Ultrasound Evaluation for Improving Patient Selection in vNOTES

Vaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (vNOTES) is an emerging field in minimally invasive surgery. It has gained the most popularity compared to other transluminal natural orifices such as mouth, rectum or urinary tract. By incorporating the advantages of endoscopic surgery, the vNOTES approach avoids abdominal wall wounds and trocar-related complications. Recent studies report reduced postoperative pain, accelerated postoperative recovery, and decreased postoperative wound infections, as well as achieving highly satisfying cosmetic results. All these made this technique very appealing to surgeons and patients alike. The feasibility and safety of vNOTES in gynecologic surgeries was first introduced by Ahn et al. in 2012 that performed vNOTES in ten women with benign uterine adnexal disease. Since then, surgeons have developed the technique in various benign gynecologic surgeries indications. There has been an exponential uptake of the number of surgeons performing vNOTES procedures worldwide with no official guidance to ensure the safe implementation of this technique into gynecological practice. The novelty of the technique is still a matter of concern in sub-populations and different indications. International consensus-based statement was recently published based on Delphi consensus of expert panel to help guide the basis for adopting vNOTES into clinical practice with respect to eight key domains including patient selection. It was agreed that women with potential adhesions are not appropriate candidates for vNOTES approach including women with a history of a severe PID that is considered contraindication. 97.4% of the experts agreed that it is not necessary to perform a preoperative vaginal culture if the patient is asymptomatic. However, as some pelvic infections might be asymptomatic, such as with chlamydia, pre-operation imaging might be beneficial to complete proper patient selection for the vNOTES approach. Moreover, women with previous severe PID infection might still have favorable pelvic characteristics to perform the vNOTES approach. Aim: To the best of our knowledge no guidelines have been published regarding the pre-operation evaluation and the imaging characteristics. Due to the aforementioned, the aim of our study is to compare pre-operation ultrasound evaluation to operative characteristics and outcomes. Douglas space characteristics, as assessed by ultrasound evaluation of sliding sign, of the patients undergoing vNOTES approach surgery will be compared to patients that were ruled from vNOTES approach in order to evaluate the association of the presence or absence of sliding sign on pre-operation ultrasound to the clinical findings. Clinical Procedures: As part of the evaluation at the pre-operation clinics, women will complete vaginal examination to assess for pelvic organs mobility and potential adhesions. Trans-vaginal examination will be completed to evaluate uterus and adnexal characteristics in addition to sliding sign between the uterus to the rectum for the evaluation of the Douglas space. Women with normal ultrasound evaluation and a positive sliding sign will continue with surgery via the vNOTES approach. Women with limited mobility demonstrated on ultrasound will be recommended alternative surgical approaches. Swabs will be collected for potential PID pathogens including chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomonas and mycoplasma. The operation report will include information regarding pelvic adhesions, location of the adhesions and abdominal screening (Including diaphragm and liver area). For patients undergoing vNOTES approach surgery - difficulty to complete anterior or posterior colpotomy will be documented.