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Background: Hysteroscopic resection is the first-choice treatment for symptomatic type 0 and 1 fibroids. Traditionally, this was performed under general anesthesia. Over the last decade, surgical procedures are increasingly being performed in an outpatient setting under procedural sedation and analgesia. However, studies evaluating safety and effectiveness of hysteroscopic myomectomy under procedural sedation are lacking. This study aims to investigate whether hysteroscopic myomectomy under procedural sedation and analgesia with propofol is noninferior to hysteroscopic myomectomy under general anesthesia. Methods and findings: This was a multicenter, randomized controlled noninferiority trial conducted in 14 university and teaching hospitals in the Netherlands between 2016 and 2021. Inclusion criteria were age ≥18 years, maximum number of 3 type 0 or 1 fibroids, maximum fibroid diameter 3.5 cm, American Society of Anesthesiologists class 1 or 2, and having sufficient knowledge of the Dutch or English language. Women with clotting disorders or with severe anemia (Hb < 5.0 mmol/L) were excluded. Women were randomized using block randomization with variable block sizes of 2, 4, and 6, between hysteroscopic myomectomy under procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) with propofol or under general anesthesia (GA). Primary outcome was the percentage of complete resections, assessed on transvaginal ultrasonography 6 weeks postoperatively by a sonographer blinded for the treatment arm and surgical outcome. Secondary outcomes were the surgeon's judgment of completeness of procedure, menstrual blood loss, uterine fibroid related and general quality of life, pain, recovery, hospitalization, complications, and surgical reinterventions. Follow-up period was 1 year. The risk difference between both treatment arms was estimated, and a Farrington–Manning test was used to determine the p-value for noninferiority (noninferiority margin 7.5% of incomplete resections). Data were analyzed according to the intention-to-treat principle, including a per-protocol analysis for the primary outcome. A total of 209 women participated in the study and underwent hysteroscopic myomectomy with PSA (n = 106) or GA (n = 103). Mean age was 45.1 [SD 6.4] years in the PSA group versus 45.0 [7.7] years in the GA group. For 98/106 women in the PSA group and 89/103 women in the GA group, data were available for analysis of the primary outcome. Hysteroscopic resection was complete in 86/98 women (87.8%) in the PSA group and 79/89 women (88.8%) in the GA group (risk difference −1.01%; 95% confidence interval (CI) −10.36 to 8.34; noninferiority, P = 0.09). No serious anesthesiologic complications occurred, and conversion from PSA to GA was not required. During the follow-up period, 15 serious adverse events occurred (overnight admissions). All were unrelated to the intervention studied. Main limitations were the choice of primary outcome and the fact that our study proved to be underpowered. Conclusions: Noninferiority of PSA for completeness of resection was not shown, though there were no significant differences in clinical outcomes and quality of life. In this study, hysteroscopic myomectomy for type 0 and 1 fibroids with PSA compared to GA was safe and led to shorter hospitalization. These results can be used for counseling patients by gynecologists and anesthesiologists. Based on these findings, we suggest that hysteroscopic myomectomies can be performed under PSA in an outpatient setting. Trial registration: The study was registered prospectively in the Dutch Trial Register (NTR 5357; registration date: 11 August 2015; Date of initial participant enrollment: 18 February 2016). Julia van der Meulen and co-workers compare procedural sedation and analgesia versus general anesthesia in women undergoing hysteroscopic myomectomy for fibroids. Author summary: Why was this study done?: ➢ Hysteroscopic myomectomy is the standard treatment for type 0 and 1 fibroids and is traditionally performed with general anesthesia (GA). ➢ Procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) is increasingly used in gynecologic surgery. ➢ The use of PSA for hysteroscopic myomectomy compared to GA in terms of efficacy and safety has not been evaluated thoroughly. What did the researchers do and find?: ➢ A randomized controlled noninferiority trial was performed comparing the use of PSA with GA for hysteroscopic myomectomy. Primary outcome was completeness of resection. ➢ Noninferiority of PSA versus GA for completeness of resection could not be demonstrated. ➢ We found no significant differences in complications, recovery, quality of life, reduction in menstrual blood loss, and surgical reinterventions. ➢ The use of PSA for hysteroscopic myomectomy appeared to lead to a shorter admission time compared to GA. What do these findings mean?: ➢ Hysteroscopic myomectomy can be performed under PSA in an outpatient setting. ➢ These findings should help clinicians in counseling women undergoing hysteroscopic myomectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate patient satisfaction on gynaecological examination with metal, plastic and biobased plastic vaginal specula, and to investigate whether patients are willing to compromise on comfort for a more sustainable healthcare system. Design: Cross‐sectional study: population‐based survey. Setting: Gynaecological outpatient clinics in five Dutch hospitals. Population: Patients during general gynaecology consultation hours. Methods: A survey containing two questions about patient demographics, four about comfort and five about sustainability and healthcare was distributed. Main outcome measures: Comfort score (scale 1–10). Secondary outcomes: (1) temperature, size and ease of insertion, (2) willingness to compromise for a more sustainable healthcare system. Results: In all, 196 patients completed the survey. Biobased plastic vaginal specula scored significantly higher on comfort than the metal ones (mean 8.03 ± 1.65 versus 7.26 ± 1.51 respectively; P < 0.001). The biobased plastic vaginal speculum is significantly the most comfortable on temperature, whereas the metal speculum is the least comfortable (P < 0.007). Most patients are willing to compromise on comfort or are open to the reuse of disposables to contribute to a more sustainable healthcare. The majority of patients (77%) urge healthcare organisations to combat climate change. Conclusions: There is a small but statistically significant difference in favour of a biobased plastic speculum regarding comfort score, although it might be questioned whether this is clinically relevant. Furthermore, patients are willing to compromise on comfort for a more sustainable healthcare, which should be a contributing factor in speculum selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the amount of research into hysteroscopic myomectomy, questions about the optimal treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding remain. This study reviewed publication trends on this topic from 2002 to 2019 and assessed the usefulness of studies. A total of 580 articles were published on PubMed in this time frame, in 15 different languages. There were meta‐analyses (1.6%), systematic reviews (12%), and randomized controlled trials (4.2%). Twelve percent were published in high impact factor journals. After applying our selection criteria, the usefulness of 37 articles was assessed: one article scored high, 31 scored moderate, and five scored low. The costs of these studies were estimated at US$ 971 700. Synopsis: Usefulness assessment showed that only one article scored high, 31 scored moderate, and five scored low. Study costs were estimated to be US$ 971 700. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study is to analyze the histopathological features of endometrial samples obtained by aspiration when performed before or after the saline contrast sonohysterography in women with postmenopausal bleeding and a thickened endometrium. Hypothetically, the saline infusion could disrupt the tissue and therefore affect the quality of the sample. Furthermore, we want to determine which histological features have impact on the quality of the endometrial sample. Methods: We performed a randomized controlled trial (ESPRESSO trial) in which we analyzed the aspiration samples in two groups. Women were allocated either to saline contrast sonohysterography and subsequent endometrial sampling (SCSH-Sampling group) or to the opposite order (Sampling-SCSH group). Dedicated gyneco-pathologists retrospectively assessed the specimens and recorded the type (blood, mucus, epithelium, intact glands, stroma and tissue context) and quantity (on a scale of 0–3) of material that was found in the specimens. Results: This analysis consisted of 197 samples, with 101 women in the SCSH-Sampling group and 96 women in the Sampling-SCSH group. No significant differences were found in the histological features between the two groups. All significant histological features differed significantly in the sufficient samples compared to the insufficient samples: higher amounts of blood, more endometrial epithelium, presence of intact endometrial glands, better stroma and tissue context. Oppositely, a significantly higher amount of mucus was found in the insufficient samples. Conclusion: This study shows that the histological features of the endometrial sample were not affected by the saline contrast sonohysterography, when performed prior to the tissue sampling. Trial registration ESPRESSO TRIAL, NTR5690, registered 16 February 2016, https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=NTR5690. Key massages: This secondary analysis of the randomized controlled ESPRESSO trial, to investigate the histological features of the endometrial sample obtained before or after the saline contrast sonohysterography in women with postmenopausal bleeding, showed that the histological features of the endometrial sample were not affected by the saline contrast sonohysterography. This study also showed that a higher amount of blood, endometrial epithelium, intact endometrial glands, stroma and tissue context were found in sufficient endometrial samples compared to insufficient endometrial samples. Oppositely, a significantly higher amount of mucus was found in the insufficient samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after bipolar radio frequency ablation and thermal balloon ablation in women with dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Design: Randomized clinical trial. Setting: Teaching hospital. Patient(s): Women suffering from dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Intervention(s): Bipolar radio frequency ablation and thermal balloon ablation. Main outcome measure(s): Patients were asked to complete HRQoL questionnaires at baseline, and at 2 days, 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after surgery. The questionnaires contained the medical outcomes study Short-Form 36 (SF-36), the Self-rating Depression Scale, the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and a structured clinical history questionnaire. Result(s): Data on HRQoL were available on at least two different time points in 115 of 126 randomized patients. HRQoL improved significantly over time in both groups, except for the domain of general health in the SF-36. None of the dimensions showed a significant difference between both groups, neither was there a significant interaction between time and treatment effect. Conclusion(s): Both methods significantly improved HRQoL in women with dysfunctional uterine bleeding. However, despite better amenorrhea and satisfaction rates after bipolar radio frequency ablation, there was no difference in HRQoL between the two groups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To compare the effectiveness of two second-generation ablation techniques, bipolar radio-frequency impedance-controlled endometrial ablation (NovaSure) and balloon ablation (ThermaChoice), in the treatment of menorrhagia.Double-blind, randomised, controlled trial.A large teaching hospital with 500 beds in The Netherlands.Women suffering from menorrhagia referred by their general practitioner.Women suffering from menorrhagia, without intracavitary abnormalities, were randomly allocated to bipolar radio-frequency ablation (bipolar group) and balloon ablation (balloon group) in a 2:1 ratio. At follow up, both women and observers were unaware of the type of treatment that had been performed.The main outcome measure was amenorrhea at 3, 6 and 12 months after randomisation.One hundred and twenty-six women were included in the study, of which 83 were allocated to the bipolar group, and 43 to the balloon group. No complications occurred in either of the treatment groups. At the one-year follow up stage, amenorrhea rates were 43% (34/83) in the bipolar group and 8% (3/43) in the balloon group (treatment effect in timeP<0.001). At this stage, 90% of the patients in the bipolar group were satisfied with the result of the treatment against 79% in the balloon group (treatment effect in timeP= 0.003).The bipolar radio-frequency impedance-controlled endometrial ablation system is more effective than balloon ablation in the treatment of menorrhagia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate patient preferences for endometrial ablation and a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (IUD) as alternatives to hysterectomy in the treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding.Design: Comparative study based on structured interviews.Setting: A large teaching hospital with 500 beds in the Netherlands.Patient(s): Ninety-six patients who were scheduled for endometrial ablation, 25 patients who were scheduled for hysterectomy, and 23 patients who were scheduled for a levonorgestrel-releasing IUD were interviewed. All of the women had dysfunctional uterine bleeding.Intervention(s): Patients were asked to state their most significant complaints and their reasons for choosing a particular treatment. Subsequently, the preference for endometrial ablation and a levonorgestrel-releasing IUD as alternatives to hysterectomy was assessed during a structured interview. Women were informed about the advantages and disadvantages of all three treatment options. Patients rated their preferences according to different hypothetical success rates. The success rates after endometrial ablation and levonorgestrel-releasing IUD were varied until patients found an acceptable treatment outcome.Main outcome measure(s): Patient preference of endometrial ablation and the levonorgestrel-releasing IUD over hysterectomy.Result(s): The main reason for the treatment of choice differed between the three groups. Most of the patients in the hysterectomy group wanted a definite solution to their problems, whereas patients in the levonorgestrel-releasing IUD group and in the ablation group put greater emphasis on a minimally invasive intervention with or without a short hospital stay. In women undergoing ablation, 70% of the patients preferred this treatment and the levonorgestrel-releasing IUD to hysterectomy in cases in which the success rate of noninvasive treatment was presumed to be 50%. In women having a levonorgestrel-releasing IUD inserted, 95% of the patients preferred this approach over hysterectomy in cases in which the success rate of this device was presumed to be 50%, whereas 35% of patients preferred ablation over hysterectomy in cases in which the success rate of ablation was presumed to be 50%. In women undergoing hysterectomy, 30% would have opted for ablation and 45% would have opted for a levonorgestrel-releasing IUD in cases in which success rates were 50%. Of patients who opted for hysterectomy, however, 60% stated that they would have preferred a noninvasive treatment if the success rate of this type of treatment were >80%.Conclusion(s): A majority of the patients who had dysfunctional uterine bleeding and who were scheduled for an endometrial ablation or a levonorgestrel-releasing IUD were inclined to take a risk of 50% likelihood of treatment failure to avoid a hysterectomy. As a consequence, research of treatment for dysfunctional uterine bleeding should focus on this 50% success level. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: We performed a review of the treatment modalities for dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Methods: Dysfunctional uterine bleeding can be treated medically or surgically. Medical treatment consists of anti-fibrinolytic tranexamic acid, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the combined contraception pill, progestogen, danazol, or analogues of gonadotrophin releasing hormone. The levonorgestrel releasing intra uterine device is developed for contraception, but is also effective in the treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Surgical treatment includes endometrial ablation of the first and second-generation, and hysterectomy. This review contains current available evidence on the effectiveness of these therapies. Results: Antifibrinolytic tranexamic acid is the most effective medical therapy to treat dysfunctional uterine bleeding. In general medical therapy is not as effective as endometrial resection in terms of patient satisfaction and health related quality of life. The levonorgestrel releasing intra uterine device is an effective treatment for dysfunctional uterine bleeding. No difference in quality of life was observed in patients treated with a levonorgestrel releasing intra uterine device as compared to hysterectomy. Ablation techniques of the first generation are effective and safe when used by trained surgeons, but have a learning curve. Ablation techniques of the second generation are effective, but long-term follow-up data are not available. Similarly, there are no large randomised controlled trials comparing the levonorgestrel releasing intra uterine device to first and second-generation ablation techniques. Hysterectomy, the traditional standard of care, has a relatively high complication rate, but it generates a high satisfaction rate and good health related quality of life scores. Conclusion: Since none of the treatments for dysfunctional bleeding is superior to one of the others, and since all treatments have their advantages and disadvantages, counselling of patients with dysfunctional bleeding should incorporate medical approach, levonorgestrel releasing IUD, endometrial ablation and hysterectomy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Compares the safety and effectiveness of balloon ablation and transcervical resection of the endometrium for the treatment of menorrhagia. Number of patients suffering from menorrhagia who included in the study; Potential advantages of hysteroscopic ablation over hysterectomy; Number of patients who were satisfied with the treatment results.

Hysterosalpingographies (HSGs) have formed an essential part of the fertility workup for more than a century. More recently, tubal flushing, especially with oil-based contrast, has been shown to significantly improve the natural conception rates. Critically, the mechanism of this fertility-enhancing effect during tubal flushing is still unclear. This article postulates hypotheses, based on published and own research, on the potential mechanisms and root cause of tubal flushing fertility enhancement. Possible explanations for the increased fertility rates, especially with oil-based contrast, are divided into the biochemical and interfacial effects derived from the contrast properties. The biochemical effects may include the immunological response of the endometrium or peritoneum, the impact on the endometrial opioid receptors or the iodine content. The interfacial effects may include improvement of interfacial factors due to the lubricant effect or dislodgement of mucus debris within the Fallopian tubes. What is already known on this subject? Tubal flushing during hysterosalpingographies (HSGs) increases natural conception rates, and using oil-based over water-based contrast increases that effect even further. However, the underlying mechanism of the observed fertility-enhancing effect is still poorly understood. What do the results of this study add? This article postulates different hypotheses on the potential mechanisms and root cause of the fertility enhancement from tubal flushing. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? We suggest additional research on the different hypotheses, intending to determine which subfertile women will benefit most from tubal flushing using oil-based contrast and at which stage of their subfertility. Furthermore, we suggest research on administering tubal flushing with oil-based contrast, besides in HSG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which compared the effectiveness of 8 versus 16 minutes of heating in the treatment of menorrhagia with hot fluid balloon ablation. Materials and methods; Vitality of the uterine wall as observed at hysteroscopy after balloon ablation; Results and discussion.

Introduction: Many women experience bleeding disorders that may have an anatomical or unexplained origin. Although hysterectomy is the most definitive and common treatment, it is highly invasive and resource‐intensive. Less invasive therapies are therefore advised before hysterectomy for women with fibroids or bleeding disorders. This study has two aims related to treating bleeding disorders and uterine fibroids in the Netherlands: (1) to evaluate the regional variations in prevalence and surgical approaches; and (2) to assess the associations between regional rates of hysterectomies and less invasive surgical techniques to analyze whether hysterectomy can be replaced in routine practice. Material and methods: We completed a register‐based study of claims data for bleeding disorders and fibroids in women between 2016 and 2020 using data from Statistics Netherlands for case‐mix adjustment. Crude and case‐mix adjusted regional hysterectomy rates were examined overall and by surgical approach. Coefficients of variation were used to measure regional variation and regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between hysterectomy and less invasive procedure rates across regions. Results: Overall, 14 186 and 8821 hysterectomies were performed for bleeding disorders and fibroids, respectively. Laparoscopic approaches predominated (bleeding disorders 65%, fibroids 49%), followed by vaginal (bleeding disorders 24%, fibroids 5%) and abdominal (bleeding disorders 11%, fibroids 46%) approaches. Substantial regional differences were noted in both hysterectomy rates and the surgical approaches. For bleeding disorders, regional hysterectomy rates were positively associated with endometrial ablation rates (β = 0.11; P = 0.21) and therapeutic hysteroscopy rates (β = 0.14; P = 0.31). For fibroids, regional hysterectomy rates were positively associated with therapeutic hysteroscopy rates (β = 0.10; P = 0.34) and negatively associated with both embolization rates (β = −0.08; P = 0.08) and myomectomy rates (β = −0.03; P = 0.82). Conclusions: Regional variation exists in the rates of hysterectomy and minimally invasive techniques. The absence of a significant substitution effect provides no clear evidence that minimally invasive techniques have replaced hysterectomy in clinical practice. However, although the result was not significant, embolization could be an exception based on its stronger negative association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED‐S) refers to an impaired physiological functioning caused by low energy availability in both male and female athletes. It may affect many physiological processes, causing, among others, stress fractures and disturbed menstrual cycles. Athletes may present these symptoms to different health care workers. The purpose of this research was to investigate the awareness and knowledge of physiotherapists, general practitioners, gynaecologists, sports physicians and orthopaedic surgeons on RED‐S. An online questionnaire on awareness and knowledge of RED‐S was developed for the above‐mentioned health experts. A total number of 799 respondents were included for analysis, and 22.0% of the respondents had heard of the existence of RED‐S. The highest percentage was reported by sports physicians (92.9%) and the lowest among general practitioners (10.1%). Sports physicians scored highest on knowledge questions about RED‐S with a mean score of 8.9, and physiotherapists scored lowest with a mean score of 5.7. Of all respondents, 57.6% reported feeling competent discussing possible underlying problems of RED‐S and 7.4% felt qualified treating RED‐S. Of the responding gynaecologists, 46.6% would suggest starting oral contraception when presented a patient with symptoms of RED‐S, thereby only masking the symptoms of amenorrhoea but not treating the underlying cause: a low energy availability. This research reports a low awareness and knowledge among participating physiotherapists, general practitioners, gynaecologists and orthopaedic surgeons on RED‐S. Therefore, further education for these specialists on this topic is needed, since most athletes will initially consult these health care providers first. Highlights: The great majority of all participating general practitioners are not aware of the existence of relative energy deficiency in sport (RED‐S).Awareness of RED‐S needs to be increased among at least physiotherapists, general practitioners, gynaecologists and orthopaedic surgeons to improve diagnosis and treatment of RED‐S.Sports physicians have the highest knowledge on RED‐S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and hypothesis: Women with central sensitisation syndrome (CSS) experience poorer subjective post-operative outcomes even after successful pelvic floor reconstruction. This study tests the hypothesis that women with pelvic floor symptoms (PFS) without relevant pelvic organ prolapse (POP), are more likely to have CSS. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to women who participated in the POP-UP study in 2017. The POP-UP study evaluated POP in 247 women 16 years after laparoscopic or vaginal hysterectomy. POP-Q data and Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) results were used and supplemented with CSS-specific questionnaires. A Central Sensitisation Inventory (CSI) score above 40 implicates CSS. Women were divided into groups based on POP beyond the hymen in relation to the PFDI-20 score. Outcomes of women with PFS and without POP (called 'group 1') were compared with the rest of the cohort (groups 2–4; women without PFS and/or with POP). Results: A total of 136 women were included in the analysis. A CSI score above 40 was present in 16 out of 42 women of group 1 (37%) versus 11 out of 93 women of groups 2–4 (12%), p < 0.0001. Passive coping was more prevalent in group 1 (p = 0.039), and more deviations in somatisation, depression, anxiety and distress were found in group 1 (p values of < 0.0001, 0.018, 0.003 and 0.002 respectively). Conclusions: This study suggests that CSS might be more prevalent in women with PFS without relevant POP. More awareness of CSS and valid individual counselling may overcome unnecessary surgery for POP and help in setting realistic expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of the endometrial sample obtained by office endometrial aspiration when performed before or after saline contrast sonohysterography (SCSH) in women with postmenopausal bleeding and a thickened endometrium. To conduct a complete, minimally invasive and cost‐effective diagnostic workup in women with postmenopausal bleeding and a thickened endometrium, ideally both the office endometrial sampling and SCSH are performed. However, it is not known whether both tests affect each other when performed one after another. Material and methods: Women with postmenopausal bleeding and an endometrial thickness >4 mm were eligible. Women were randomized into two groups: one group received endometrial aspiration before SCSH, the other group received SCSH before endometrial aspiration. The primary outcome was the proportion of sufficient endometrial samples. Reliability of the SCSH images and pain during procedures were secondary outcomes. Results: During the inclusion period, 513 eligible women with postmenopausal bleeding visited the participating hospitals, 293 of whom received information about the study. Of these women, 232 (79%) agreed to participate. In the SCSH‐aspiration group, 65 women (59%) had a sufficient endometrial sample compared with 70 (67%) in the aspiration‐SCSH group (odds ratio 1.46, 95% CI 0.83‐2.54, P =.19). The proportion of reliable sonographic images was significantly higher in the SCSH‐aspiration group (n = 88, 87%) compared with the aspiration‐SCSH group (n = 71, 74%) (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.38‐4.99, P =.02) in the per protocol analysis. Conclusions: This study shows that the quality of an endometrial sample in women with postmenopausal bleeding is not affected by SCSH. Both procedures can be performed in one outpatient visit to perform an optimal diagnostic workup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In women with abnormal uterine bleeding, fibroids are a frequent finding. In case of heavy menstrual bleeding and presence of submucosal type 0-1 fibroids, hysteroscopic resection is the treatment of first choice, as removal of these fibroids is highly effective. Hysteroscopic myomectomy is currently usually performed in the operating theatre. A considerable reduction in costs and a higher patient satisfaction are expected when procedural sedation and analgesia with propofol (PSA) in an outpatient setting is applied. However, both safety and effectiveness - including the necessity for re-intervention due to incomplete resection - have not yet been evaluated.Methods: This study is a multicentre randomised controlled trial with a non-inferiority design and will be performed in the Netherlands. Women > 18 years with a maximum of 3 symptomatic type 0 or 1 submucosal fibroids with a maximum diameter of 3.5 cm are eligible to participate in the trial. After informed consent, 205 women will be randomised to either hysteroscopic myomectomy using procedural sedation and analgesia with propofol in an outpatient setting or hysteroscopic myomectomy using general anaesthesia in a clinical setting in the operating theatre. Primary outcome will be the percentage of complete resections, based on transvaginal ultrasonography 6 weeks postoperatively. Secondary outcomes are cost effectiveness, menstrual blood loss (Pictorial blood assessment chart), quality of life, pain, return to daily activities/work, hospitalization, (post) operative complications and re-interventions. Women will be followed up to one year after hysteroscopic myomectomy.Discussion: This study may demonstrate comparable effectiveness of hysteroscopic myomectomy under procedural sedation and analgesia versus general anaesthesia in a safe and patient friendly environment, whilst achieving a significant cost reduction.Trial Registration: Dutch trial register, number NTR5357 . Registered 11th of August 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic uterosacral ligament suspension (LUSLS) is a technique to correct apical pelvic organ prolapse (POP) by shortening the uterosacral ligaments with sutures. Objective: A systematic review with meta‐analysis of the effectiveness and safety of LUSLS as treatment for apical POP. Search strategy: PubMed and Cochrane search using 'pelvic organ prolapse', 'laparoscopy' and 'uterosacral', including synonyms. Selection criteria: All articles in English presenting outcome of an original series of women with LUSLS as treatment of apical POP. Case reports were excluded. Data collection and analysis: Study enrollment was performed by two reviewers. Our primary outcome measures were objective and subjective effectiveness of the procedure. Secondary outcome measures regarded complications and recurrence. Bias was assessed with the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Main results: Of 138 hits, 13 studies were included with 933 LUSLS patients. The average follow‐up was 22 months. All were nonrandomised cohort studies. The pooled anatomic success rate is 90% for all LUSLS procedures (95% confidence interval [CI] 83.3–95.5). LUSLS with hysterectomy resulted in an anatomic success rate of 96.6% (95% CI 87.5–100) and LUSLS with uterus preservation 83.4% (95% CI 67.7–94.6). The pooled subjective cure rate was 90.5% (95% CI 81.9–96.5). The rate of major complications was 1%. Conclusions: Laparoscopic uterosacral ligament suspension (with or without uterus preservation) seems to be an effective and safe treatment for women with apical POP, but long‐term prospective trials and randomised controlled trials are necessary to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis bleeding assessment tool (ISTH‐BAT), is used during the diagnostic workup of bleeding disorders. Data on ISTH‐BAT scores in women with heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) undergoing endometrial ablation (EA) could be essential in optimizing HMB counselling. Objective: To investigate the postsurgical incidence of amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, quality of life, re‐intervention after EA, and ISTH‐BAT score. Methods: This study included women who have undergone EA because of HMB. During a follow‐up of 2 to 5 years, ISTH‐BAT, pictorial blood assessment chart (PBAC), and Short Form‐36 survey (SF‐36) were administered. At 10 years of follow‐up surgical re‐interventions were evaluated. Results: Seventy‐one women were included of whom 77% (n = 55) had an ISTH‐BAT score < 6, versus 23% (n = 16) ISTH‐BAT score ≥6 (mean age 46.3 versus 42.3, p = 0.004). In the ISTH‐BAT ≥6 group versus < 6 group, amenorrhea occurred in 63% (10/16) versus 82% (45/55) (p = 0.111), dysmenorrhea in 38% (6/16) versus 18% (10/55) (p = 0.111), and surgical re‐intervention in 19% (3/16) versus 25% (14/55) (p = 0.582). SF‐36 item (Bodily) pain was lower in the ISTH‐BAT ≥6 group versus < 6 (median score 58.7 vs. 80.0, p = 0.104). Conclusions: An ISTH‐BAT score ≥6 may be related to a lower amenorrhea incidence and higher dysmenorrhea rate after EA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC) or vaginal sacrospinous fixation (VSF) is the most optimal surgical treatment in patients with POP‐Q stage ≥2 vaginal vault prolapse (VVP). Design: Multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) and prospective cohort study alongside. Setting: Seven non‐university teaching hospitals and two university hospitals in the Netherlands. Population: Patients with symptomatic post‐hysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse, requiring surgical treatment. Methods: Randomisation in a 1:1 ratio to LSC or VSF. Evaluation of prolapse was done using the pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP‐Q). All participants were asked to fill in various Dutch validated questionnaires 12 months postoperatively. Main outcome measures: Primary outcome was disease‐specific quality of life. Secondary outcomes included composite outcome of success and anatomical failure. Furthermore, we examined peri‐operative data, complications and sexual function. Results: A total of 179 women, 64 women randomised and 115 women, participated in a prospective cohort. Disease‐specific quality of life did not differ after 12 months between the LSC and VSF group in the RCT and the cohort (RCT: P = 0.887; cohort: P = 0.704). The composite outcomes of success for the apical compartment, in the RCT and cohort, were 89.3% and 90.3% in the LSC group and 86.2% and 87.8% in the VSF group, respectively (RCT: P = 0.810; cohort: P = 0.905). There were no differences in number of reinterventions and complications between both groups (reinterventions RCT: P = 0.934; cohort: P = 0.120; complications RCT: P = 0.395; cohort: P = 0.129). Conclusions: LSC and VSF are both effective treatments for vaginal vault prolapse, after a follow‐up period of 12 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To estimate the incidence of recurrence of complaints and repeated interventions after hysteroscopic treatment for abnormal uterine bleeding in premenopausal women and to determine potential predictors for re-intervention.Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study in two secondary care centers in the Netherlands. We included 313 premenopausal women who underwent hysteroscopy for complaints of abnormal uterine bleeding and who had intrauterine pathology visualized at ultrasound. The intrauterine structure was hysteroscopically removed. These women were compared with women who had a hysteroscopy for abnormal uterine bleeding, but in whom hysteroscopy showed no abnormalities. We used Chi-squared test for categorical variables and independent-samples T test for continuous variables. p Values less than 0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance.Results: In total, 262 women had intrauterine pathology removed at hysteroscopy; 136 (52%) women had recurrence of complaints, while 101 women (39%) underwent re-intervention. Heavy menstrual bleeding at baseline and multiparity were predictive factors for recurrence of abnormal uterine bleeding and re-intervention. In the 51 women with abnormal uterine bleeding in whom hysteroscopy showed no intrauterine abnormality, 29 women (60%) had recurrence of complaints and 12 (24%) a re-intervention.Conclusion: In premenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding, treatment of intrauterine pathology often does not reduce the complaints, thus questioning the effectiveness of hysteroscopic removal of these structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify which gynecologic procedures are eligible to be performed under PSA with propofol and to describe safety and effectiveness of these procedures in this setting. A systematic review of the literature was conducted in Pubmed (MEDLINE), Embase and The Cochrane Library from inception until September 21st 2022. Cohort studies and randomized controlled trials were included when they reported on clinical outcomes of gynecologic procedures under procedural sedation and analgesia in which propofol was used as an anesthetic. Studies were excluded when sedation without propofol was used, when they only mentioned the use of procedural sedation and analgesia but did not describe any clinical outcome parameters or when < 10 patients were included. The primary outcome parameter was completeness of procedure. Secondary outcome parameters were type of gynecologic procedure, intraoperative complication rate, patient satisfaction, postoperative pain, duration of hospital admission, patient's discomfort and ease of procedure as judged by the surgeon. The Cochrane risk of bias tool and the ROBINS-I tool were used for bias assessment. A narrative synthesis of the findings from the included studies was provided. Numbers and percentages were presented, as well as means with standard deviations and medians with interquartile range where applicable. Eight studies were included. A total of 914 patients underwent gynecologic surgical procedures with procedural sedation and analgesia with propofol. Gynecological procedures varied from hysteroscopic procedures, vaginal prolapse surgery and laparoscopic procedures. The percentage of complete procedures was 89.8%−100%. Complications occurred in 0–6.5% of patients. Other outcomes were measured in various ways, but overall patient satisfaction was high and postoperative pain was low. The use of PSA with propofol is promising for a wide range of gynecologic procedures, including hysteroscopic procedures, vaginal prolapse surgery and laparoscopic procedures. The use of PSA with propofol seems to be effective and safe and leads to high degree of patient satisfaction. More research is needed in order to determine for which types of procedures PSA can be used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was twofold. (1) To investigate the predictive characteristics of transvaginal ultrasonography for hysteroscopy necessity in Essure removal surgery. (2) To investigate the additional predictive value of a preoperative pelvic radiograph to transvaginal ultrasonography for hysteroscopy necessity. Retrospective cohort study, performed in an academic and a non-academic teaching hospital in the Netherlands. 71 women who underwent Essure removal surgery with a perioperative hysteroscopy and who had a preoperative pelvic X-ray and transvaginal ultrasound were included. Four experts first predicted hysteroscopy necessity based on transvaginal ultrasound description and secondly based on transvaginal ultrasound combined with the preoperative pelvic radiograph. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the predictive tests were calculated. Based on transvaginal ultrasound, the mean predictive characteristics for experts were: sensitivity 89.7% (range 66.7%–100%), specificity 37.4% (range 17.6%–67.7%), positive predictive value 18.8% (range 13.2%–29.5%) and negative predictive value 95.1% (range 86.1%–100%). After adding the pelvic radiograph to the transvaginal ultrasound descriptions, the results were: sensitivity 66.7% (range 53.3%–80%), specificity 72.6% (range 56%–97.3%), positive predictive value 23% (range 14.3%–26.9%) and negative predictive value 94.1 % (range 90.3%–98.4%). For three experts sensitivity decreased after adding the pelvic radiograph. For all experts specificity increased. It is difficult to preoperatively decide if the fourth marker of the Essure outer coil can be excised during hysteroscopy. The addition of pelvic radiography to transvaginal ultrasound is not beneficial. It is recommended to perform a hysteroscopy during Essure removal surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risk of hysterectomy after endometrial ablation increases from 4.3% 1 year after ablation to 12.4% after 5 years. OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of hysterectomy after nonresectoscopic endometrial ablation in patients with heavy menstrual bleeding. DATA SOURCES: The EMBASE, MEDLINE, ClinicalTrials.gov and Cochrane databases were searched for eligible articles from inception until June 13, 2022. We used combinations of search terms for endometrial ablation and hysterectomy. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: Articles included in the review described the incidence of hysterectomy at a specific point in time after ablation with a minimum follow-up duration of 12 months. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: The literature search yielded a total of 3,022 hits. A total of 53 studies met our inclusion and exclusion criteria, including six retrospective studies, 24 randomized controlled trials, and 23 prospective studies. A total of 48,071 patients underwent endometrial ablation between 1992 and 2017. Follow-up duration varied between 12 and 120 months. Analyses per follow-up moment showed 4.3% hysterectomy rate at 12 months of follow-up (n=29 studies), 11.1% at 18 months (n=1 study), 8.0% at 24 months (n=11 studies), 10.2% at 36 months (n=12 studies), 7.6% at 48 months (n=2 studies), and 12.4% at 60 months (n=6 studies). Two studies reported a mean hysterectomy rate at 10 years after ablation of 21.3%. Minimal clinically relevant differences in hysterectomy rates were observed among the different study designs. Furthermore, we found no significant differences in hysterectomy rate among the different nonresectoscopic endometrial ablation devices. CONCLUSION: The risk of hysterectomy after endometrial ablation seems to increase from 4.3% after 1 year to 12.4% after 5 years. Clinicians can use the results of this review to counsel patients about the 12% risk of hysterectomy 5 years after endometrial ablation. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO, CRD42020156281. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Idiopathic heavy menstrual bleeding negatively affects women's quality of life. • The stepped care approach shows practice variation between Dutch hospitals. • Women underwent 0.63 treatments (range, 0.36–1.00) before endometrial ablation. • Women underwent 0.96 treatments (range, 0.56–1.45) before hysterectomy. • Scope exists to reduce hysterectomy rates by implementing less invasive therapies. Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) affects a quarter of all women, with half having no structural cause. Dutch guidelines recommend a stepped care approach to the management of such idiopathic HMB, starting with medication or a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD), before progressing to endometrial ablation, and ultimately, hysterectomy. However, practice variation between hospitals could lead to suboptimal health outcomes and increased healthcare costs for some women. To evaluate adherence to stepped care for women with idiopathic HMB and to identify practice variation among Dutch hospitals. This population-based cross-sectional study used Dutch insurance claims data from primary and secondary care for all women with idiopathic HMB referred to a gynecologist between January 2019 and December 2020. We calculated the average number of treatments in the 3 years before each treatment step at each hospital, making adjustments for age, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. Variation in medical practice was measured by the coefficient of variation (CV). We studied 20,715 women treated with LNG-IUDs (56%), endometrial ablation (36%), laparoscopic hysterectomy (13%), or vaginal hysterectomy (4%) in 93 hospitals. Before endometrial ablation, on average 47% used medication (hospital range 27%–71%; CV 0.17) and 16% used an LNG-IUD (hospital range 8%–29%, CV 0.32). Before hysterectomy, 52% (hospital range 28%–65%, CV 0.16) used medication, 21% (hospital range 6%–38%, CV 0.35) used an LNG-IUD, and 23% underwent endometrial ablation (hospital range 0%–59%, CV 0.55). On average, women underwent 0.63 (hospital range 0.36–1.00, adjusted rate 0.40–0.98, CV 0.17) and 0.96 (hospital range 0.56–1.45, adjusted rate 0.56–1.44, CV 0.18) treatments before endometrial ablation and hysterectomy, respectively. Considerable practice variation exists among Dutch hospitals in the stepped care approach to idiopathic HMB. Improving adherence to this approach could improve quality of care and reduce costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to describe the natural course of pelvic floor symptoms and pelvic floor anatomy for women long-term after hysterectomy. Methods: Women who underwent hysterectomy between 1996–2004 carried out the PFDI-20 questionnaire and POP-Q examination. We collected data on the presence and type of pelvic floor symptoms and its relation to the degree of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) per compartment (≥ stage 2). Results: We obtained data from 247 women on average sixteen years after hysterectomy, with no prolapse (n = 94), anterior prolapse (n = 76), posterior prolapse (n = 38), both anterior- and posterior prolapse (n = 20), and a prolapse involving the vaginal vault (n = 19). Of all 153 women with ≥ stage 2 prolapse, 80 (52%) experienced moderate and/or severe symptoms of the PFDI-20. Most frequently reported symptoms by women with POP were uncontrollable flatus, urinary frequency and urge incontinence. Bulging was associated with a prolapse beyond the hymen. 39% Of women without prolapse experienced bothersome pelvic floor symptoms as well. Most often these were stress incontinence, straining to pass stool and incomplete bowel emptying. Women with a history of hysterectomy for prolapse have more pelvic floor symptoms than women who underwent hysterectomy for other indications, regardless of the current presence of POP (57% versus 40%, p = 0.009). Conclusion: In a group of post-hysterectomy women who did not actively seek help, 47% experienced problematic pelvic floor symptoms, independent of the presence or absence of an anatomic POP. Creating more knowledge and awareness of the impact of hysterectomy on the pelvic floor can help women in the future. Trial registration: The study was registered in the Dutch Trial Registry; Trial NL5967 (NTR6333, 2017–02-01) and approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee of the Máxima Medical Center (NL60096.015.16, 2017–02-24). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and hypothesis: The objective of this study was to evaluate long-term outcomes of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC) versus abdominal sacrocolpopexy (ASC) for vaginal vault prolapse (VVP). Methods: Long-term follow-up of a multicenter randomized controlled trial (SALTO trial). A total of 74 women were randomly assigned to LSC (n=37) or ASC (n=37). Primary outcome was disease-specific quality of life, measured with validated questionnaires. Secondary outcomes included anatomical outcome, composite outcome of success, complications, and retreatment. Results: We analyzed 22 patients in the LSC group and 19 patients in the ASC group for long-term follow-up, with a median follow-up of 109 months (9.1 years). Disease-specific quality of life did not differ after long-term follow-up with median scores of 0.0 (LSC: IQR 0–17; ASC: IQR 0–0) on the "genital prolapse" domain of the Urogenital Distress Inventory in both groups (p = 0.175). Anatomical outcomes were the same for both groups on all points of the POP-Q. The composite outcome of success for the apical compartment is 78.6% (n = 11) in the LSC group and 84.6% (n = 11) in the ASC group (p = 0.686). Mesh exposures occurred in 2 patients (12.5%) in the LSC group and 1 patient (7.7%) in the ASC group. There were 5 surgical reinterventions in both groups (LSC: 22.7%; ASC: 26.3%, p = 0.729). Conclusions: At long-term follow-up no substantial differences in quality of life, anatomical results, complications, or reinterventions between LSC and ASC were observed. Therefore, the laparoscopic approach is preferable, considering the short-term advantages. Trial registration: Dutch Trial Register NTR6330, 18 January 2017, https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/5964 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and hypothesis: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a frequent occurring health issue, especially concerning elderly women. The objective of this study is to examine the long-term outcomes of laparoscopic sacrohysteropexy (LSH) and vaginal sacrospinous hysteropexy (SSHP) for treatment of uterine prolapse. Methods: A retrospective study of patients who underwent a LSH or SSHP. Validated questionnaires and an outpatient examination visit were used to investigate the effects of both surgical treatments. The primary outcome was the composite outcome of success for the apical compartment, defined as no recurrence of uterine prolapse (POP-Q measurement C ≤ 0), no subjective recurrence of POP, and/or not requiring therapy for recurrent prolapse. Secondary outcomes were peri- and postoperative data, anatomical failure, prolapse beyond hymen, subjective outcomes, and disease-specific quality of life. Results: We included 105 patients, 53 in the LSH group and 52 in the SSHP group. The overall response rate of the questionnaires was 83% (n = 87) after a mean follow-up time of 4.5 years (54.2 months; 95% CI 44.8–64.2 months) in the LSH group and 2.5 years (30.1 months; 95% CI 29.3–31.5 months) in the SSHP group. There were no clinically relevant differences between the study groups in composite outcome of success (p = 0.073), anatomical failure of the apical compartment (p = 0.711), vaginal bulge symptoms for which patients consulted professionals (p = 0.126), and patient satisfaction (p = 0.741). The operative time was longer in the LSH group (117 min; interquartile range (IQR) 110–123) compared to the SSHP group (67 minutes; IQR 60–73) (p < 0.001). The duration of hospital stay was also longer in the LSH group (4 days) than in the SSHP group (3 days) (p = 0.006). Conclusions: LSH and SSHP seem to be equally effective after long-term follow-up in treating uterine prolapse in terms of objective and subjective recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Pelvic organ prolapse is a common condition in women. Adequate timing of urinary catheter removal after vaginal prolapse surgery is essential to reduce post-operative morbidity. We compared midnight removal of the indwelling urinary catheter to removal next morning.Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study among 266 women undergoing vaginal prolapse surgery, of whom 132 women had urinary catheter removal at midnight and 134 women morning after surgery. We compared the occurrence of urinary retention, time till first micturition, need for clean intermittent catherization and duration of hospital admission. Also, we assessed risk factors for the occurrence of retention.Results: Retention occurred less after midnight removal of the urinary catheter, compared to removal next morning (6.1 % versus 23.9 %, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the time till catheter removal and discharge from hospital were shorter and the need for clean intermittent catheterization during hospital admission was lower after midnight compared to next morning removal of the urinary catheter. We identified anterior colporrhaphy as a risk factor for retention.Conclusion: Our results suggest that early removal of the indwelling urinary catheter after vaginal prolapse surgery seems save with respect to urinary retention and leads to earlier mobilization and shorter hospital admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postmenopausal bleeding (PMB) can be the first sign of endometrial cancer. In case of thickened endometrium, endometrial sampling is often used in these women. In this systematic review, we studied the accuracy of endometrial sampling for the diagnoses of endometrial cancer, atypical hyperplasia and endometrial disease (endometrial pathology, including benign polyps). We systematically searched the literature for studies comparing the results of endometrial sampling in women with postmenopausal bleeding with two different reference standards: blind dilatation and curettage (D&C) and hysteroscopy with histology. We assessed the quality of the detected studies by the QUADAS-2 tool. For each included study, we calculated the fraction of women in whom endometrial sampling failed. Furthermore, we extracted numbers of cases of endometrial cancer, atypical hyperplasia and endometrial disease that were identified or missed by endometrial sampling. We detected 12 studies reporting on 1029 women with postmenopausal bleeding: five studies with dilatation and curettage (D&C) and seven studies with hysteroscopy as a reference test. The weighted sensitivity of endometrial sampling with D&C as a reference for the diagnosis of endometrial cancer was 100% (range 100-100%) and 92% (71-100) for the diagnosis of atypical hyperplasia. Only one study reported sensitivity for endometrial disease, which was 76%. When hysteroscopy was used as a reference, weighted sensitivities of endometrial sampling were 90% (range 50-100), 82% (range 56-94) and 39% (21-69) for the diagnosis of endometrial cancer, atypical hyperplasia and endometrial disease, respectively. For all diagnosis studied and the reference test used, specificity was 98-100%. The weighted failure rate of endometrial sampling was 11% (range 1-53%), while insufficient samples were found in 31% (range 7-76%). In these women with insufficient or failed samples, an endometrial (pre) cancer was found in 7% (range 0-18%). In women with postmenopausal bleeding, the sensitivity of endometrial sampling to detect endometrial cancer and especially atypical hyperplasia and endometrial disease, including endometrial polyps, is lower than previously thought. Therefore, further diagnostic work-up for focal pathology is warranted, after a benign result of endometrial sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of premenopausal women are currently using antithrombotic and/or (dual) antiplatelet therapy for various cardiovascular indications. These may induce or exacerbate abnormal uterine bleeding and more awareness and knowledge among prescribers is required. Heavy and irregular menstrual bleeding is common in women in their forties and may have a variety of underlying causes that require different treatment options. Thus using anticoagulants in premenopausal women demands specific expertise and close collaboration between cardiovascular physicians and gynecologists. In this article we summarize the scope of the problem and provide practical recommendations for the care for young women taking anticoagulants and/or (dual) antiplatelet therapy. We also recommend that more safety data on uterine bleeding with novel anticoagulants in premenopausal women should be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is estimated that between 12 to 25% of women who undergo an endometrial ablation for heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) are dissatisfied after two years because of recurrent menstrual bleeding and/or cyclical pelvic pain, with around 15% of these women ultimately having a hysterectomy. The insertion of a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) immediately after endometrial ablation may inactivate residual untreated endometrium and/or inhibit the regeneration of endometrial tissue. Furthermore, the LNG-IUS may prevent agglutination of the uterine walls preventing intrauterine adhesion formation associated with endometrial ablation. In these ways, insertion of an LNG-IUS immediately after endometrial ablation might prevent subsequent hysterectomies because of persisting uterine bleeding and cyclical pelvic pain or pain that arises de novo. Hence, we evaluate if the combination of endometrial ablation and an LNG-IUS is superior to endometrial ablation alone in terms of reducing subsequent rates of hysterectomy at two years following the initial ablative procedure.Methods/design: We perform a multicentre randomised controlled trial in 35 hospitals in the Netherlands. Women with heavy menstrual bleeding, who opt for treatment with endometrial ablation and without contraindication for an LNG-IUS are eligible. After informed consent, participants are randomly allocated to either endometrial ablation plus LNG-IUS or endometrial ablation alone. The primary outcome is the hysterectomy rate at 24 months following endometrial ablation. Secondary outcomes include women's satisfaction, reinterventions, complications, side effects, menstrual bleeding patterns, quality of life, societal costs.Discussion: The results of this study will help clinicians inform women with HMB who opt for treatment with endometrial ablation about whether concomitant use of the LNG-IUS is beneficial for reducing the need for hysterectomy due to ongoing bleeding and/or pain symptoms. Trial registration Dutch Trial registration: NL7817. Registered 20 June 2019, https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/7817 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effect of an informative 360-degree virtual reality (VR) video on preoperative anxiety before visiting a one-stop clinic for abnormal uterine bleeding.Study Design: A randomized controlled trial was performed in a teaching hospital in the Netherlands. A total of 83 women scheduled for a first consultation at the one-stop clinic between April 2017 and September 2017 were included in the analysis. All women received a standard information leaflet about the clinic. 40 women were randomized to receive a 360-degree VR-video of the clinic in addition. The primary outcome was change in the Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A), measured at baseline (before randomization) and in the waiting room (before visit, after randomization). Anxiety assessed with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) was a secondary outcome. Other secondary outcomes included anxiety during the visit and the opinion of the women about the provided information.Results: Only 27 out of the 40 women actually watched the VR-video. Women in the VR-group who actually watched the video reported lower levels of anxiety at baseline compared to women in the VR-group who did not watch the video. In the intention-to-treat analysis, there was no difference in change in anxiety between the VR-group and the control group (mean difference VAS-A = 0.07, 95% CI -0.96 to 1.10; mean difference STAI-S = 1.97, 95% CI -1.82 to 5.77). In the per-protocol analysis, women in the VR-group reported lower anxiety scores in the waiting room. However, the change in anxiety scores between baseline and waiting room was comparable in both groups. 31% of the women who watched the VR-video reported that the video resulted in a reduction of anxiety, 69% reported that the video is of added value and 65% would use a VR-video again in future.Conclusions: Adding the informative 360-degree VR-video to conventional information did not result in a reduction of anxiety prior to visiting the one-stop clinic. However, the majority of women who watched the video felt that it was of added value. Remarkable was that women who reported higher anxiety at baseline seemed less willing to watch the video. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laparoscopic hysterectomy is accepted worldwide as the standard treatment option for early-stage endometrial cancer. However, there are limited data on long-term survival, particularly when no lymphadenectomy is performed. We compared the survival outcomes of total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) and total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH), both without lymphadenectomy, for early-stage endometrial cancer up to 5 years postoperatively. Follow-up of a multi-centre, randomised controlled trial comparing TLH and TAH, without routine lymphadenectomy, for women with stage I endometrial cancer. Enrolment was between 2007 and 2009 by 2:1 randomisation to TLH or TAH. Outcomes were disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and primary site of recurrence. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were adjusted for age, stage, grade, and radiotherapy with adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) reported. To test for significance, non-inferiority margins were defined. In total, 279 women underwent a surgical procedure, of whom 263 (94%) had follow-up data. For the TLH (n = 175) and TAH (n = 88) groups, DFS (90.3% vs 84.1%; aHR[recurrence], 0.69; 95%CI, 0.31–1.52), OS (89.2% vs 82.8%; aHR[death], 0.60; 95%CI, 0.30–1.19), and DSS (95.0% vs 89.8%; aHR[death], 0.62; 95%CI, 0.23–1.70) were reported at 5 years. At a 10% significance level, and with a non-inferiority margin of 0.20, the null hypothesis of inferiority was rejected for all three outcomes. There were no port-site or wound metastases, and local recurrence rates were comparable. Disease recurrence and 5-year survival rates were comparable between the TLH and TAH groups and comparable to studies with lymphadenectomy, supporting the widespread use of TLH without lymphadenectomy as the primary treatment for early-stage, low-grade endometrial cancer. • Long-term outcomes of TLH vs TAH without lymphadenectomy in early EC are reported. • There were no significant differences in DFS, OS and DSS, 5 years postoperatively. • No port-site or wound metastases were found after TLH or TAH. • Our findings support the widespread use of TLH without lymphadenectomy for early EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endometriosis stage is not directly related to the burden of symptoms, and recurrence of symptoms occurs frequently. It is suggested that symptoms are associated with psychological distress, as in depression and anxiety disorders. Our aim was to explore the strength of the associations between endometriosis and depression or anxiety and to review correlating factors. Materials and Methods: A literature search was carried out using the electronic databases Embase, PubMed, Web-of-science, and PsycINFO. Search terms related to depression, anxiety, and endometriosis were combined resulting in 1,837 records. Articles were included when describing an association between patients with endometriosis and symptoms of depression or anxiety assessed by validated tools, structured psychiatric interviews, or a documented diagnosis. With 47 articles a systematic qualitative review was performed. Seventeen studies were eligible for meta-analysis. Results: Endometriosis patients experienced significantly more symptoms of depression (standardized mean difference [SMD] of 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.36–1.06)) and anxiety (SMD 0.60 (95% CI 0.35–0.84)) compared with healthy controls, but no differences were found comparing endometriosis patients with other chronic pelvic pain patients (SMD −0.01 [95% CI −0.17 to 0.15] for depression and SMD −0.02 [95% CI −0.22 to 0.18] for anxiety). Besides the effect of pain, other correlating factors included age, quality of life, quality of sleep, fatigue, sexual function, gastrointestinal symptoms, comorbidity, self-esteem, emotional self-efficacy, coping style, social adjustment, pain imagery, and pain sensitization. Conclusion: This systematic review supports the assumption that symptoms of depression and anxiety occur frequently in endometriosis patients and are related to chronic pain. Correlating factors should further be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outcome measures were prevalence of decreased FXI activity (<65%) and VWF:Ag levels (<50%), both according to local laboratory reference values, and effectiveness of LNG-IUS and endometrial ablation treatment. There was no difference in treatment success of endometrial ablation in women with VWF:Ag below the median compared to women with VWF:Ag above the median. In most cases, the same treatment modalities as in the general population are used.7 The relative effectiveness of these treatment modalities has not been studied in women with bleeding disorders. Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is the most prevalent symptom in women with bleeding disorders and has a major impact on their quality of life. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: Despite endometrial ablation/resection being a very successful treatment for women with heavy menstrual bleeding, re‐intervention with additional surgery is needed in 12%–25% of cases. Introducing a levonorgestrel‐intrauterine system (LNG‐IUS) immediately after ablation could preserve the integrity of the uterine cavity and suppress the regenerated or non‐ablated endometrial tissue. Therefore, this combined treatment can perhaps lower the re‐intervention rate. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the impact of the combined treatment. Material and methods: The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane library were systematically searched. No language restrictions were applied. All types of studies were included reporting on the results of endometrial ablation or resection combined with immediate insertion of LNG‐IUS for treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding. The primary outcome was the number of hysterectomies after the ablation procedure. Secondary outcomes included re‐intervention rates, removals of LNG‐IUS, bleeding pattern, patient satisfaction, adverse effects, and complications. Our protocol was registered in PROSPERO, an international prospective register of systematic reviews under registration number CRD42020151384. Results: Six studies with a retrospective design and one case series with a follow‐up duration varying from 6 to 55 months were included. In total, 427 women were treated with the combined treatment. The studies described a lower hysterectomy and re‐intervention rate after combined treatment compared with treatment with endometrial ablation/resection alone. Hysterectomy rate varied from 0% to 11% after combined treatment compared with 9.4% to 24% after endometrial ablation/resection alone. Bleeding patterns and patient satisfaction appeared to be in favor of the combined treatment group. No intra‐ or post‐operative complications or complications in the removal of LNG‐IUS were described. The most reported adverse effects after combined treatment were weight gain, mood changes, and headaches. An additional 11 studies with only an abstract available substantiated these findings. All the included studies had poor methodological quality. Conclusions: Based on the available literature, inserting an LNG‐IUS immediately after endometrial ablation/resection seems to lower the hysterectomy and re‐intervention rates compared with ablation/resection alone. However, as only limited observational studies of low methodological quality are available, high‐quality research is necessary to confirm the findings of this systematic review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines the quality of life of patients after laparoscopic and abdominal hysterectomy. It shows that the scores of patients after laparoscopic surgery were higher than abdominal hysterectomy up to four years. It suggests that a four-year follow-up in patients who had laparoscopic hysterectomy indicated a better quality of life compared to abdominal hysterectomy. It also reveals that higher scores were associated with improved physical and social functioning.

Objective: To analyze perioperative findings and complications in surgical removal of Essure® microinserts.Study Design: A prospective cohort study of 274 patients who underwent surgical removal of Essure® microinserts. Outcomes of the surgical procedures and complications were entered into a digital case report form (CRF) by the surgeon and registered in an online database. Results were analyzed through IBM SPSS Statistics using descriptive statistical methods.Results: During laparoscopic inspection in 15.4 % of fallopian tubes (n = 80) a chicken wing sign (the fallopian tube folding over the most distal part of the microinsert) was seen. Partial tubal perforation and total tubal perforation with migration of the microinsert out of the fallopian tube were seen in respectively 1.9 % (n = 10) and 0.2 % (n = 1) of cases. The microinserts were removed by laparoscopic tubotomy and extraction, followed by bilateral salpingectomy in 91.2 % of cases. In 7.3 % of cases (n = 20) a hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy was performed for additional indications than solely Essure® removal. Four microinserts were taken out entirely by means of hysteroscopy (1.5 %). We did not see major surgery related complications, however we found a risk of minor complications during or after surgery of respectively 1.6 % (n = 4) and 3.9 % (n = 10).Conclusions: During laparoscopic inspection, abnormalities were seen in 22.8 % (n = 119) of fallopian tubes, of which the chicken wing sign was the most common. Partial and total tubal perforation with migration of the microinsert were rare. The complication rate of Essure® removal surgery in our prospective study is low and complications are minor, without any major complication. However, while counseling patients with a request for surgical removal of Essure® microinserts, these results should be mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and hypothesis: The objective was to review the long-term prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) after laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH) compared with vaginal hysterectomy (VH). Methods: An observational cohort study was conducted amongst women who underwent an LH or a VH for benign indications during the period 1996–2004: the POP-UP study. The prevalence of POP was inventoried by a questionnaire involving the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) and a pelvic floor examination (POP-Q). Women were divided into groups based on route and indication of hysterectomy: LH, VH-1 (for nonprolapse), and VH-2 (prolapse). Results: Four hundred and six of the 706 eligible patients (58%) returned the questionnaire and 247 underwent POP-Q examination. Sixty-eight patients (17%) received treatment for prolapse; 8% LH, 10% VH-1, and 29% VH-2 (Chi-squared test, p < 0.001). The prevalence of vaginal vault prolapse (apical surgery or ≥ stage 2 at POP-Q) was 4.4% for LH and 5.8% for VH-1 (p = 0.707); and 23% for VH-2 (VH-2 versus others, p < 0.0001). The prevalence of prolapse ≥ stage 2 in any compartment was 62% (n = 153) in total and in 42% of the LH group, 51% of the VH-1 group, and 84% of the VH-2 group (Chi-squared test, p < 0.001). A symptomatic POP (anatomical POP ≥ stage 2 with bulging) was present in 11% of the population. Conclusions: No difference was found in the prevalence of POP between LH and VH for nonprolapse indications. However, POP after VH for prolapse occurs more frequently than after hysterectomy for other indications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to compare the reintervention rate of women who opted for treatment with the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) to women who opted for endometrial ablation. Furthermore, the difference in reintervention rate between women in this observational cohort and women who were randomised was compared, with the hypothesis that women who actively decide on treatment have lower reintervention rates compared to women in a RCT. An observational cohort study alongside a multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) was conducted between April 2012 and January 2016, with a follow-up time of 24 months, in 26 hospitals and nearby general practices in the Netherlands. Women suffering from heavy menstrual bleeding, aged 34 years and older, without intracavitary pathology and without a future fertility desire, were eligible for this trial. Women who declined randomisation were asked to participate in the observational cohort. The outcome measure was reintervention rate at 24 months of follow-up. 276 women were followed in the observational cohort of which 87 women preferred an initial treatment with LNG-IUS and 189 women preferred an initial treatment with endometrial ablation. At 24 months of follow-up women in the LNG-IUS-group were more likely to receive a reintervention compared to the women in the ablation group, 28/81 (35 %) versus 25/178 (14 %) (aRR 2.42, CI 1.47–3.98, p-value 0.001). No differences in reintervention rates were found between women in the observational cohort and women in the RCT. Women who receive an LNG-IUS are more likely to undergo an additional intervention compared to women who receive endometrial ablation. Reintervention rates of women in the cohort and RCT population were comparable. The results of this study endorse the findings of the RCT and will contribute to shared decision making in women with heavy menstrual bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the reintervention rate of women who opted for treatment with the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) to women who opted for endometrial ablation. Furthermore, the difference in reintervention rate between women in this observational cohort and women who were randomised was compared, with the hypothesis that women who actively decide on treatment have lower reintervention rates compared to women in a RCT.Study Design: An observational cohort study alongside a multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) was conducted between April 2012 and January 2016, with a follow-up time of 24 months, in 26 hospitals and nearby general practices in the Netherlands. Women suffering from heavy menstrual bleeding, aged 34 years and older, without intracavitary pathology and without a future fertility desire, were eligible for this trial. Women who declined randomisation were asked to participate in the observational cohort. The outcome measure was reintervention rate at 24 months of follow-up.Results: 276 women were followed in the observational cohort of which 87 women preferred an initial treatment with LNG-IUS and 189 women preferred an initial treatment with endometrial ablation. At 24 months of follow-up women in the LNG-IUS-group were more likely to receive a reintervention compared to the women in the ablation group, 28/81 (35 %) versus 25/178 (14 %) (aRR 2.42, CI 1.47-3.98, p-value 0.001). No differences in reintervention rates were found between women in the observational cohort and women in the RCT.Conclusions: Women who receive an LNG-IUS are more likely to undergo an additional intervention compared to women who receive endometrial ablation. Reintervention rates of women in the cohort and RCT population were comparable. The results of this study endorse the findings of the RCT and will contribute to shared decision making in women with heavy menstrual bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a case about Essure® removal surgery in which the third markers of the device have torn off. The woman needed a second surgery for complete removal of the devices. Fluoroscopy during surgery is a good method to visualize the lost fragments. With fluoroscopy, a hysterectomy is not needed for complete removal. It is important to understand the structure of the device and to be aware of the four radiopaque markers during surgery and their removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: All patients undergoing a laparoscopic hysterectomy receive an indwelling catheter during surgery. The optimum timing of removal of the catheter is uncertain. A possible advantage of leaving the catheter in up to 12 h after surgery is to reduce the risk of urinary retention. Possible disadvantages are patient discomfort and increased risk of urinary tract infection. Timing of removal of the catheter after laparoscopic hysterectomy has not been studied. Previous studies have assessed timing of catheter removal after abdominal hysterectomy. In these studies immediate removal seems safe and feasible after an uncomplicated hysterectomy. In 2015 immediate catheter removal after an uncomplicated hysterectomy was introduced in our clinic. We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the rate of urinary retentions and the secondary objective was to investigate the rate of urinary tract infections when the indwelling catheter was removed immediate after surgery.Study Design: We included all women who underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy from April 2015 until December 2017. Informed consent was obtained from all patients. Medical records were analysed to identify baseline characteristics, surgical details and complications. General practitioners of the included patients were contacted to check for post-operative urinary tract infection up to 6 weeks after surgery.Results: 325 patients underwent an uncomplicated hysterectomy between April 2015 and December 2017. After informed consent we ultimately included 242 cases in our analysis. The mean age of our study population was 50 years. In 194 (802 %) patients the catheter was removed immediately after surgery. Main reason for delayed removal of the catheter was resection of deep endometriosis (n = 21). The incidence of urinary retention was 4,6 % (95 % CI 2,3-8,3 %) in the immediate removal group. In these 9 cases, 5 (2,6 %) where solved after single catheterisation. The remaining 4 patients (2,0 %) had an indwelling catheter for 24 h after which the urinary retention resolved. The incidence of urinary tract infection was 9,3 % (95 % CI 5,8-14,0- %), when the catheter was removed immediately after surgery. The incidence of urinary retention and UTI were respectively 2,1% (95 % CI 0,1-9,8%) and 208 % (95 % CI 11,1-34,0 %) in the cases with delayed catheter removal (N = 48).Conclusion: Immediate removal of the urine catheter after uncomplicated hysterectomy is safe and results in low levels of urinary retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Laparoscopic myomectomy can be difficult when fibroids are large and numerous. This may result in extensive intraoperative bleeding and the need for a conversion to a laparotomy. Medical pretreatment prior to surgery might reduce these risks by decreasing fibroid size and vascularization of the fibroid. We compared pretreatment with ulipristal acetate (UPA) vs gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) prior to laparoscopic myomectomy on several intra- and postoperative outcomes.Material and Methods: We performed a non-inferiority double-blind randomized controlled trial in nine hospitals in the Netherlands. Women were randomized between daily oral UPA for 12 weeks and single placebo injection or single intramuscular injection with leuprolide acetate and daily placebo tablets for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was intraoperative blood loss. Secondary outcomes were reduction of fibroid volume, suturing time, total surgery time and surgical ease.Results: Thirty women received UPA and 25 women leuprolide acetate. Non-inferiority of UPA regarding intraoperative blood loss was not demonstrated. When pretreated with UPA, median intraoperative blood loss was statistically significantly higher (525 mL [348-1025] vs 280 mL[100-500]; P = 0.011) and suturing time of the first fibroid was statistically significantly longer (40 minutes [28-48] vs 22 minutes [14-33]; P = 0.003) compared with GnRHa. Pretreatment with UPA showed smaller reduction in fibroid volume preoperatively compared with GnRHa (-7.2% [-35.5 to 54.1] vs -38.4% [-71.5 to -19.3]; P = 0.001). Laparoscopic myomectomies in women pretreated with UPA were subjectively judged more difficult than in women pretreated with GnRHa.Conclusions: Non-inferiority of UPA in terms of intraoperative blood loss could not be established, possibly due to the preliminary termination of the study. Pretreatment with GnRHa was more favorable than UPA in terms of fibroid volume reduction, intraoperative blood loss, hemoglobin drop directly postoperatively, suturing time of the first fibroid and several subjective surgical ease parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To provide an overview of prognostic factors predicting failure of second-generation endometrial ablation.Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were systematically searched from 1988 until February 2019. The search was conducted without language restrictions using the following search terms: "endometrial ablation," "prognosis," "predict," "long term," "late onset," "outcome."Methods Of Study Selection: The literature search provided a total of 990 studies. All types of studies reporting about prognostic factors of second-generation endometrial ablation failure were included.Tabulation, Integration, and Results: After screening for eligibility, 56 studies were included in this review, of which 21 were included in the meta-analysis. In these 56 studies, 157,830 women were included. We evaluated 10 prognostic factors: age, myomas, history of tubal ligation, body mass index, parity, preexisting dysmenorrhea, caesarean delivery, bleeding pattern, uterus position, and uterus length. Meta-analysis was performed for the primary outcome (surgical reintervention) to estimate summary treatment effects. Younger age (aged 35 years or younger, odds ratio [OR] 1.68, 95% CI 1.19-2.36; aged 40 years or younger, OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.30-1.93; aged 45 years or younger OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.28-2.07), prior tubal ligation (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.23-1.73), and preexisting dysmenorrhea (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.41-3.19) were associated with an increased risk of surgical reintervention. Studies investigating the prognostic factors myomas and obesity showed conflicting results.Conclusion: Younger age, prior tubal ligation and preexisting dysmenorrhea were found to be associated with failure of endometrial ablation. Obesity and the presence of large submucous myomas may be associated with failure, as well, though more research is necessary to estimate the influence of these factors. It is important to take the results of this review into account when counselling women with heavy menstrual bleeding.Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO, CRD42019126247. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and hypothesis: A great variety of conservative and surgical procedures to correct vaginal vault prolapse have been reported. The aim of this study was to describe practice pattern variation—the difference in care that cannot be explained by the underlying medical condition—among Dutch gynecologists regarding treatment of vaginal vault prolapse. Methods: A clinical practice survey was conducted from March to April 2017. The questionnaire was developed to evaluate treatment of vaginal vault prolapse. All members of the Dutch Society for Urogynaecology were invited to participate in a web-based survey. Results: One hundred four Dutch gynecologists with special interest in urogynecology responded to the survey (response rate, 44%). As first-choice therapy for vaginal vault prolapse, 78% of the respondents chose pessary treatment, whereas sacrospinous fixation was the second most common therapy choice according to 64% of the respondents. Preferences on how to approach vaginal vault prolapse surgically are conflicting. Overall, the most performed surgery for vaginal vault prolapse is sacrospinous fixation, followed by laparoscopic and robotic sacrocolpopexy. Conclusions: Gynecologists in The Netherlands manage vaginal vault prolapse very differently. No standardized method could be determined for the treatment of vaginal vault prolapse in The Netherlands, and we observed practice pattern variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aims of this study were to establish surgical reintervention rate and patient satisfaction after hysteroscopic myomectomy and to identify predictive factors for surgical reintervention. Materials and Methods: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study of 104 women undergoing hysteroscopic myomectomy with a bipolar resectoscope for the treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) between January 2010 and December 2012. The primary outcome of this study was need for surgical reintervention because of recurrence of AUB. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to identify predictive factors for surgical reintervention. Results: The mean follow-up was 30.7 months (range: 1–56 months). Surgical reintervention was performed in 32 women (30.8%). Seventeen women (16.3%) underwent hysterectomy. The patient satisfaction rate was 68.1%, and 75.6% of the women stated that their AUB was reduced after surgery. In the univariate analysis, presence of intramural fibroids, fibroid size >30 mm, and incomplete resection were significantly associated with the risk of surgical reintervention. In the multivariate analysis, presence of intramural fibroids remained significantly correlated with the risk of surgical reintervention. The complication rate was 5.1%. Conclusion: This study showed that hysteroscopic myomectomy is an effective procedure to treat AUB. Women with coexistent intramural fibroids should be counseled that there is a higher risk of surgical reintervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Women's preferences for treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) are important in clinical decision-making. Our aim was to investigate whether women with HMB have a preference for treatment characteristics of the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) or endometrial ablation and to assess the relative importance of these characteristics.Study Design: A discrete choice experiment was performed in general practices and gynaecology outpatient clinics in the Netherlands. Women with HMB were asked to choose between hypothetical profiles containing characteristics of LNG-IUS or endometrial ablation. Characteristics included procedure performed by gynaecologist or general practitioner; reversibility of the procedure; probability of dysmenorrhea; probability of irregular bleeding; additional use of contraception; need to repeat the procedure after five years; and treatment containing hormones. Data were analysed using panel mixed logit models. The main outcome measures were the relative importance of the characteristics and willingness to make trade-offs.Results: 165 women completed the questionnaire; 36 (22%) patients were recruited from general practices and 129 (78%) patients were recruited from gynaecology outpatient clinics. The characteristic found most important was whether a treatment contains hormones. Women preferred a treatment without hormones, a treatment with the least side effects, and no need for a repeat procedure or additional contraception. Women completing the questionnaire at the gynaecology outpatient clinic differed from women in primary care in their preference for a definitive treatment to be performed by a gynaecologist.Conclusions: Whether or not a treatment contains hormones was the most important characteristic influencing patient treatment choice for HMB. Participants preferred characteristics that were mostly related to endometrial ablation, but were willing to trade-off between characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]