Clinical Research Directory

Vaginal NOTES Hysterectomy Versus Vaginal Hysterectomy

Rationale: Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is a minimal invasive technique using the natural body orifices like stomach, oesophagus, bladder, rectum and vagina to access the human body for surgery. In 2012, the first vaginal NOTES (vNOTES) hysterectomy was performed. Potential benefits of vNOTES hysterectomy, also called the vaginal assisted NOTES hysterectomy (VANH) are no visible scars, less pain and a shorter hospital stay compared with laparoscopic hysterectomy as shown in the HALON trial. Up to now, no studies have compared the vNOTES hysterectomy with vaginal hysterectomy. Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the vNOTES hysterectomy with the vaginal hysterectomy for same day-discharge (SDD), complications, treatment related outcomes, post-operative recovery, quality of life and cost-effectiveness. Study design: The study concerns a single-blinded, multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Study population: Eligible women who fulfill the inclusion criteria and will undergo a hysterectomy for benign indication. Intervention: The study population will be randomly allocated to the VANH-group, who undergo a vaginal assisted NOTES hysterectomy (intervention group) or the vaginal hysterectomy group (control-group) and the participants will be single blinded. The pre- and postoperative care will be the same for both groups. Main study parameters/endpoints: Primary outcome is the percentage of patients that underwent the hysterectomy as in SDD setting. A total of 41 patients should be included in the control group and a total of 83 patients in the intervention group, using an enrollment ratio of 1:2, with an alpha of 0.05 and a power of 0.8. The secondary outcomes are complications, treatment related outcomes, post-operative recovery, quality of life and cost-effectiveness. Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness: vNOTES is a new surgical technique, but a combination of two existing techniques namely the vaginal hysterectomy and the laparoscopic hysterectomy. Only one randomized controlled trial has been published, comparing the total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) with the VANH, which shows no inferiority of the vNOTES technique compared to a laparoscopy. A recent case series study has been published about the complication rate in VANH. There was a total complication rate in the hysterectomy group of 5.2%, in which 1.4% was intra-operative and 3.8% postoperative. Theoretically it is possible that the VANH causes less intra-operative complications because of an improved view during the procedure. No further literature is known about VH versus VANH. Participants of the study should fill in multiple questionnaires before randomization and postoperative about their general health, pain experience and used analgesics.

Comparison of Transvaginal Paracervical and Transperitoneal Approaches in Lymphadenectomy During v-NOTES Surgery for Patients Diagnosed With Endometrial Cancer

The aim of this study is to compare two types of lymphadenectomy (transperitoneal vs. paracervical) during the lymphadenectomy phase of endometrial cancer staging surgery performed using V-NOTES, a new and advanced technique. This study seeks to optimize the V-NOTES technique for endometrial cancer staging. This randomized, prospective, controlled study will include patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer via histology, following physical examination and imaging, and who are electively scheduled for the V-NOTES endometrial cancer staging procedure. Patients will be randomized into two groups: the transvaginal paracervical lymphadenectomy group and the transperitoneal lymphadenectomy group. The parameters related with surgical and functional outcomes will be compared in both groups.