Obstetrical & gynecological survey
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Effective postoperative pain management provides improved patient comfort and satisfaction, earlier mobilization, fewer pulmonary and cardiac complications, reduced risk of deep vein thrombosis, faster recovery, and reduced cost of care. Although many therapeutic modalities are available for pain management, the optimal combination in managing postoperative pain in total abdominal hysterectomy is controversial. The objective of this study was to review the literature to formulate optimal, evidence-based preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative pain management for women undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy. Using the OVID platform, we searched in MEDLINE and PubMed using MeSH terms postoperative pain and total abdominal hysterectomy for published articles from 1960 to the present; we found 545 studies. We screened and included only randomized clinical trials, publications in English, human studies, and abdominal hysterectomy for noncancerous indications. We excluded 456 studies that reported on animal studies; laparoscopic, vaginal, supracervical, or robotic hysterectomy; pharmacokinetic studies; primary outcome other than pain management; and chronic pain management. Studies with inadequate power, poor methodology, or inconclusive results were further excluded from this review. Thus, 89 studies constituted the cohort for our article. Pain control remains complex given variables such as age, anxiety, and extent of surgery. In general, regimens should be tailored to the needs of the individual patient, taking into account medical, psychological, and physical condition. A multimodality approach is better than conventional, single-agent narcotic in achieving optimal pain management. After reading this article, the reader should be able to understand various modalities that can be considered for preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative pain management in total abdominal hysterectomy. ⋯ Obstetricians and gynecologists, family physicians Learning Objectives: After completing this CME activity, physicians should be better able to understand various modalities that can be considered for preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative pain management in total abdominal hysterectomy.
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Obstet Gynecol Surv · Mar 2013
ReviewSex differences among obstetrician-gynecologists: a review of survey studies.
Whether practice differences exist between the sexes is a question of clinical and educational significance. The obstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyn) workforce has been shifting to majority women. An examination of sex differences in ob-gyn practice contributes to the discussion about how the changing workforce may impact women's healthcare. We sought to review survey studies to assess whether there are specific topics in which differences in attitudes, opinions, and practice patterns between male and female ob-gyns are apparent. We conducted a systematic review to identify all survey studies of ob-gyns from the years 2002-2012. A total of 93 studies were reviewed to identify statements of sex differences and categorized by conceptual theme. Sex differences were identified in a number of areas. In general, women report more supportive attitudes toward abortion. A number of differences were identified with regard to workforce issues, such as women earning 23% less than their male counterparts as reported in 1 study and working an average of 4.1 fewer hours per week than men in another study. Men typically provide higher selfratings than women in a number of areas. Other noted findings include men tending toward more pharmaceutical therapies and women making more referrals for medical conditions. Although a number of areas of difference were identified, the impact of such differences is yet to be determined. Additional research may help to clarify the reasons for such differences and their potential impact on patients. ⋯ Obstetricians and gynecologists, family physicians Learning Objectives: After completing this CME activity, physicians should be better able to determine how the relevance of studying sex differences among physicians, specifically ob-gyns, can help improve patient care, assess whether there are topical areas in which male and female ob-gyns have reported different beliefs, practices, attitudes, and opinions, and examine how the limitations of survey studies and systematic reviews can affect the findings of these studies and reviews.