, surrounding tissues and top of vagina)
Radiotherapy
Chemotherapy
Progesterone to slow the progression
What is the most common type of cervical cancer?
Squamous cell carcinoma (80%)
What is the most common cause of cervical cancer?
HPV
What are the risk factors for cervical cancer?
Increased risk of catching HPV –> Not using condoms, early sexual activity, increased number of sexual partners
Not engaging with screening
Smoking
HIV
COCP for > 5 years
Increased number of full-term pregnancies
Family history
What is the presentation of cervical cancer?
Detected on smears in asymptomatic women
Abnormal vaginal bleeding
Vaginal discharge
Pelvic pain
Dyspareunia
What are the stages of cervical cancer?
Stage 1 = Confined to cervix
Stage 2 = Invades uterus or upper 2/3 of vagina
Stage 3 = Invades pelvic wall or lower 1/3 of vagina
Stage 4 = Invades bladder, rectum or beyond
What is the management of cervical cancer?
Early stage 1A = Cone biopsy or large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ)
Stage 1B-2A = Radical hysterectomy and removal of local lymph nodes with chemo/radiotherapy
Stage 2B-4A = Chemo/radiotherapy
Stage 4B = Combination of surgery, chemo/radiotherapy and palliative care
What are the risk factors for vulval cancers?
Advanced age
Immunosuppression
HPV infection
Lichen sclerosus
What is the presentation of vulval cancer?
Vulval lump
Ulceration
Bleeding
Pain
Itching
Groin lymphadenopathy
What is the management of vulval cancer?
2 week wait
Biopsy
Excision to remove the cancer
Groin lymph node dissection
Chemo/radiotherapy
What is the presentation of lichen sclerosus?
Vulval itching
Soreness/pain
Skin tightness
Superficial dyspareunia
Erosions
Fissures
Skin changes: Porcelain white colour, shiny, tight, thin, slightly raised
What is the management of lichen sclerosus?
Topical steroids (dermovate)
Emollients
What are the complications of lichen sclerosus?
Squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva
What is the presentation of ovarian torsion?
Sudden onset, severe, unilateral pelvic pain that is constant and gets progressively worse
Nausea and vomiting
What is the initial investigation of choice for ovarian torsion?
Transvaginal US, or abdominal US in TV not possible
“Whirlpool” sign
What is the management of ovarian torsion?
Emergency admission
Laparoscopic surgery to untwist or remove the ovary
What is the diagnostic criteria for polycystic ovarian syndrome?
Rotterdam criteria
At least 2 of:
Oligo/anovulation –> Irregular/absent periods
Hyperandrogenism –> Hirsutism and acne
Polycystic ovaries on US
What do hormonal blood tests typically show in PCOS?
Raised LH
Raised LH:FSH ratio
Raised testosterone
Raised insulin
Normal or raised oestrogen
What is the management of PCOS?
Reduce risk factors –> Weight loss, smoking cessation, exercise, reduce hypertension, lower glycaemic index
Treat complications eg. infertility, hirsutism, acne
What is endometriosis?
A condition where there is ectopic endometrial tissue outside of the uterus
What is the presentation of endometriosis?
Cyclical abdominal or pelvic pain (for over 6 months)
Deep dyspareunia
Dysmenorrhoea
Infertility
Cyclical bleeding from other sites eg haematuria
What is the gold standard way to investigate and diagnose endometiosis?
Laparoscopic surgery with biopsy
What is the staging of endometriosis?
Stage 1 = Small superficial lesions
Stage 2 = Mild but deeper lesions than stage 1
Stage 3 = Deeper lesions with lesions on the ovaries and mild adhesions
Stage 4 = Deep and large lesions affecting the ovaries with extensive adhesions
What is the management of endometriosis?
Analgesia (paracetamol and NSAIDs)
COCP
POP
Depo injection
Nexplanon implant
Mirena
GnRH agonists
Surgery –> Excision or ablation of the endometrium
Hysterectomy