Surgical management of caesarean scar disorder using different techniques: a scoping review and case series

Abstract

Caesarean scar disorders (CSDi) are an increasingly recognized consequence of caesarean sections, which can present with secondary infertility. Currently, there is limited data on the management of CSDi, and the subsequent fertility and pregnancy outcomes. Our aim was to examine different treatment methods and outcomes in a cohort of women with secondary infertility. This study involved a retrospective case series for patients (n = 26) diagnosed with and treated for a CSDi between 2008 and 2019 at a tertiary care centre in British Columbia, Canada, by one of three gynecologists with expertise in CSDi repair. Surgical repair was performed via laparoscopy for residual myometrial thickness (RMT) < 3.0 mm, and via hysteroscopy otherwise. Postoperative pregnancy rates and reproductive outcomes are reported. This study also included a search of the literature to gain an overview of the indications, outcomes, advantages, disadvantages, and risks associated with four surgical approaches (hysteroscopic, laparoscopic, vaginal, abdominal) used in the management of CSDi. A Medline and manual searches of referenced articles were conducted for this purpose. Twenty-six patients with CSDi were diagnosed with secondary infertility (mean age = 36.4 years) during the study period. Twenty of these patients underwent surgical management, with 12 receiving hysteroscopic resection or ablation, and 8 receiving laparoscopic repair. Six patients had no treatment or are still awaiting management at this time. Postoperatively, 11/20 patients (55%) were able to successfully conceive at least once. 8/11 patients were from the hysteroscopy group (66% pregnancy rate) and 10/11 pregnancies resulted in live births at term. In the laparoscopy group, there were 3 pregnancies (37.5% pregnancy rate), including 2 term live births, and 1 preterm live birth at 26 weeks. With respect to our review of the literature, a total of 49 articles were included in our final review of surgical techniques used in the management of CSDi. This study suggests that surgical repair can improve pregnancy rates in patients with secondary infertility in the context of a confirmed CSDi.