BackgroundOn March 16, 2020, the federal government of Austria declared a nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the lockdown, screening examinations and routine checkups have been restricted to prevent the spread of the virus and to increase the hospitals’ bed capacity across the country. This resulted in a severe decline of patient referrals to the hospitals.ObjectiveTo assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the rate of newly diagnosed gynecological and breast cancers in Austria.MethodsData of 2077 patients from 18 centers in Austria with newly diagnosed gynecological or breast cancer between January and May 2019 and January and May 2020 were collected. Clinical parameters, including symptoms, performance status, co-morbidities, and referral status, were compared between the time before and after the COVID-19 outbreak.ResultsOur results showed a slight increase of newly diagnosed cancers in January and February 2020 as compared with 2019 (+2 and +35%, respectively) and a strong decline in newly diagnosed tumors since the lockdown: −24% in March 2020 versus March 2019, −49% in April 2020 versus April 2019, −49% in May 2020 versus May 2019. Two-thirds of patients diagnosed during the pandemic presented with tumor-specific symptoms compared with less than 50% before the pandemic (p<0.001). Moreover, almost 50% of patients in 2020 had no co-morbidities compared with 35% in 2019 (p<0.001). Patients, who already had a malignant disease, were rarely diagnosed with a new cancer in 2020 as compared with 2019 (11% vs 6%; p<0.001).ConclusionsThe lockdown led to a decreased number of newly diagnosed gynecological and breast cancers. The decreased accessibility of the medical services and postponed diagnosis of potentially curable cancers during the COVID-19 pandemic may be a step backwards in our healthcare system and might impair cancer treatment outcomes. Therefore, new strategies to manage early cancer detection are needed to optimize cancer care in a time of pandemic in the future.

Subjective and objective cure rates 10 years after the tension-free vaginal tape-obturator procedure were 69% and 64%, respectively. The vaginal extrusion rate in this study was slightly higher than in other series but major long-term complications appeared to be rare.

Introduction Rates and routes of hysterectomy have implications for quality, costs and training. This study analyzed rates of benign hysterectomy and surgical approaches for benign hysterectomy in Austria from 2002 to 2014. Material and Methods This was a population-based retrospective observational study of coding data from all acute care hospitals (public and private) in Austria. Main outcome measures were numbers of women undergoing hysterectomy for benign indications in Austria per year and the route of hysterectomy for benign indications. Results The number of benign hysterectomies performed per year declined from 10 675 in 2002 to 7747 in 2014, a decline of 27%. The use of vaginal hysterectomy was stable (53% and 47%, respectively). Use of laparoscopic techniques increased (5% in 2002, 32% in 2014) whereas use of abdominal hysterectomy decreased (41% and 20%, respectively). Conclusions Numbers of benign hysterectomies performed per year in Austria declined substantially between 2002 and 2014. Use of vaginal hysterectomy was stable at about 50%, whereas increased use of laparoscopic techniques was associated with lower rates of open hysterectomy.

Ziel: Erstellung einer offiziellen, internationalen, interdisziplinären Leitlinie, publiziert und koordiniert von der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe (DGGG). Die Leitlinie wurde für den deutschsprachigen Raum entwickelt und wird neben der DGGG auch von der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe (SGGG) und der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe (OEGGG) mitgetragen. Das Ziel dieser Leitlinie, die von der DGGG publiziert und koordiniert wurde, ist es, durch die Evaluation der relevanten Literatur einen evidenzbasierten Überblick über die Diagnostik sowie konservative und operative Therapie des Descensus genitalis der Frau mit oder ohne Belastungsinkontinenz zu geben. Methoden: Es erfolgte ein systematischer Review sowie Synthese von Daten, anteilig mit Metaanalyse (S2e). Es wurde eine umfassende Literatursuche in MEDLINE, Embase, Cinahl, Pedro und im Cochrane-Register, in Referenzlisten und in den Abstracts der Annual Meetings der International Continence Society und der International Urogynecological Association durchgeführt. Abstracts wurden eingeschlossen, wenn es sich um randomisierte Studien handelte, die als Podiumpräsentation vorgestellt und diskutiert wurden. Es wurden Originalarbeiten seit 2008 eingeschlossen, deren Nachkontrollzeitraum bei mindestens 12 Monaten lag. Für die Beschreibung von perioperativen Komplikationen wurden jegliche Daten herangezogen. Empfehlungen: Es werden Empfehlungen zur Diagnostik, konservativen und operativen Therapie des Genitaldeszensus gegeben, wobei die 3 urogynäkologischen Kompartimente, Prävention oder Behandlung von Belastungsinkontinenz, Vor-und Nachteile von Netzaugmentationen sowie uteruserhaltende Optionen, berücksichtigt

The long version, including the complete list of references and the guideline report, can be viewed on the AWMF website (www.awmf.org).

Aim This completely revised interdisciplinary S2k-guideline on the diagnosis, therapy, and follow-up care of female patients with urinary incontinence (AWMF registry number: 015-091) was published in December 2021. This guideline combines and summarizes earlier guidelines such as “Female stress urinary incontinence,” “Female urge incontinence” and “Use of Ultrasonography in Urogynecological Diagnostics” for the first time. The guideline was coordinated by the German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe, DGGG) and the Working Group for Urogynecology and Plastic Pelvic Floor Reconstruction (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Urogynäkologie und plastische Beckenbodenrekonstruktion e. V., AGUB). Methods This S2k-guideline was developed using a structured consensus process involving representative members from different medical specialties and was commissioned by the Guidelines Commission of the DGGG, OEGGG and SGGG. The guideline is based on the current version of the guideline “Urinary Incontinence in Adults” published by the European Association of Urology (EAU). Country-specific items associated with the respective healthcare systems in Germany, Austria and Switzerland were also incorporated. Recommendations The short version of this guideline consists of recommendations and statements on the epidemiology, etiology, classification, symptoms, diagnostics, and treatment of female patients with urinary incontinence. Specific solutions for the diagnostic workup and appropriate conservative and medical therapies for uncomplicated and complication urinary incontinence are discussed.

Results of this trial demonstrate noninferiority between TVT and TVT-O with regard to postoperative continence and QoL and suggest little difference in perioperative problems (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT 00441454).

Introduction and hypothesisCondition-specific sexual questionnaires are essential for clinical trials and important patient-reported outcome measures. The aim of the study was to translate the Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire–International Urogynecology Association Revised (PISQ-IR) into German and to clinically validate it in a German-speaking population.MethodsThe translated PISQ-IR was linguistically validated in two rounds of cognitive interviews. The final instrument was psychometrically validated in women presenting to urogynecological clinics with pelvic floor dysfunction. For analysis of criterion validity, three related self-reported measures were administered: the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Kings Health Questionnaire (KHQ), and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). For external validity, PISQ-IR subscales were compared to the clinical-measures Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification system (POP-Q) stage, pelvic floor muscle tone, and Oxford Grading Scale. Descriptive statistics, floor and ceiling effects, internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and Pearson correlations were calculated for all PISQ-IR subscales.ResultsThe PISQ-IR was completed by 197 women, out of whom 66 (33.5 %) considered themselves not sexually active (NSA) and 131 (66.5 %) as sexually active (SA). Participants’ mean age was 57 ± 12 years; 50 % were diagnosed with symptomatic POP, 74 % with urinary incontinence (UI) and 4 % with anal incontinence (AI). The PISQ-IR subscales were analyzed separately for SA and NSA women with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.64 to 0.94. Moderate to high correlations were observed between PISQ-IR subscales and related quality of life (QoL) scales and corresponding FSFI scales.ConclusionInitial testing of the German PISQ-IR suggests it is an internally consistent and valid tool for use in clinical practice and research.