Gynaecology Flashcards
Amenorrhoea classification?
- Primary = by 15 y/o with normal secondary sexual characteristics, or by 13 y/o with no secondary sexual characteristics
- Secondary = cessation for 3-6m in women with previously normal menses, or 6-12 months with previous oligomenorrhoea
Primary amenorrhoea causes?
- Gonadal dysgenesis = Turner’s
- Testicular feminisation
- Congenital malformation of the genital tract
- Functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea e.g. occurs due to disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis, often in the absence of structural abnormalities.
- CAH
- Imperforate hymen
Most common cause of primary amenorrhoea?
Gonadal dysgenesis = Turner’s
Secondary amenorrhoea causes?
- Hypothalamic = stress, exercise
- PCOS
- POF
- Hyperprolactinaemia
- Thyrotoxicosis
- Sheehan’s
- Asherman’s syndrome
Asherman’s syndrome?
Intrauterine adhesions
Amenorrhoea Ix?
- Exclude pregnancy with urinary or serum bHCG
- FBC, U&E, TFT, Coeliac
- Gonadotrophins = low levels indicate hypothalamic cause, raised levels suggest ovarian problem/gonadal dysgenesis e.g. POF or Turner’s
- Prolactin
- Androgens = raised levels may be seen in PCOS
- Oestradiol
Primary amenorrhoea Rx?
- Underlying cause
- POF due to gonadal dysgenesis are likely to benefit from HRT to prevent osteoporosis etc.
Secondary amenorrhoea Rx?
- Exclude pregnancy, lactation and menopause (in > 40 y/o)
- Underlying cause
Urinary incontinence affects what % of the population?
4-5%
Urinary incontinence RFs?
- Age
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- High BMI
- Hysterectomy
- FHx
Urinary incontinence classification?
- Overactive bladder (OAB)/Urge
- Stress
- Mixed
- Overflow
- Functional
Stress incontinence?
Leaking small amounts when coughing or laughing
Mixed incontinence?
Both urge and stress
Functional incontinence?
- Comorbid conditions impair pt’s ability to get to bathroom in time
- Dementia, sedating medication, injury/illness resulting in decreased ambulation
Urinary incontinence Ix?
- Bladder diaries for minimum 3 days
- Vaginal examination to exclude pelvic organ prolapse and ability to initiate voluntary contraction of pelvic floor muscles (‘Kegel’ exercises)
- Urine dipstick and culture
- Urodynamic studies
Urge incontinence predominant Rx?
- Bladder retraining 6w minimum
- Bladder stabilising drugs = antimuscarinics e.g. oxybutynin, tolterodine, darifenacin
- Mirabegron (B3 agonist) if concern about anticholinergic s/e in frail elderly pts
When should immediate release oxybutynin be avoided?
Frail older women
Stress incontinence predominant Rx?
- PFMT (8 contractions 3 x day for 3m)
- Surgery = Retropubic mid-urethral tape procedures
- Duloxetine if decline surgical procedures (combines NSRI)
Simple ovarian cyst?
Unilocular, more likely to be physiological or benign
Complex ovarian cyst?
Multilocular, more likely to be malignant
Premenopausal women cyst management?
A conservative approach may be taken for younger women (especially if < 35 years) as malignancy is less common. If the cyst is small (e.g. < 5 cm) and reported as ‘simple’ then it is highly likely to be benign. A repeat ultrasound should be arranged for 8-12 weeks and referral considered if it persists.
Postmenopausal ovarian cyst management?
By definition physiological cysts are unlikely –> any postmenopausal woman with an ovarian cyst regardless of nature or size should be referred to gynaecology for assessment
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome?
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a complication seen in some forms of infertility treatment. It is postulated that the presence of multiple luteinized cysts within the ovaries results in high levels of not only oestrogens and progesterone but also vasoactive substances such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This results in increased membrane permeability and loss of fluid from the intravascular compartment
When is OHSS more likely to be seen?
With gonadotrophin or hCG treatment. Rarely seen with clomifene therapy?
What % of women having IVF may experience a mild form of OHSS?
Up to 1/3rd
OHSS Classification?
- Mild = abdominal pain and bloating
- Moderate = nausea + vomiting, ascites on US
- Severe = clinical ascites, oliguria, haematocrit > 45%, hypoproteinaemia
- Critical = VTE, ARDS, anuria, tense ascites
Premature ovarian insuffiency (POI) definition?
Onset of menopausal symptoms and elevated gonadotrophin levels before 40 y/o
POI prevalence?
1 in 100 women
Causes of premature menopause?
- Idiopathic = most common, may be FHx
- Bilateral oophorectomy
- Radiotherapy
- Chemotherapy
- Infection e.g. mumps
- Autoimmune disorders
- Resistant ovary syndrome: due to FSH receptor abnormalities
Resistant ovary syndrome?
Due to FSH receptor abnormalities
POI bloods?
- FSH > 40 , on 2 blood samples taken 4-6 weeks apart
- Raised LH
- Low oestradiol e.g. < 100
POI Rx?
HRT or COCP to women until average age of menopause 51 y/o
Does HRT provide contraception?
No
Oestrogen protective for?
Bone health and cardiovascular disease
Why may doxazosin worsen stress incontinence?
Alpha blocker –> relaxes bladder outlet and urethra
Menorrhagia quantity?
> 80mls per menses but obviously hard to quantify
Menorrhagia causes?
- Dysfunctional uterine bleeding
- Anovulatory cycles
- Fibroids
- Hypothyroidism
- IUD
- PID
- Bleeding diatheses
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding?
Half of all patients. Menorrhagia in the absence of underlying pathology.
When are anovulatory cycles more common?
At the extremes of a woman’s reproductive life
vWD typical inheritance?
AD
Most common inherited bleeding disorder?
vWD
vWD Bloods?
- Prolonged bleeding time
- APTT may be prolonged
- Factor VIII levels may be moderately reduced
- Defective platelet aggregation with ristocetin
Oxybutynin MOA?
Anti-muscarinic
Cervical adenocarcinomas account for what % of cases?
15%, frequently undetected by screening
Smear test offering?
- 25-49 y/o = 3 yearly
- 50-64 y/o = 5 yearly
- Cannot be offered to > 64 y/o, in Scotland is offered every 5 years 25-64 y/o
Cervical screening special situations?
- Pregnancy = delayed until 3m post-partum unless missed screening or previous abnormal smears
- Never sexually active can opt out of screening as very low risk
Best time to take cervical smear?
Around mid-cycle
4 types of miscarriage?
- Threatened
- Missed (delayed)
- Inevitable
- Incomplete
Threatened miscarriage?
- Painless vaginal bleeding before 24 weeks but typically occurs at 6-9 weeks
- Bleeding often less than menstruation
- Cervical os closed
- Complicates up to 25% of all pregnancies
Missed (delayed) miscarriage?
- A gestational sac which contains a dead fetus before 20 weeks without the symptoms of expulsion
- Light vaginal bleeding/discharge and symptoms of pregnancy which disappear, pain is not usually a feature
- Cervical os is closed
- When the gestational sac is >25mm and no embryonic/fetal part can be seen it is sometimes described as a ‘blighted ovum’ or ‘anembryonic pregnancy’
Inevitable miscarriage?
- Heavy bleeding with clots and pain
- Cervical os is open
Incomplete miscarriage?
- Not all products of conception have been expelled
- Pain and vaginal bleeding
- Cervical os is open
Vulval carcinoma mushkies?
- 80% SCCs
- Mostly > 65 y/o
- Rare, 1200 in UK each year
Vulval carcinoma RFs?
- HPV infection
- VIN
- Lichen sclerosus
- Immunosuppression
Vulval carcinoma features?
- Lump or ulcer on labia majora
- Inguinal lymphadenopathy
- May be associated with itching, irritation
Mittelschmerz mushkies?
Mittelschmerz literally translates to ‘middle pain’ and refers to abdominal pain associated with ovulation. This mid-cyclical pain is experienced by 20% of women and there are several theories as to why it occurs. One explanation is that is occurs due to a leakage of follicular fluid containing prostaglandins at the time of ovulation, which causes the pain. Another explanation is that the growth of the follicle stretches the surface of the ovary, causing pain
Mittelschmertz presentation?
- Sudden onset of pain in iliac fossa which then manifests as generalised pelvic pain
- Typically pain is not severe and varies in duration, lasting from mins to hours
- Self-limiting and resolves within 24 hours of onset
- Pain may switch side from month to month, depending on site of ovulation
Mittelschmertz Ix?
Clinical
Mittelschmerz Rx?
Simple analgesia
Ovarian cancer pathophysiology?
- 90% epithelial in origin, with 70-80% being due to serous carcinomas
- Distal end of fallopian tube is often the site of origin
Ovarian cancer RFs?
- FHx = BRCA1/BRCA2
- Many ovulations = early menarche, late menopause, nulliparity
Ovarian cancer clinical features?
Notoriously vague = abdominal distension, bloating, abdo+pelvic pain, urinary symptoms, early satiety, diarrhoea
Ovarian cancer Ix?
- Ca-125 –> if raised >35 then urgent:
- US
Ca-125 mushkies?
Endometriosis, menstruation, and benign ovarian cysts may raise Ca 125. Should not be used for screening in asymptomatic women.
Ovarian Cancer diagnosis?
Is difficult and usually involves diagnostic laparotomy
Ovarian cancer Rx?
Usually combination of surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy
Ovarian cancer prognosis?
- 80% of women have advanced disease at presentation
- All stage 5 year survival is 46%
COCP risk on ovarian cancer?
Decreases risk
PCOS mushkies?
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a complex condition of ovarian dysfunction thought to affect between 5-20% of women of reproductive age. Management is complicated and problem based partly because the aetiology of PCOS is not fully understood. Both hyperinsulinaemia and high levels of luteinizing hormone are seen in PCOS and there appears to be some overlap with the metabolic syndrome.
PCOS management domains?
- General
- Hirsutism and acne
- Infertility
PCOS general management?
- Weight reduction if appropriate
- If requires contraception then COCP may help regulate her cycle and induce a monthly bleed
PCOS hirsutism and acne Rx?
- COCP or co-cyprindiol
- Topical eflornithine
- Spironolactone, flutamide and finasteride under specialist supervision
PCOS infertility management?
- Clomifene first line
- Metformin if obese (can be used in combination)
- Gonadotrophins
Clomifene MOA?
Work by occupying hypothalamic oestrogen receptors without activating them. This interferes with the binding of oestradiol and thus prevents negative feedback inhibition of FSH secretion
Dysmenorrhoea definition?
Excessive pain during menstrual period
Dysmenorrhoea classification?
Primary and secondary
Primary Dysmenorrhoea mushkies?
No underlying pelvic pathology. It affects up to 50% of menstruating women and usually appears within 1-2 years of the menarche. Excessive endometrial prostaglandin production is thought to be partially responsible.
Primary Dysmenorrhoea features?
- Pain typically starts just before or within a few hours of period starting
- Suprapubic cramping pains which may radiate to the back or down the thigh
Primary dysmenorrheoa Rx?
- NSAIDs e.g. mefenamic acid and ibuprofen effective in up to 80% women, inhibit PG production
- COCP 2nd line
Secondary dysmenorrhoea mushkies?
Typically develops many years after the menarche and is the result of an underlying pathology. In contrast to primary dysmenorrhoea the pain usually starts 3-4 days before the onset of the period
Secondary dysmenorrhoea causes?
- Endometriosis
- Adenomyosis
- PID
- IUD
- Fibroids
Secondary menorrhoea Rx?
Refer all pts to gynaecology for Ix
Vaginal candidiasis predisposing factors?
- DM
- Drugs = Abx, steroids
- Pregnancy
- Immunosuppression
Vaginal candidiasis features?
- ‘Cottage cheese’, non-offensive discharge
- Vulvitis: superficial dyspareunia, dysuria
- Itch
- Vulval erythema, fissuring, satellite lesions may be seen
Vaginal candidiasis Ix?
Clinical
Vaginal candidiasis Rx?
- Oral fluconazole 150mg single dose 1st line
- Clotrimazole 500mg IV pessary as single dose if oral therapy C/I
- If vulval symptoms, consider adding a topical imidazole in addition to an oral or intravaginal antifungal
- If pregnant then orals C/I
Recurrent vaginal candidiasis Rx?
- Defined as 4 or more episodes per year
- Confirm diagnosis = high vaginal swab for MCS, consider blood glucose to exclude DM
- Exclude DDx e.g. lichen sclerosus
- Consider induction-maintenance regime = Induction oral fluconazole OD 3 days. Maintenance oral fluconazole weekly 6m.
PID definition?
Infection and inflammation of the female pelvic organs including the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries and the surrounding peritoneum. It is usually the result of ascending infection from the endocervix.
PID causative organisms?
- Chlamydia trachomatis +
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae/mycoplasma genitalium/mycoplasma hominis
PID features?
- Lower abdominal pain
- Fever
- Deep dyspareunia
- Dysuria and menstrual irregularities
- Vaginal or cervical discharge
- Cervical excitation
PID Ix?
- Pregnancy test to exclude ectopic
- High vaginal swab = often -ve
- Chlamydia and gonorrhoea screen
PID Rx?
- Oral ofloxacin + oral metronidazole OR
- IM Ceftriaxone + oral metronidazole + oral doxycycline
- Consider removing IUD/IUS
PID complications?
- Perihepatitis = Fitz-Hugh Curtis syndrome (10% cases, characterised by RUQ pain and may be confused with cholecystitis)
- Infertility = risk 10-20% after a single episode
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Ectopic pregnancy