Perioperative outcomes of and predictors for conversion from transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic tubal surgeries: A retrospective cohort study of 619 patients

Abstract

Objective: To assess the perioperative outcomes of vNOTES tubal surgeries and to identify predictors of surgical conversion.

Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was performed on 619 patients who underwent vNOTES tubal surgeries in our institute from December 2018 to October 2021. Patients were categorized into "converted" or "non-converted" groups based on whether conversion occurred. t-test and χ² test were performed on demographic and clinicopathologic data to compare their perioperative outcomes. Logistic regression was built to identify predictors for surgical conversions.

Results: The conversion and complication rates of the vNOTES tubal surgeries in the present study were 3.07% and 4.85%, respectively. The "converted group" has a significantly higher percentage of patients with severe pelvic adhesions (9/19 [47.4%]) and pelvic endometriosis (2/19 [10.5%]), which significantly predicates surgical conversion. The "converted group" also had a longer duration of surgery (140.94 ± 88.73 min, P = 0.002) and an increased proportion of "converted from vNOTES" patients experienced more than 50 ml of intraoperative blood loss (7/19 [36.9%]). Four patients had intraoperative rectal injuries, and no Clavien-Dindo III-V postoperative complications occurred.

Conclusion: vNOTES tubal surgeries are safe due to low conversion and complication rates. Severe pelvic adhesion and endometriosis are predictors for surgical conversions.

Keywords: intraoperative conversion; risk factors; surgical complication; surgical outcomes; tubal operation; vNOTES.