gynaecology Flashcards
What is the definition of menopause?
No menses of 1 year after the age of 40
What are the physiological causes of menopause?
reduced oestogen levels due to decreased oarian function
Depletion of granulosa and thecal cells
What is the average age of menopause?
51 years old
What are the clinical findings in menopause?
amenorrhea Hot flushes Night sweats Atrophic vaginitis - pruritus, burning, dyspareunia Mood swings - anxiety, depression Urinary incontinence Lethargy Osteoporosis
What are the lab findings in menopause?
There is an increase in FSH and LH as oestrogen and progesterone fall
What is the treatment of menopause?
Oestrogen replacement if symptomatic
-With progesterone if uterus present to prevent endometrial adenocarcinoma
What are the risks of long term HRT?
Thromboembolism
Coronary heart disease, stroke
Slight risk of breast cancer
Increased risk of dementia in women over 65
What is virilisation?
It is the combination of hirsutism and male secondary sexual characteristics e.g. enlarged clitoris, acne, male hair distribution
What are the causes of virilisation?
Excess androgen production by adrenal or ovaries:
- PCOS most common
- idiopathic 5%-10%
- Androgenital system - congenital adrenal hyperplasia
- Drugs e.g. phenytoin
- Ovarian tumour
- Adrenal tumour
- Obesity
- Hypothyroid
What are the associations with PCOS?
Obesity
Insulin resistance
Acanthosis nigricans - darkening of skin in body folds
What is the pathophysiology behind PCOS?
Increased LH secretion compared to FSH causes hyperplasia of the ovarian theca cells causing increased production of androgens
This leads to anovulation
What are the clinical findings for PCOS?
Oligomenorrhoea
Hirutism
Endometrial hyperlasia/cancer (vaginal bleeding)
What are the lab findings for PCOS?
LH/FSH ratio >3
Increased serum testosterone
Decreased serum SHBG
Serum FSH normal to decreased
What is the treatment of PCOS?
Weight reduction in obses women
Reduce ovarian production of andogens with oral contraceptive
LH releasing hormone analogues
What are the rotterdam criteria for polycystic ovarian syndrome?
Need two of the three features to diagnose:
- Oligomenorrhoea
- Hyperandrogenism
- Cystic ovaries on ultrasound
What is the gold standard for visualising the ovaries for polycystic ovarian syndrome?
A transvaginal ultrasound can be used to look for a string of pearls appearance or ovarian volume over 10 cm cubed
How is the risk of endometrial cancer managed in patients with PCOS?
They have the effect of unapposed oestrogen due to not producing sufficient progesterone
Can put in a mirena coil
Inducing withdrawl bleeds every 3-4 months with cyclical progesterones or the combined oral contraceptive pill
How can infertility be managed in PCOS?
Weight loss
Clomifene - oestrogen receptor modulator
Laproscopic ovarian drilling - puncturing holes in ovaries to improve fertility
IVF
What are the management options for hirsutism for PCOS?
Weight loss first line
Co-cyprindiol (Dianette) - COC pill for hirsutism - high VTE risk so usually stopped after 3 months of use
Topical efornithine can be used for facial hirsutism - takes 6-8 weeks to work
Spironolactone - anti androgen effects
Finasteride - 5 alpha reductase inhibitor that decreases testosterone production
What is the definition of Menorrhagia?
More than 80mL of blood loss per period
What are the symptoms of menorrhagia?
Staining of the sheets at night with heavy protection
Excessive passage of clots
What are the potential causes of menorrhagia?
Fibroids Endometriosis or adenomyosis Pelvic inflammatory disease Contraceptives e.g. copper coil Anticoagulants Bleeding disorders PCOS Endometrial hyperplasia or cancer
How should menorrhagia be investigated?
Pelvic examination with speculum and bimanual to assess for fibroids, ascites and cancer
FBC to look for anaemia
Outpatient hysteroscopy suspected endometrial pathology or persistent intermenstrual bleeding
Pelvic and transvaginal ultrasound if there is possible large fibroid or adenomyosis
Swabs, coag screen, ferritin, TFTs
What is the management of menorrhagia?
Exclude and treat underlying pathologies
Establish if contraception is required or acceptable
If contraception declined:
-Tranexamic acid - if no pain
-Mefamic acid - if pain -NSAID so reduces bleeding and pain
Contraceptive management:
-Mirena coil - 1st line
-COC
-Cyclical progesterone
If treatment unsuccessful then refer to secondary care for :
-endometrial ablation e.g. baloon thermal ablation
-hysterectomy
What is primary dysmenorrhoea and why does it happen?
This is during ovulatory cycles and is due to increased prostaglandins causing increased uterine contractions
What is secondary dysmenorrhoea?
This is painful periods caused by other disorders such as endometriosis or adenmyosis etc.
What is the treatment of primary and secondary dysmenorrhoea?
Primary - NSAIDs, OCPs, nifedipine
Secondary - Treat underlying disease
What is dysfunctional uterine bleeding?
This is abnormal bleeding with no anatomic cause
Results in different types of abnormal bleeding e.g. menorrhagia
Most cases occur in postmenarchal and perimenopausal women
What are the causes of abnormal bleeding in perpubertal girls?
Vulvovaginitis, infection e.g. gonorrhoea, sexual abuse, foreign bodies
What are the causes of abnormal bleeding in women from menarche to 20 years?
Anovulatory dysfuntional uterine bleeding e.g. no secretory phase of cycle causing endometrial hyperplasia and excessive bleeding
Von Willebrand disease
What are the causes of abnormal bleeding from 20-40 years in women?
Preganacy and its complications Ovulatory dysfunctional uterine bleeding - irregular shedding of endometrium due to inadequate luteal phase due to low progesterone production PID Hypothyroid Endometriosis, adenomyosis
What are the common causes of abnormal bleeding in women over 40?
Anovulatory dysfuntional uterine bleeding - no secretory phase of cycle resulting in excessive bleeding from endometrial hyperplasia
What is primary amenorrhoea?
This is absence of periods by 13 with no other puberty signs or 15 with other puberty signs
What are the causes of primary amenorrhoea?
Constitutional delay - family history
Hypogonadism:
-Lack of sex hormone due to hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism - low LH and FSH e.g. pituitary dysfunction
-or hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism - no response to LH and FSH e.g. previous damage to ovaries or turners syndrome
Congential adrenal hyperpasia resulting in too much testosterone
Adrogen insensitivity syndrome - female phenotype but no internal female organs
Structual pathology e.g. imperforate hymen
What investigations are done for primary amenorrhoea?
Blood tests: -FBC, U and E, anti ttg for coeliac Hormonal: -TFT, LF and FSH, IGF1 for GH deficiency, testosterone Genetic testing for turners Imaging to age bones
What is the management of primary amenrrhoea?
Constitutional delay requires reassurance
Treat underlying causes
Can use hormones to promote menarche
Pulsatile GnRH to induce normal cycles