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Hervé Fernandez

Publications and source records attributed to Hervé Fernandez.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Unusual fast-growing ovarian cystic teratoma during pregnancy presenting with intracystic fat "floating balls" appearance.

A large ovarian cyst was diagnosed at 22 weeks' of gestation in a 32-year-old woman. The ultrasonographic appearance of the ovarian cyst was unusual with multiple mobile, spherical echogenic structures floating in the cystic mass, called intracystic "fat balls." Right adnexectomy was performed by laparotomy at 28 weeks' of gestation, because of rapid growth and overall size exceeding 20 cm. Pathological examination confirmed ovarian cystic teratoma. Usually, dermoid cysts are slow-growing, even in premenopausal women. The exact mechanism related to the fast growth during pregnancy is unknown. It could be related to an unusual pattern of estrogen (E)/P receptors expression in the cystic teratoma. This case shows that a fast-growing, mature ovarian cystic teratoma may occur during pregnancy.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2006

Functional results after the suburethral sling procedure for urinary stress incontinence: a prospective randomized multicentre study comparing the retropubic and transobturator routes.

OBJECTIVES: To compare short-term functional outcomes, urodynamic parameters, and quality of life of transobturator and retropubic routes in the cure of urinary stress incontinence. POPULATION AND METHODS: This prospective, multicentre study involved 88 women undergoing suburethral sling procedure for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The retropubic route (RPR) and the transobturator route (TOR) were used in 42 and 46 women, respectively. No difference in epidemiologic and preoperative urinary functional status (SUI stage, and pollakiuria, nocturia, and urgency rates) was found between the groups. Functional results and quality of life were evaluated before surgery and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 mo postoperatively. Urodynamic examinations were performed before and 3 mo after surgery. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 10 mo. No difference in the rate of de novo urge incontinence and immediate and late voiding dysfunction was noted between the groups. No difference in the cure rate was observed between the groups (89.3% in the RPR group and 88.6% in the TOR group). RPR was associated with a significant decrease in maximum urinary flow and an increase in residual urine volume. Quality of life was significantly improved after surgery without difference between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Retropubic and transobturator routes for treatment of female SUI have similar high cure rates and quality of life improvement. Because of advantages in the rate of complications and postoperative pain previously demonstrated on the same population, the transobturator route appears to be the best option for the treatment of urinary incontinence.

Female↗
PubMed2006

Is vaginal hysterectomy a risk factor for urinary incontinence at long-term follow-up?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of urinary symptoms at long-term follow-up after vaginal hysterectomy. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred and seventeen patients, who had a vaginal hysterectomy for menorrhagia, from January 1991 to December 2001, answered to a self-report questionnaire about de novo urinary symptoms. The control group was a population of 116 patients who had a conservative treatment for dysfunctional uterine bleeding by endometrial thermocoagulation from January 1994 to December 2001. RESULTS: Patient characteristics (mean age, mean parity, menopausal status, smoking status, drink habits) were similar in the two groups. Mean follow-up was 4.6+/-2.2 years (range 1.5-11) after vaginal hysterectomy and 4+/-1.8 years (range 1.5-7) after conservative treatment. The prevalence of urinary symptoms, included urge and stress incontinence, were statistically similar in the two groups. CONCLUSION: This study reveals no risk of urge or stress urinary incontinence at long-term follow-up after vaginal hysterectomy, compared with conservative treatment.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed2005

Long-term anatomical and functional assessment of trans-vaginal cystocele repair using a tension-free polypropylene mesh.

We report a case series of 63 women with cystocele who underwent the same trans-vaginal procedure between October 1999 and October 2002. The polypropylene mesh (GyneMesh, Gynecare, Ethicon, France) was placed from the retropubic space to the inferior part of the bladder in a tension-free fashion. Patients were followed up for 24 to 60 months, with a mean follow-up of 37 months. Fifty-five patients returned for follow-up (87.3%). At follow-up, 49 women were anatomically cured (89.1%), five women had stage 2 anterior vaginal wall prolapse (9.1%), and one had a recurrent stage 3 (1.8%). Functional results and sexual function were also investigated. Fifty-three women had significant improvement in their quality of life (96.4%). There were a total of three cases of local pain around a mesh shrinkage (5.5%) and five vaginal erosions of the mesh (9.1%). Four out of 24 patients had dyspareunia (16.7%). In conclusion, the vaginal repair of anterior vaginal wall prolapse reinforced with a polypropylene mesh was efficient at 2 to 5 years follow-up. However, the first generation of polypropylene mesh we used was responsible for high rates of local complications and dyspareunia. Therefore, the polypropylene mesh has to be improved (lower weight) and the technique has to be documented by a randomized controlled trial before we could recommend its use in clinical practice.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

A transvaginal ultrasound study comparing transobturator tape and tension-free vaginal tape after surgical treatment of female stress urinary incontinence.

This study was carried out to compare ultrasonographic findings on patients after transobturator tape (TOT) and tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedures to evaluate displacement of tapes up to a 2-year follow-up and to test the correlation between bladder outlet obstruction and the tape position. Forty-nine patients had a transvaginal ultrasonographic evaluation after TOT (n=31) or TVT (n=18) procedures. Twenty-one patients from the TOT group and 12 from the TVT group had ultrasonographic evaluation both at 1 and 2 years follow-up. Tape position was evaluated with a complete sagittal view, and the width of the tape and the distance between the middle of the tape and the bladder neck were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using a t test. After clinical evaluation, stress test, and uroflowmetry with residual measurement, the tapes were compared on ultrasound with regard to clinical and urodynamic results: success in stress incontinence vs failure, bladder outlet obstruction vs no obstruction, and de novo urgencies vs no urgencies. No difference was found between TOT and TVT in the midurethral tape placement. The distance between the middle of the tape and the bladder neck at rest was similar at both 1 and 2 years after both TOT and TVT and was unchanged after coughing or Valsalva. The width of the tape was similar after TOT and TVT at both 1 and 2 years after the procedure. There was no difference in the distance between the middle of the tape and the bladder neck between cured patients, failure, bladder outlet obstruction, and de novo urgencies after both TOT and TVT. Transvaginal ultrasound examination showed no significant difference in the tape position between TOT and TVT. No correlation was found between ultrasonographic findings and postoperative voiding troubles for both techniques.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

A 2-year anatomical and functional assessment of transvaginal rectocele repair using a polypropylene mesh.

This study reports the 2-year results of an original technique for rectocele repair by the vaginal route, using a combined sacrospinous suspension and a polypropylene mesh. Twenty-six women were successively operated between October 2000 and February 2003. Mean age was 63.7 years [range 35-92]. 19 women had had previous pelvic surgery for prolapse and/or urinary incontinence (73.1%), but none had had a previous rectocele repair. Patients underwent physical examination staging of prolapse in the international pelvic organ prolapse staging system. Eleven women had stage 2 posterior vaginal wall prolapse (42.3%), seven had stage 3 (26.9%) and eight had stage 4 (30.8%). The procedure included a bilateral sacrospinous suspension and a polypropylene mesh (GyneMesh, Gynecare, Ethicon France) attached from the sacrospinous ligaments to the perineal body. We did not perform any associated posterior fascial repair, nor myorraphy. Patients were followed up for 10-44 months, with a median follow-up (+/- SD) of 22.7 +/- 9.2 months. Functional results and sexual function were evaluated using the PFDI, the PFIQ and the PISQ-12 self-questionnaires. Twenty-five women returned for follow-up (96.2%). At follow-up, 24 women were cured (92.3%) and one had asymptomatic stage 2 rectocele. All the patients but one had symptoms and impact on quality of life improved. No postoperative infection of the mesh or rectovaginal fistula was found, but there were three vaginal erosions (12%) and one out of 13 had de novo dyspareunia (7.7%).

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Contraceptive information after endometrial ablation.

We reviewed the records of the patients considered "fertile" in a consecutive series of 206 patients treated by intrauterine balloon ablation for dysfunctional uterine bleeding, and three pregnancies were observed among 58 patients (5.2%), with two spontaneous abortions and a placenta accreta at 26 weeks. These findings lead us to conclude that balloon ablation is not contraceptive and that use of a supplemental contraceptive method should be planned. Hysteroscopic endometrial ablation and nonhysteroscopic endometrial thermal ablation are the first-line conservative surgical treatments for dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Their use reduces the rate of hysterectomies for this common problem. Because of their effects on the endometrium and uterine cavity (synechiae), these treatments are indicated only for patients who do not wish to remain fertile.

Catheter Ablation↗
PubMed2005

Tension-free polypropylene mesh for vaginal repair of anterior vaginal wall prolapse.

OBJECTIVE: To study the ongoing results of the repair of anterior vaginal wall prolapse reinforced with tension-free polypropylene mesh (GyneMesh, Gynecare, Ethicon, Issy-Les-Moulineaux, France). STUDY DESIGN: A case series of 87 consecutive women with anterior vaginal wall prolapse who underwent a transvaginal procedure using polypropylene mesh between October 1999 and August 2002. The mean age (+/-SD) was 62.4+/-13.4 years. Before the operation, patients underwent physical examination staging of the prolapse with the International Pelvic Organ Prolapse staging system. Thirteen women had stage 2 anterior vaginal wall prolapse (14.9%), 59 had stage 3 (67.9%), and 15 had stage 4 (17.3%). The polypropylene mesh was placed from the retropubic space to the inferior part of the bladder in a tension-freefashion. Patients were followed for 9-43 months, with a median follow-up (+/-SD) of 24+/-9.6 months. We defined "cure" as satisfactory (stage 1) or optimal (stage 0) outcome for point Ba in the staging system. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients returned for follow-up (96.6%). At follow-up, 77 women were cured (91.6%), 5 women had asymptomatic stage 2 anterior vaginal wall prolapse, and 2 had a recurrent stage 3 (2.4%). There were no postoperative infections. There were a total of 7 vaginal erosions of the mesh (8.3%); 4 necessitated a second procedure for partial excision of the mesh. CONCLUSION: Vaginal repair of anterior vaginal wall prolapse reinforced with tension-free polypropylene mesh is effective and relatively safe. Vaginal erosion occurred in 8.3% of the study population but was easily manageable, with no sequelae.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2004

Ectopic pregnancy is again on the increase. Recent trends in the incidence of ectopic pregnancies in France (1992-2002).

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the recent incidence trends of ectopic pregnancies (EP) in France (1992-2002). METHODS: A population-based register of all women aged 15-44 years with EP was set up in Auvergne (central France). We calculated rates of EP as a 'reproductive failure' or as a 'contraceptive failure', frequencies of exposure to the two main risk factors for EP (cigarette smoking and chlamydial infection) and contraceptive methods between 1992 and 2002. RESULTS: The overall EP rate decreased by 2%, from 96.4 per 100 000 women aged 15-44 in 1992 to 95.3 per 100 000 in 2002. However, the rate of 'reproductive failure' EP increased by 17%, while the rate of 'contraceptive failure' EP, mostly intrauterine device failure, decreased by 29%. CONCLUSION: Appropriate analysis reveals that the rate of EP as reproductive failure is increasing again in France. This result is of interest for many European and North America countries where chlamydial infections or smoking or both are increasing in women of reproductive age. The rates of EP as contraceptive failure and of that as reproductive failure evolve differently in the population and should not be confused in epidemiological studies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

A prospective randomized trial comparing tension-free vaginal tape and transobturator suburethral tape for surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to prospectively and randomly compare tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) with transobturator suburethral tape (T.O.T.) for the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women. STUDY DESIGN: Sixty-one women with SUI were randomly assigned to either TVT (n=31) or T.O.T. (n=30). The preoperative evaluation included a quality-of-life questionnaire and a comprehensive urodynamic examination. The 1-year outcome included a detrusor pressure-uroflow study to compare bladder outlet obstruction. RESULTS: Patient characteristics, preoperative quality of life, and urodynamic evaluation were similar in the 2 groups. Mean operative time was significantly shorter in the T.O.T. group (15 min+/-4 vs 27 min+/-8, P<.001). No bladder injury occurred in the T.O.T. group versus 9.7% (n=3) in the TVT group (P>.05). The rate of postoperative urinary retention was 25.8% (n=8) in the TVT group versus 13.3% (n=4) in the T.O.T. group (P>.05). The rates of cure (83.9% vs 90%), improvement (9.7% vs 3.3%), and failure (6.5% vs 6.7%) were similar for the TVT and T.O.T. groups, respectively. The 1-year outcome data were collected in 29 women of the TVT group and 27 women of the T.O.T. group. No vaginal erosion occurred in either of the groups. In terms of bladder outlet obstruction, no differences were found after TVT and T.O.T. CONCLUSION: T.O.T. appears to be equally efficient as TVT for surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women, with no reduction of bladder outlet obstruction at 1-year follow-up.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Risk of urge and stress urinary incontinence at long-term follow-up after vaginal hysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of urinary symptoms at long-term follow-up after vaginal hysterectomy. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred seventeen patients who had a vaginal hysterectomy for menorrhagia from January 1991 to December 2001 answered a self-report questionnaire about de novo urinary symptoms. The control group was a population of 116 patients who had a conservative treatment for dysfunctional uterine bleeding by endometrial thermocoagulation from January 1994 to December 2001. RESULTS: Patient characteristics (mean age, mean parity, menopausal status, smoking status, drink habits) were similar in the 2 groups. Mean follow-up was 4.6+/-2.2 years (range, 1.5-11 years) after vaginal hysterectomy and 4+/-1.8 years (range, 1.5-7 years) after conservative treatment. The prevalence of urinary symptoms, which included urge and stress incontinence, was statistically similar in the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: This study reveals no risk of urge or stress urinary incontinence at long-term follow-up after vaginal hysterectomy, compared with conservative treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Reproductive outcome after methotrexate treatment of tubal pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate reproductive outcome after ectopic pregnancy (EP) treated with methotrexate (MTX) and to assess the relative contribution of various risk factors to future fertility. DESIGN: Telephone follow-up interviews in a cohort of patients treated for EP. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENT(S): A cohort of 158 patients treated with MTX for tubal pregnancies between April 1991 and March 1999. INTERVENTION(S): Assessment of fertility outcomes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Cumulative pregnancy rates for intrauterine and ectopic pregnancies. RESULT(S): Thirty-two patients (20.2%) were lost to follow-up. Of 126 patients, 93 (73.8%) sought to become pregnant, and of these 93 women, 76 (81.7%) did. Sixty-four pregnancies were spontaneous, and 12 resulted from in vitro fertilization (IVF). No pregnancies occurred in the group not trying to become pregnant. Of the 64 spontaneous pregnancies, 52 (81.2%) were intrauterine, with 12 (18.7%) resulting in miscarriages, and 12 (18.7%) were recurrent ectopic pregnancies. The cumulative intrauterine pregnancy rate was 57.5% after 1 year and 66.9% after 2 years. The cumulative ectopic pregnancy rate was 15.4% after 1 year and 23.7% after 2 years. After adjusting for factors associated with fertility with a Cox regression, only one factor was associated with poor reproductive performance: previous history of infertility. CONCLUSION(S): Within 1 year of seeking to become pregnant, more than half the women previously treated medically for EP conceived and had ongoing pregnancies. Our analysis indicates that fertility depends more on the patients' previous medical history than on her treatment for EP.

Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal↗
PubMed2004

Fertility after ovarian drilling by transvaginal fertiloscopy for treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate fertiloscopy ovarian drilling with bipolar energy in women with clomiphene citrate-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN: Prospective study (Canadian Task Force classification II). SETTING: University teaching hospital and private clinic. PATIENTS: Eighty women with clomiphene citrate-resistant PCOS. INTERVENTION: Operative transvaginal fertiloscopy with a coaxial bipolar electrode. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 18.1 months (+/- 6.4), 73 women (91%) recovered regular and ovulatory cycles. The cumulative pregnancy rate was 60% (44/73) for spontaneous and stimulated cycles, with 39.7% (29/73) imputed to drilling alone. The mean time to conceive was 3.9 months (range 1-11.8). There were eight miscarriages (18%), and no ectopic pregnancies or multiple pregnancy. No complications occurred. CONCLUSION: Ovarian drilling by transvaginal fertiloscopy with bipolar electrosurgery appears to be an effective minimally invasive procedure in patients with PCOS resistant to clomiphene citrate.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Risk factors for ectopic pregnancy: a comprehensive analysis based on a large case-control, population-based study in France.

This case-control study was associated with a regional register of ectopic pregnancy between 1993 and 2000 in France. It included 803 cases of ectopic pregnancy and 1,683 deliveries and was powerful enough to investigate all ectopic pregnancy risk factors. The main risk factors were infectious history (adjusted attributable risk = 0.33; adjusted odds ratio for previous pelvic infectious disease = 3.4, 95% percent confidence interval (CI): 2.4, 5.0) and smoking (adjusted attributable risk = 0.35; adjusted odds ratio = 3.9, 95% CI: 2.6, 5.9 for >20 cigarettes/day vs. women who had never smoked). The other risk factors were age (associated per se with a risk of ectopic pregnancy), prior spontaneous abortions, history of infertility, and previous use of an intrauterine device. Prior medical induced abortion was associated with a risk of ectopic pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.1, 7.2); no such association was observed for surgical abortion (adjusted odds ratio = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.8, 1.6). The total attributable risk of all the factors investigated was 0.76. As close associations were found between ectopic pregnancy and infertility and between ectopic pregnancy and spontaneous abortion, further research into ectopic pregnancy should focus on risk factors common to these conditions. In terms of public health, increasing awareness of the effects of smoking may be useful for ectopic pregnancy prevention.

Adult↗