Women's Health Flashcards
What is a vault prolapse?
- Occurs in women who have undergone a hysterectomy
- Top of vagina (vault) descends into vagina
What is a rectocele?
- Defect in posterior vaginal wall
- Rectum prolapses forwards into vagina
What is a cystocele?
- Defect in anterior vaginal wall
- Bladder prolapses backwards into vagina
- Urethrocele = prolapse of urethra into vagina
- Cystourethrocele = prolapse of both bladder and urethra into vagina
What is an enterocele?
Prolapse of small bowel through Pouch of Douglas into posterior vault of vagina
What are the clinical features of a pelvic organ prolapse?
- Dragging/heavy sensation in pelvis
- Lump/mass in vagina
- Feeling of ‘something coming down’ in vagina
- Sexual dysfunction
- Urinary symptoms/recurrent UTIs
- Faecal loading
- Bowel symptoms
- Worse on straining/bending down
What is the investigation for a pelvic organ prolapse?
Sim’s speculum:
- U-shaped, single-bladed speculum
- Supports anterior/posterior vaginal wall whilst others are examined
What is the management for a pelvic organ prolapse?
- Physiotherapy (pelvic floor exercises)
- Weight loss
- Lifestyle changes (reduced caffeine/incontinence pads)
- Treat symptoms
- Topical vaginal oestrogen
- Vaginal pessary (ring/Shelf and Gellhorn/cube/donut/Hodge)
- Surgery (mesh repairs/hysterectomy)
What are some causes of overflow incontinence?
- Anticholinergic medications
- Fibroids
- Pelvic tumours
- Neurological conditions (MS/diabetic neuropathy/spinal cord injuries)
What are the investigations for urinary incontinence?
- Urinalysis (MSU)
- Bladder diary
- Frequency volume chart
- Residual urine measurement
- Symptom questionnaire (urinary/vaginal/bowel/sexual)
- Urinary stress testing (cough/empty supine stress test)
- In&Out catheter (CISC)
- USS KUB
What is the management for stress incontinence?
- Pelvic floor exercises
- Lifestyle changes (reduce caffeine/lose weight)
- Pseudoephedrine/topical oestrogen
- Surgery (tension-free vaginal tape/etc.)
- Duloxetine
What is the management for urge incontinence?
- Bladder training
- Anticholinergic medications e.g. oxybutynin/solifenacin
- Beta-3 agonist e.g. mirabegron
- Botox
- Topical oestrogen
What is the management for general urinary incontinence?
- Leakage barriers (pads/pants)
- Vaginal support (pessaries)
- Barrier creams
- HRT
- Lifestyle changes
- Bladder bypass (catheters - CISC/suprapubic/urethral)
What are risk factors for urinary tract calculi?
- Previous renal stones
- Calcium based stones = hypercalcaemia/low urine output
Where do renal calculi most commonly get stuck?
Vesico-ureteric junction - most distal part of ureter, at the point where it connects to the bladder
What are staghorn calculi?
- Renal stones that form in the shape of the renal pelvis (appearance of deer stag antlers)
- Most commonly made of struvite
What can renal calculi be made up of?
- Calcium oxalate (most common)
- Calcium phosphate
- Uric acid
- Struvite (associated with UTIs)
- Cystine
What are the clinical features of renal calculi?
- Asx
- Renal colic
- Haematuria
- N+V
- Reduced urine output
What are the investigations for renal calculi?
- Urine dipstick (haematuria)
- Bloods (calcium)
- Abdominal x-ray (will only show calcium-based stones)
- CT KUB
What is the management for renal calculi?
- Supportive (NSAIDs/paracetamol/anti-emetics/abx)
- Watch and wait (if <5mm)
- Tamsulosin
- Surgery (ESWL/ureteroscopy and laser lithotripsy/PCBL)
What medications can be used to reduce the risk of renal calculi?
- Potassium citrate
- Thiazide diuretics
What are risk factors for vaginal fistulas?
- Prolonged/obstructed childbirth
- Complications from pelvic surgery
- Cancer/radiation treatment
- IBD
- Infection
What are the clinical features of vaginal fistulas?
- Urinary/faecal leakage
- Abnormal discharge
- Offensive urine/discharge
- Recurrent infections
- Abdominal pain
- Rectal/vaginal bledding
- Fever
- Weight loss
- N+V
- Diarrhoea
What are the investigations for vaginal fistulas?
- Pelvic exam
- Dye test
- USS/CT/MRI
- Colonoscopy
- Cystourethroscopy
What is the management for vaginal fistulas?
- May heal on their own alongside a catheter
- Surgery
Where do most of the female organs develop from?
Upper third of the vagina, cervix, uterus and fallopian tubes develop from the paramesonephric ductus (Mullerian ducts)
What is a bicornate uterus?
- Two ‘horns’ to uterus
- Heart-shaped appearance
What is an imperforate hymen and how does it present?
- Hymen at the entrance of vagina is fully formed without an opening
- Cyclical pelvic pain and cramping ordinarily associated with menstruation but without any vaginal bleeding
What is a transverse vaginal septae and how does it present?
- When the septum forms transversely across the vagina - can be perforate or imperforate
- Perforate - will still menstruate but difficulty with intercourse/tampon use
- Imperforate - similar presentation to imperforate hymen
What is vaginal hypoplasia and agenesis?
- Abnormally small/absent vagina
- Failure of Mullerian duct to properly develop
- May be associated with absent uterus/cervix
- Ovaries usually unaffected
What are the investigations for abnormal formations of the female organs?
- Examination
- Pelvic USS
- MRI
What is the management for abnormal formations of the female organs?
- Bicornate uterus = no specific management required
- Imperforate hymen = surgical incision to create opening
- Transverse vaginal septae = surgical correction
- Vaginal hypoplasia and agenesis = vaginal dilator over prolonged period/vaginal surgery
What are the complications of a bicornate uterus?
Associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes (miscarriage/premature birth/malpresentation)
What is a complication of an imperforate hymen?
Untreated –> retrograde menstruation –> endometriosis
What are the complications of transverse vaginal septae?
- Infertility
- Pregnancy-related complications
- Surgical correction complications (vaginal stenosis/recurrence)
What is adenomyosis and what are the risk factors?
- Presence of endometrial tissue inside the myometrium
- Older age
- Multiparous
What are the clinical features of adenomyosis?
- 1/3 asx
- Dysmenorrhoea
- Menorrhagia
- Dyspareunia
- Infertility/pregnancy-related complications
What are the investigations for adenomyosis?
- Examination = enlarged/’boggy’ uterus
- Transvaginal USS (first-line)
- MRI
- Transabdominal USS
- Histological examination after hysterectomy (gold standard)
What is the management for adenomyosis?
- Symptoms tend to resolve after menopause
NICE recommend same treatment as for menorrhagia
- Tranexamic acid
- Mefenamic acid
- Contraception (mirena coil/COC pill)
What are the complications of adenomyosis?
Associated with pregnancy difficulties (infertility/miscarriage/P-PROM/PPH/etc.)
Describe the pathophysiology of androgen insensitivity syndrome
- X-linked recessive
- Genetically male
- Mutation in androgen receptor gene
- Extra androgens converted into oestrogen
What are the clinical features of androgen insensitivity syndrome?
- Female phenotype (external genitalia/breast tissue)
- Testes in abdomen/inguinal canal (–> inguinal hernias)
- Absence of uterus/upper vagina/cervix/fallopian tubes/ovaries
- Lack of pubic/facial hair
- Tall
- Infertile
- Primary amenorrhoea
What are the investigations for androgen insensitivity syndrome?
- Raised LH
- Normal/raised FSH
- Normal/raised testosterone
- Raised oestrogen
What is the management for androgen insensitivity syndrome?
- Bilateral orchidectomy (increased risk of testicular cancer if not removed)
- Oestrogen therapy
- Vaginal dilators/vaginal surgery
- Patients generally raised as female
What is Asherman’s syndrome?
Symptomatic adhesions (synechiae) that form within uterus following damage to the uterus
What are the risk factors for Asherman’s syndrome?
- Usually occurs after pregnancy-related dilatation and curettage procedure
- Following uterine surgery
- Following severe pelvic infection
What are the clinical features of Asherman’s syndrome?
- Asx adhesions - not Asherman’s
- Secondary amenorrhoea
- Significantly lighter periods
- Dysmenorrhoea
- Infertility/recurrent miscarriages
What are the investigations for Asherman’s syndrome?
- Hysteroscopy (gold standard)
- Hysterosalpingography (contrast and x-ray)
- Sonohysterography (uterus filled with fluid and pelvic USS)
- MRI
What is the management for Asherman’s syndrome?
- Dissection of adhesions via hysteroscopy
What is atrophic vaginitis and who does it occur in?
A.k.a genitourinary syndrome of menopause - dryness and atrophy of vaginal mucosa related to lack of oestrogen affecting perimenopausal/menopausal women
What are the clinical features of atrophic vaginitis?
- Perimenopausal/postmenopausal woman
- Itching
- Dryness
- Dyspareunia
- Bleeding
- Recurrent UTIs/stress incontinence/pelvic organ prolapse
What is seen on examination in atrophic vaginitis?
- Pale mucosa
- Thin skin
- Reduce skin folds
- Erythema/inflammation
- Dryness
- Sparse pubic hair
What is the management for atrophic vaginitis?
- Topical oestrogen (estriol cream/pessaries, estradiol tablets/ring)
- Vaginal lubricants
What is the main cause and type of cervical cancer?
- 80% are squamous cell carcinomas
- Most common cause if HPV infection (type 16 and 18)
What are the risk factors for cervical cancer?
- Risk factors for HPV infection
- Non-engagement with screening
- Smoking
- HIV
- COC >5 years
- High parity
- Fhx
- Exposure to diethylstilbestrol during foetal development
What are the clinical feature of cervical cancer?
- Asx
- Intermenstrual/post-coital/post-menopausal vaginal bleeding
- Vaginal discharge
- Pelvic pain
- Dyspareunia
- Abnormal appearance of cervix (ulceration/inflammation/bleeding/visible tumour)
What are the investigations for cervical cancer?
- Cervical smear screening
- Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grading
- Colposcopy (statins + biopsy)
- Staging
What does colposcopy involve?
- Speculum examination and colposcope to magnify cervix
- Stains (acetic acid/iodine) to differentiate abnormal areas (white/not stain)
- Punch biopsy or large loop excision of transformational zone (LLETZ a.k.a loop biopsy)
What is the staging for cervical cancer?
- Stage 1 = confined to cervix
- Stage 2 = invades uterus/upper 2/3 of vagina
- Stage 3 = invades pelvic wall/lower 1/3 of vagina
- Stage 4 = invades bladder/rectum/beyond pelvis
What is the management for cervical cancer?
- Urgent cancer referral for colposcopy
- CIN/early stage = LLETZ/cone biopsy
- Stage 1B-2A = hysterectomy + removal of lymph nodes + chemotherapy + radiotherapy
- Stage 2B-4A = chemotherapy + radiotherapy
- Stage 4B = surgery + chemotherapy + radiotherapy + palliative care
- Advanced = pelvic exenteration (removal of most/all of pelvic organs)
- Bevacizumab (avastin) - monoclonal antibody to be used in combination with chemotherapy
What are preventative measures for cervical cancer?
- Cervical smear screening
- HPV vaccination in children 12-13 years (against strands 6/11/16/18)
When does cervical cancer screening take place?
- Every 3 years in patients 25-49
- Every 5 years in patients 50-64
- HIV patients screened annually
- Patients with previous CIN may require additional tests
- Certain groups of immunocompromised patients may have additional screening
- Pregnant patients due a routine smear should wait until 12 weeks post-partum
What is the method for cervical cancer screening?
- Speculum examination and collection of cells from cervix
- Liquid-based cytology
- ^ Samples initially tested for high-risk HPV before cells examined
Describe the results of cytology in cervical cancer screening
- Inadequate
- Normal
- Borderline changes
- Low-grade dyskaryosis
- High-grade dyskaryosis (moderate)
- High-grade dyskaryosis (severe)
- Possible invasive squamous cell carcinoma
- Possible glandular neoplasia
What are risk factors for dysfunctional uterine bleeding?
- Hormone abnormalities (thyroid/prolactin)
- Medications
- Excessive exercise/weight loss
- Obesity
- Stress/illness
- Start of menstruation in adolescence
- End of menstruation/perimenopause
What are the investigations for dysfunctional uterine bleeding?
- Urine/bloods (pregnancy)
- Bloods (thyroid/prolactin/oestrogen/iron)
- Transvaginal USS
- Endometrial biopsy
What is the management for dysfunctional uterine bleeding?
- Contraception
- Surgical dilatation and curettage
- HRT
What is the main type of endometrial cancer?
Adenocarcinomas (~80%)
What are risk factors for endometrial cancer?
- T2DM
- Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer
- Lynch syndrome
- Increased exposure to unopposed oestrogen (increased age/earlier onset of menstruation/late menopause/oestrogen only HRT/no pregnancies/obesity/PCOS/tamoxifen)
What are protective factors for endometrial cancer?
- COC pill
- Mirena coil
- High parity
- Cigarette smoking (anti-oestrogenic)
What is endometrial hyperplasia?
- Precancerous condition
- Thickening of endometrium
- <5% of cases become endometrial cancer
What type of cancer is endometrial cancer?
Oestrogen-dependent
- Unopposed oestrogen (oestrogen without progesterone) stimulates endometrial cells
What are the clinical features of endometrial cancer?
- Post-menopausal bleeding (MAIN SYMPTOM)
- Post-coital/intermenstrual/unusually heavy bleeding
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Haematuria
- Anaemia
- Raised platelet count
What are the investigations for endometrial cancer?
- 2-week-wait referral for patients with postmenopausal bleeding >12 months after last menstrual period
- Transvaginal USS
- Pipelle biopsy
- Hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy
What is the staging for endometrial cancer?
- Stage 1 = confined to uterus
- Stage 2 = invades cervix
- Stage 3 = invades ovaries/fallopian tubes/vagina/lymph nodes
- Stage 4 = invades bladder/rectum/beyond pelvis
What is the management for endometrial cancer?
- Hysterectomy
- Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO - removal of uterus/cervix/adnexa)
- Chemotherapy
- Radiotherapy
- Progesterone
- Progestogens (Mirena coil/medroxyprogesterone/levonorgestre/COC pill/cyclical progestogensl)
What are polyps?
Overgrowth of cells in the endometrium (endometrial), cervix (cervical), etc.
What is the main risk factor for polyps?
Hysterectomy
What are the clinical features of endometrial polyps?
- Metrorrhagia (irregular, acyclic, uterine bleeding)
- Post-menstrual spotting
- Menorrhagia
- Post-menopausal bleeding
- Breakthrough bleeding during hormonal therapy
- Post-coital bleeding
- Excessive/discoloured/offensive discharge
What are the investigations for polyps?
- USS
- Sonohysterography
What is the management for polyps?
- Removal (curettage) if symptomatic/post-menopausal/fertility issues
What is endometriosis?
Condition in which there is ectopic endometrial tissue outside the uterus
What are the clinical features of endometriosis?
- Asx
- Cyclical, dull, heavy/burning pelvis pain during menstruation
- Blood in urine/stool
- Urinary/bowel symptoms
- Dyspareunia
- Dysmenorrhoea
- Adhesions
- Infertility
What are the investigations for endometriosis?
- Laparoscopic surgery + biopsy/histology (gold standard)
- Examination (endometrial tissue visible in vagina/fixed cervix/tenderness)
What is the staging for endometriosis?
- Stage 1 = small, superficial lesions
- Stage 2 = mild, deep lesions
- Stage 3 = deeper lesions, on ovaries with mild adhesions
- Stage 4 = large, deep lesions affecting ovaries with extensive adhesions
What is the management for endometriosis?
- Analgesia
- COC pill/POP/medroxyprogesterone acetate injection/Mirena coil/Nexplanon implant/GnRH agonists
- Laparoscopic surgery to excise/ablate endometrial tissue and remove adhesions
- Hysterectomy
What are fibroids and who are they more common in?
A.k.a uterine leiomyomas - benign tumours of smooth muscle of uterus
- Very common
- More common in black women
What are the types of fibroids?
Are oestrogen sensitive
- Intramural (within myometrium)
- Subserosal (below outer layer of uterus)
- Submucosal (below endometrium)
- Pedunculated (on stalk)
What are the clinical features of fibroids?
- Asx
- Menorrhagia
- Prolonged menstruation
- Abdominal pain worse during menstruation
- Bloating
- Urinary/bowel symptoms
- Deep dyspareunia
- Reduced fertility
What are the investigations for fibroids?
- Abdominal and bimanual examination = palpable pelvic mass/enlarged, firm, non-tender uterus
- Hysteroscopy
- Pelvic USS
- MRI
What is the management for fibroids <3cm?
- Mirena coil (1st line)
- NSAIDs and tranexamic acid
- COC pill
- Cyclical oral progestogens
- Surgery (endometrial ablation/resection of submucosal fibroids during hysteroscopy/hysterectomy)
- GnRH agonists (goserelin/leuprorelin) - used to reduce size of fibroids before surgery
What is the management for fibroids >3cm?
- Refer to gynaecology
- NSAIDs and tranexamic acid
- Mirena coil
- COC pill
- Cyclical oral progestogens
- Surgery (uterine artery embolisation/myomectomy/hysterectomy)
- GnRH agonists (goserelin/leuprorelin) - used to reduce size of fibroids before surgery
What are complications of fibroids?
- Menorrhagia with iron deficiency anaemia
- Reduced fertility
- Pregnancy complications
- Constipation
- Urinary outflow obstruction/UTIs
- Torsion
- Malignant change
- Red degeneration of fibroid (ischaemia/infarction/necrosis of fibroid)
What is a hydatidiform mole/molar pregnancy and who is it more common in?
Type of tumour that grows like a pregnancy inside the uterus
- Older age
- Asian
- Previous molar pregnancy
Describe the pathophysiology of molar pregnancies
- Complete mole = 2 sperm cells fertilise empty ovum which develops into tumour with no foetal material
- Partial mole = 2 sperm cells fertilise normal ovum simultaneously which develops into tumour with some foetal material
What are the clinical features of a molar pregnancy?
- Normal pregnancy changes (periods stop/hormonal changes)
- Severe morning sickness
- Vaginal bleeding
- Increased enlargement of uterus
- Abnormally high hCG
- Thyrotoxicosis (hCG mimics TSH and stimulates excess T3/T4 production)
What are the investigations for molar pregnancies?
- Pelvic USS = ‘snowstorm’ appearance
- Histology of mole after evacuation
What is the management for molar pregnancies?
- Evacuation of uterus to remove mole
- Histology examination to confirm
- hCG levels monitored
- Chemotherapy if metastsis
What is lichen sclerosus?
Chronic inflammatory skin condition (autoimmune) that presents with patches of shiny, ‘porcelain-white’ skin typically affecting labia/perineum/perianal skin or foreskin/glans penis
What are the clinical features of lichen sclerosus?
Typical presentation = woman aged 45-60 complaining of vulvar itching and skin changes in vulva
- Asx
- Itchy/sore/painful
- Skin tightness
- Superficial dyspareunia
- Erosions/fissures
- Koebner phenomenon (exacerbated by friction to skin e.g. tight underwear/scratching)
- Skin changes (‘porcelain-white’/shiny/tight/thin/raised/papules/plaques)
What are the investigations for lichen sclerosus?
- Clinical diagnosis
- Vulval biopsy
What is the management for lichen sclerosus?
- Symptom management
- Potent topical steroids (clobetasol propionate 0.05%)
- Emollients
What are the complications of lichen sclerosus?
- Squamous cell carcinoma of vulva
- Pain/discomfort
- Sexual dysfunction
- Bleeding
- Narrowing of vaginal/urethral openings
What is the difference between menopause, postmenopause, perimenopause and premature menopause?
Menopause - the point at which menstruation permanently stops
Postmenopause - the period from 12 months after the final menstrual period onwards
Perimenopause - the time around the menopause, where the woman may be experiencing vasomotor symptoms and irregular periods. Includes the time leading up to the last menstrual period, and the 12 months afterwards
Premature menopause - menopause before the age of 40 years
What is the average age of menopause?
51
What are the clinical features of menopause?
Perimenopause:
- Hot flushes
- Emotional lability
- PMS
- Irregular periods
- Joint pain
- Heavier/lighter periods
- Vaginal dryness/atrophy
- Reduced libido
What are the investigations for menopause?
- Retrospective diagnosis (no periods for 12 months)
- FSH blood test
- Low oestrogen and progesterone, high FSH and LH
What is the management for menopause?
- Contraception
- HRT
- CBT
- SRRIs
- Testosterone
- Vaginal oestrogen/moisturisers
What are the complications of menopause?
Lack of oestrogen poses an increased risk of:
- CVD/stroke
- Osteoporosis
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Urinary incontinence
What are risk factors for ovarian cancer?
- Age (peak = 60)
- BRCA1/BRCA2 gene/fhx
- Increased no. of ovulation (early onset menstruation/late menopause/no pregnancies)
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Recurrent use of clomifene
What are protective factors for ovarian cancer?
- COC pill
- Breastfeeding
- Pregnancy
What are Krukenberg tumours?
Tumours, usually from GI tract cancer, that metastasis in ovary - have characteristic ‘signet-ring’ cells on histology
What is the most common type of ovarian cancer?
Epithelial cell tumours (serous tumours)
What are the clinical features of ovarian cancer?
- Late presentation due to non-specific symptoms
- Bloating
- Loss of appetite/early satiety
- Pelvic pain
- Urinary sx
- Weight loss
- Abdominal/pelvic mass
- Ascites
- Referred hip/groin pain (press on obturator nerve)
What are the investigations for ovarian cancer?
- 2-week-wait referral if ascites/pelvic mass/abdominal mass
- Pelvic USS
- CA125 (tumour marker >35 = significant - not very specific)
- Risk of malignancy index (RMI) - menopausal status/USS findings/CA125
- CT
- Histology
- Paracentesis (ascitic tap)
- Tumour markers (alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotrophin)
What is the staging for ovarian cancer?
- Stage 1 = confined to ovary
- Stage 2 = spread past ovary but inside pelvis
- Stage 3 = spread past pelvis but inside abdomen
- Stage 4 = spread outside abdomen
What is the management for ovarian cancer?
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Worse prognosis due to late presentation
What are risk actors for ovarian cysts?
- Age
- Postmenopause
- Increased no. of ovulations (early onset menstruation/late menopause/no pregnancies)
- Obesity
- HRT
- Smoking
- BRCA1/BRCA2 gene (fhx)
What are protective factors for ovarian cysts?
- Breastfeeding
- COC pill
What are the types of ovarian cysts?
- Functional ovarian
- Follicular (most common)
- Corpus luteum
- Serous cystadenoma
- Mucinous cystadenoma
- Endometrioma
- Dermoid
- Sex cord stromal tumour
What are the clinical features of ovarian cysts?
- Asx
- Pelvic discomfort/pain/delayed menstruation (corpus luteum cysts)
- Acute pelvic pain (torsion/haemorrhage/rupture)
- Signs of malignancy (pelvic pain/bloating/ascites/palpable mass/reduced appetite/weight loss/urinary symptoms/lymphadenopathy)
What are the investigations for ovarian cysts?
- Pelvic USS
- Tumour markers (CA125/lactate dehydrogenase/alpha fetoprotein/human chorionic gonadotrophin)
- Risk of malignancy index (RMI)
What is the management for ovarian cysts?
- 2-week-wait referral if complex cysts/raised CA125
- <5cm = usually resolve on their own
- 5-7cm = gynae referral and yearly USS monitoring
- > 7cm = MRI/surgical evaluation (ovarian cystectomy +/- oophorectomy)
What are the complications of ovarian cysts?
- Torsion
- Haemorrhage
- Rupture
- Meig’s syndrome (ovarian fibroma + pleural effusion + ascites)
What are the clinical features of ovarian torsion?
- Sudden onset, constant, severe, unilateral pelvic pain
- N+V
- Localised tenderness
- Palpable mass
- Intermittent pain (if ovary twists and untwists)
What are the investigations for ovarian torsion?
- Abdominal examination (localised tenderness/palpable mass)
- Transvaginal/pelvic USS (‘whirlpool’ sign/free fluid in pelvis/oedema of ovary) - Doppler studies = lack of blood flow
- Laparoscopic surgery
What is the management for ovarian torsion?
Medical emergency
- Laparoscopic detorsion/oophorectomy
What are the complications of ovarian torsion?
- Delayed treatment –> loss of function –> infertility/menopause (if other can’t compensate)
- Infection –> abscess –> sepsis
- Rupture –> peritonitis –> adhesions
What are the main causes of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)?
- STIs - gonorrhoea/chlamydia/mycoplasma genitalium
- Non-STIs (less common) - gardnerella vaginalis/haemophilus influenza/e coli
What are the risk factors for PID?
- Lack of barrier contraception
- Multiple sexual partners
- Younger age
- Existing STI
- Previous PID
- IUD
What are the clinical features of PID?
- Pelvic/lower abdominal pain
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Abnormal bleeding (intermenstrual/postcoital)
- Dyspareunia
- Fever
- Dsyuria
- Fever/signs of sepsis
What are the investigations for PID?
- Examination (pelvic tenderness/cervicitis/purulent discharge)
- NAAT swabs/HIV test/syphilis test/high vaginal swab + microscopy (PUS CELLS)
- Pregnancy test
- Raised CRP/ESR
What is the management for PID?
- Contact tracing
- Abx (dependent on causative organism) - IM ceftriaxone 1g/doxycycline 100mg/metronidazole 400mg
What are the complications of PID?
- Infertility
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Abscess/sepsis
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome (adhesions between liver and peritoneum)
What are risk factors for PCOS?
- Obesity
- T2DM
- Hypercholesterolaemia
- CVD
What are the clinical features of PCOS?
- Multiple ovarian cysts
- Infertility
- Oligomenorrhoea/amenorrhoea
- Hyperandrogenism (hirsutism/acne)
- Insulin resistance
- Acanthosis nigricans (thickened/rough/dark skin with velvety texture)
What criteria is used to diagnose PCOS?
Rotterdam criteria - requires at least 2 our of 3 key features:
- Oligoovulation/anovulation (presents with irregular/absent menstrual periods)
- Hyperandrogenism (hirstusim/acne)
- Polycystic ovaries on USS (or ovarian volume >10cm3)
What are investigations for PCOS?
Bloods:
- Raised testosterone
- Sex hormone-binding globulin
- Raised LH
- FSH
- Mildly elevated prolactin
- TSH
- Raised insulin
- Normal/raised oestrogen
Transvaginal/pelvic USS:
- ‘String of pearls’ appearance
- 12 or more developing follicles in one ovary
- Ovarian volume >10cm
2-hour 75g oral glucose tolerance test (diabetes screening)
What is the management for PCOS?
Symptom management:
- Obesity/T2DM/CVD risks = exercise/diet/weight loss/smoking cessation/statins
- Infertility = weight loss/clomifene/laparoscopic ovarian drilling/IVF
- Hirsutism = weight loss/hair removal/co-cyprindiol (COC pill)/topical eflornithine/electrolysis/lase hair removal/spironolactone/finasteride/flutamide/cyproterone acetate
- Acne = co-cyprindiol (COC pill)/topic adapalene/topic abx (clindamycin + benzoyl peroxide)/topical azelaic acid/oral tetracycline abx (lymecycline)
- Increased risk of endometrial hyperplasia/cancer = mirena coil/withdrawal bleeds (cyclical progestogens/COC pill)
What is a prolactinoma and who is it more common in?
Tumour of the pituitary gland that secretes excessive prolactin
- More common in women
- Associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 1
Where is prolactin produced and what does it do?
- Anterior pituitary gland/breast/prostate
- Breast milk produced in response to prolactin
- Regulates aspects of immune function and metabolism
How are prolactinomas defined?
- Microprolactinoma <10mm
- Macroprolactinoma >10mm
What are the clinical features of prolactinomas?
- Headaches
- Bitemporal hemianopia
- N+V
- Galactorrhoea
- Breast tenderness
- Decreased libido
- Infertility
- Menstruation stops
- Gynaecomastia
- Impotence
What are the investigations for prolactinomas?
- CT/MRI pituitary/brain
- Testosterone levels
- Prolactin levels
- TFTs
What is the main differential diagnosis for prolactinomas?
Pseudoprolactinoma - underactive thyroid mimics prolactinoma
What is the management for prolactinomas?
- Dopamine agonists (bromocriptine/cabergoline)
- Transphenoidal surgery
- Radiation
What is the average age of menarche?
10-16 (average = 12)
What is precious puberty?
Puberty before the age of 8 (girls) and 9 (boys)
What are risk factors for delayed puberty?
- Low birth weight
- Chronic disease
- Eating disorders
- Athletes
What are the clinical features of puberty?
Girls:
- Development of breast buds
- Development of pubic hair
- Menarche
Boys:
- Increase in testicular volume (gonadarche)
- Development of pubic hair
- Increase in penis length
What is used to stage puberty?
Tanner staging I-IV
What is the most common type of vulval cancer?
- Rare
- ~90% are squamous cell carcinomas
What are the risk factors for vulval cancer?
- Advanced age (>75)
- Immunosuppression
- HPV infection
- Lichen sclerosus
- Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN)
What is vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN)?
Precancerous condition affecting squamous epithelial of skin
What are the clinical features of vulval cancer?
- Vulvar lump
- Ulceration/pain/bleeding
- Itching
- Lymphadenopathy in groin
- Irregular mass
- Fungating lesions
What are the clinical features of vulval cancer?
- Incidental on catheterisation
- Biopsy
- Sentinel node biopsy
- CT
What is the management for vulval cancer?
- 2-week-wait referral
- Wide local excision
- Groin lymph node dissection
- Chemotherapy
- Radiotherapy
- VIN = imiquimod cream/laser ablation
What is the most common cause of bacterial vaginosis?
Gardnerella vaginalis
What are the risk factors for bacterial vaginosis?
- Multiple sexual partners
- Excessive vaginal cleaning
- Recent abx use
- Smoking
- Copper coil
Describe the pathophysiology of bacterial vaginosis
- Loss of lactobacilli (friendly bacteria) in vagina
- Keep vaginal pH low (<4.5)
- Alkaline environment enables anaerobic bacterial growth
What are the clinical features of bacterial vaginosis?
- Asx
- Fishy-smelling, watery, grey/white vaginal discharge
What are the investigations for bacterial vaginosis?
- Speculum examination
- Vaginal pH (normal = 3.5-4.5)
- Charcoal vaginal swab + microscopy = ‘clue cells’ (epithelial cells from cervix that have bacteria stuck inside them)
What is the management for bacterial vaginosis?
- May resolve without treatment
- Abx = metronidazole/clindamycin
What are the complications of bacterial vaginosis?
- Increased risk of developing STIs
- Pregnancy complications
What is balanitis and who is it more common in?
- Inflammation of glans penis
- More common in uncircumcised men
What are the causes of balanitis?
- Intertrigo (inflammation due to rubbing of skin against each other)
- Infection (candida/staph/group B strep/anaerobes/gardnerella vaginalis/trichomonas)
- Irritation/contact dermatitis (wet nappy/poor hygiene/soap/condoms)
What are the risk factors for balanitis?
- Uncircumcised
- Diabetes mellitus
- Abx use
- Poor hygiene
- Immunosuppression
- Chemical/physical irritation
What are the clinical features of balanitis?
- Sore, inflamed, swollen glans/foreskin
- Non-retractile foreskin (phimosis)
- Ulceration/plaques/lesions
- Purulent discharge
- Dysuria
- Impotence/dyspareunia
What are the investigations for balanitis?
- Blood/urine test
- Swab + microscopy
What is the management for balanitis?
- Encourage daily cleaning with lukewarm water and gentle drying (avoid irritants)
- Topical hydrocortisone 1% (dermatitis)
- Imidazole cream/clotrimazole 1% cream/miconazole 2% cream/oral fluconazole 150mg (candida)
- Oral flucloxacillin/clarithromycin (bacteria)
What is chancroid?
STI caused by gram -ve bacterium Haemophilus ducreyi
What are the clinical features of chancroid?
- May be asx
- Painful genital ulcers on foreskin/glans/corona/labia/vaginal entrance/cervix/perineum/perianal area
- Painful inguinal lymphadenopathy
- Dysuria
- Vaginal discharge
- Dyspareunia
What are the investigations for chancroid?
- Microscopy/PCR/serology
What is the management for chancroid?
- Abx (azithromycin/ciprofloxacin/ceftriaxone/erythromycin)
- Drain buboes by aspiration
- Avoid sex until lesions completely healed
What is the main complication of chancroid?
Increases risk of HIV
What is the cause of chlamydia?
Gram -ve bacteria chlamydia trachomatis
What are the clinical features of chlamydia?
- 70% (women) and 50% (men) are asx
- Abnormal discharge
- Dysuria
- Testicular pain
- Dyspareunia
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Epididymo-orchitis
- Reactive arthritis
- Anorectal discharge/bleeding/discomfort
- Change in bowel habit
What are the investigations for chlamydia?
- Charcoal swab
- NAAT swab
What is the management for chlamydia?
- Avoid sex until treatment finished
- Contact tracing
- National chlamydia screening programme (everyone <25)
- Uncomplicated = doxycycline 100mg BD for 7 days
- Alternatives (pregnancy/breastfeeding) = azithromycin/erythromycin/amoxicillin
What causes genital herpes?
Herpes simplex virus
- HSV-1 strain = most associated with cold sores
- Trigeminal nerve ganglion = cold sores
- Sacral nerve ganglia = genital herpes
What are the clinical features of genital herpes?
- Asx
- Aphthous ulcers
- Ulcers/blistering lesions
- Herpes keratitis (inflammation of cornea)
Herpetic whitlow (painful lesions on fingers) - Neuropathic pain
- Flu-like sx
- Dysuria
- Inguinal lymphadenopathy
What is the investigation for genital herpes?
Viral PCR swab
What is the management for genital herpes?
- Aciclovir
- Valaciclovir/famciclovir
- Paracetamol
- Topical lidocaine 2% gel
- Clean with warm salt water
- Topical vaseline
- Avoid sex whilst having symptoms
- Contact tracing
What is the management for genital herpes in pregnancy?
Contracted before 28 weeks:
- Aciclovir and regular prophylactic aciclovir from 36 weeks
- Vaginal delivery (asx)/c-section (sx)
Contracted after 28 weeks:
- Aciclovir and immediate regular prophylactic aciclovir
- C-section
What is the main complication of genital herpes in pregnancy?
Neonatal herpes simplex infection (contracted during labour/delivery - high morbidity/mortality)
What are the main causes of genital warts?
Human papilloma virus (HPV)
- HPV6 and HPV11 most common
What are the clinical features of genital warts?
- Most are asx
- Warts on penis/scrotum/vulva/vagina/cervix/perianal skin/anus
- Painless, fleshy lesions that can be soft or hard
- Extra-genital lesions (oral cavity/larynx/conjunctivae/nasal cavity)