Uterine Cesarean Section Scar Research Articles

Structured hysteroscopic examination of uterine niches: a modified Delphi procedure.

Uterine niches in the Caesarean section scar are seen in approximately half of women with a history of caesarean delivery. Whilst a structured ultrasound assessment of caesarean defects has been described, there is no consensus on a structured hysteroscopic evaluation. To propose a methodology for a structured hysteroscopic evaluation of uterine niches. We conducted a modified Delphi procedure, including two online rounds and two face-to-face meetings of the members of the ESGE Uterine Niches Working Group. The taskforce members have extensive experience in hysteroscopic niche evaluation. The consensus was predefined as a Rate of Agreement of at least 75%. Thirteen experts participated in this modified Delphi procedure. There was consensus on the need for a standardised methodology and the hysteroscopic definition of a niche as any indentation in the myometrium at the site of a previous CS. There was consensus that a hysteroscopic evaluation of a niche must be combined with ultrasound to measure the residual myometrial thickness. In addition, it was agreed that niches should be subclassified as 'simple', 'simple with one branch', or 'complex'. There was consensus that the following items should be described during a hysteroscopic niche evaluation: the number of niches, the size in relation to the size of cervical canal, the presence of polyps, crypts, cysts, fibrotic tissue, blood, mucus, placental remnants, a dynamic valve, the appearance of the endometrium, the number of blood vessels and bleeding from blood vessels within the defect. Using a modified Delphi procedure with international experts, consensus was achieved on the hysteroscopic evaluation and classification of niches in the uterine caesarean section scar. A structured registration form was developed to aid consistency in hysteroscopic niche reporting.

Reproductive outcomes after laparoscopic resection of symptomatic niches in uterine cesarean scars: Long-term follow-up on the prospective LAPNICHE study.

After incomplete healing of the uterine cesarean section scar, a niche can be observed; 24% of the women develop large niches with a residual myometrial thickness <3 mm. In these cases a laparoscopic resection is possible. The effect of this new treatment on fertility outcome is not known yet. This paper describes reproductive outcomes 2 years after a laparoscopic niche resection and compares women with or without secondary infertility at baseline. A prospective cohort study was performed, with consecutive inclusion of women between 2011 and 2019. Women with a niche in the uterine cesarean scar, with a residual myometrial thickness of <3 mm and with a desire to become pregnant, were scheduled to undergo a laparoscopic niche resection because of one or more of the following problems (1) postmenstrual spotting; (2) midcycle intrauterine fluid accumulation diagnosed during the fertility workup or (3) difficulties with a previous embryo transfer and preferring a surgical therapy. The study is registered in the ISRCTN register (ref. no. ISRCTN02271575) on April 23, 2013. There were 133 (62%) women included with a desire to become pregnant, 88 with secondary infertility. In all, 83 had an ongoing pregnancy at the 2-year follow-up. The ongoing pregnancy rate in patients with previous fertility problems was 60.2% compared with 66.7% in patients without infertility (odds ratio [OR] 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.32-1.7). The OR for live births was 0.57 (95% CI 0.02-1.2). Overall, 8.3% of the pregnancies resulted in miscarriages by the 2-year follow-up. The reproductive outcomes in women with and without previous fertility problems undergoing resection of a large niche are very promising and quite comparable in both groups. These results suggest, but do not prove, a beneficial effect of this therapy for these indications. The results support the design of future randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effect of niche resection vs expectant management to assess its additional value in women with or without fertility problems who desire pregnancy.

Increased amplitude of subendometrial contractions identified by ultrasound speckle tracking in women with a caesarean scar defect

Research questionWhat is the effect of a caesarean scar defect on subendometrial contractions? DesignProspective cohort study in a Dutch medical centre including women with a niche in the uterine caesarean section scar. Data were compared with controls without a caesarean section scar. All women underwent a 5-min recording by transvaginal ultrasound at four phases in the menstrual cycle: during menses; late follicular; early luteal; or late luteal phase. Uterine motion analysis was evaluated by dedicated speckle tracking using two-dimensional optical flow. Main outcome: amplitude of the subendometrial contractions. ResultsThirty-one women with a niche in the uterine scar and 11 controls, matched for menstrual cycle phase, were included. The amplitude of the subendometrial contractions was significantly higher in women with a niche compared with controls during all phases of the menstrual cycle (menses P < 0.001; late follicular P < 0.001; early luteal P = 0.028; late luteal P = 0.003). Velocity was lower in women with a niche during late follicular phase only (P = 0.012). A positive correlation between niche sizes (depth, length) and amplitude of subendometrial contractions was found. ConclusionSubendometrial contractions were affected in women with a niche in the caesarean section scar compared with women who had not undergone a previous caesarean section. Contraction amplitude was higher and independent of the menstrual phase. These findings may cause postmenstrual spotting, dysmenorrhoea and lower implantation rates in women with a niche. Future studies should investigate this association and the underlying pathways.

Two- and three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound in assessment of the impact of selected obstetric risk factors on cesarean scar niche formation: the case-controlled study.

Incomplete healing of the uterine scar after cesarean section may result in formation of a niche. The aim of this study is to identify the potential risk factors for the improper uterine healing after cesarean section in women with single layer, full thickness uterine closure with the use of two- and three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasonography. 204 women with a history of at least one low transverse cesarean section (CS) with a single layer uterine closure participated in the study. Residual myometrial thickness (RMT), adjacent myometrial thickness (AMT), width (W), depth (D) and volume of the niche, RMT/AMT, RMT/D, RMT/W ratio and clinical characteristics were analyzed. A niche after cesarean section was found in 153 cases. However only five patients had a RMT < 2.2 mm, and 35 had an RMT/AMT ratio ≤ 0.5. The RMT and RMT/AMT ratio among women who had undergone more than one cesarean section was lower than among women who underwent the first cesarean section. No statistically significant relationship was found between the incidence of niche, its parameters and cervical dilation, uterine contractions, cesarean section in the second stage of labor, type of uterus incision expansion and flexion, operator's experience. Healing of the uterine cesarean section scar in women with single-layer continuous suture covering the entire thickness of the myometrium, excluding the decidua is not affected by the mode of caesarean section, type of uterine incision expansion and flexion, operator's experience, stage of labor at the time of caesarean section.

EP31.22: Endometriosis of the uterine Caesarean section scar: a case report

EP31.22: Endometriosis of the uterine Caesarean section scar: a case report

Ultrasound Based Study For Niche Development In The Uterine Cesarean Section Scar

Ultrasound Based Study For Niche Development In The Uterine Cesarean Section Scar

Факторы риска врастания плаценты у женщин с рубцом на матке после кесарева сечения

Факторы риска врастания плаценты у женщин с рубцом на матке после кесарева сечения

OC23.05: Risk factors for developing a niche in the uterine Caesarean section scar

OC23.05: Risk factors for developing a niche in the uterine Caesarean section scar

Caesarean Scar Choriocarcinoma: Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings.

Primary gestational choriocarcinoma in a uterine caesarean section scar (CSS) is an extremely rare entity, and its timely diagnosis and treatment is crucial in order to prevent related complications and metastatic disease. Herein, we report on a 33-year-old female who was referred to our department with an initial diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy. Transabdominal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a nodular mass on CSS. The final histopathological diagnosis was CSS choriocarcinoma.

Placenta accreta: Pathogenesis of a 20th century iatrogenic uterine disease

Placenta accreta refers to different grades of abnormal placental attachment to the uterine wall, which are characterised by invasion of trophoblast into the myometrium. Placenta accreta has only been described and studied by pathologists for less than a century. The fact that the first detailed description of a placenta accreta happened within a couple of decades of major changes in the caesarean surgical techniques is highly suggestive of a direct relationship between prior uterine surgery and abnormal placenta adherence. Several concepts have been proposed to explain the abnormal placentation in placenta accreta including a primary defect of the trophoblast function, a secondary basalis defect due to a failure of normal decidualization and more recently an abnormal vascularisation and tissue oxygenation of the scar area. The vast majority of placenta accreta are found in women presenting with a previous history of caesarean section and a placenta praevia. Recent epidemiological studies have also found that the strongest risk factor for placenta praevia is a prior caesarean section suggesting that a failure of decidualization in the area of a previous uterine scar can have an impact on both implantation and placentation. Ultrasound studies of uterine caesarean section scar have shown that large and deep myometrial defects are often associated with absence of re-epithelialisation of the scar area. These findings support the concept of a primary deciduo-myometrium defect in placenta accreta, exposing the myometrium and its vasculature below the junctional zone to the migrating trophoblast. The loss of this normal plane of cleavage and the excessive vascular remodelling of the radial and arcuate arteries can explain the in-vivo findings and the clinical consequence of placenta accreta. Overall these data support the concept that abnormal decidualization and trophoblastic changes of the placental bed in placenta accreta are secondary to the uterine scar and thus entirely iatrogenic.

The endometrial–myometrial junction: a fresh look at a busy crossing

The endometrial–myometrial junction: a fresh look at a busy crossing