Adenomyosis patterns on transvaginal sonography could predict the obstetrical outcomes of fertility-sparing surgeries: A retrospective cohort study.

Study objective: To explore the associations between adenomyosis patterns on transvaginal sonography (TVS) and surgical outcomes.

Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China.

Patients: The medical records of 322 patients diagnosed with adenomyosis who underwent open or laparoscopic fertility-sparing surgeries from March 1 to December 31, 2018, were reviewed. Patients were divided into localized (221 patients) and diffuse (101 patients) adenomyosis groups on the basis of TVS findings.

Interventions: Detailed epidemiological information, imaging evaluations, surgical reports, and pathological findings were retrospectively collected.

Measurements and main results: The median postsurgical follow-up period was 52.8 months (range 6-88 months), with 24 patients (7.4%) lost to follow-up by July 1, 2019. The localized and diffuse adenomyosis groups had similar symptom relief and recurrent uterine lesions. Among the 104 patients who attempted pregnancy, 75 patients (72.1%) conceived, with 35 miscarriages (46.7%) and 59 live births (78.7%). For the whole cohort and the localized adenomyosis and diffuse adenomyosis groups, the cumulative 5-year conception rates were 75%, 83% and 60%, respectively; the cumulative 5-year live birth rates were 63%, 79% and 37%, respectively. The adenomyosis patterns found during sonography were the only independent risk factors related to clinical pregnancy and live birth in the Cox regression model. Patients with diffuse adenomyosis had significantly lower rates of conception (HR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-1.0) and live birth (HR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.8).

Conclusion: Adenomyosis patterns (localized versus diffuse) in pretreatment TVS could predict obstetrical outcomes, irrespective of surgical type and uterine size.

Clinical registry: The clinical trial registry name is the Cooperative Adenomyosis Network (CAN); the registration number is NCT03230994 (https://clinicaltrials.gov). This study started on June 30, 2017, and was completed on December 30, 2020.