title: Variation in practice of laparoscopic uterosacral nerve ablation: a European survey.
abstract: To examine the variation in current indications and surgical techniques for performing laparoscopic uterosacral nerve ablation (LUNA) in Europe, all consultants on the databases of the UK Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (1569) and the European Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy (301) were surveyed. The questionnaire was returned by 719 (38% of 1870) of the gynaecologists contacted and 173 (24%) performed LUNA. Indications for LUNA, which included chronic pelvic pain (68%), dysmenorrhoea (66%), dyspareunia (39%) and endometriosis (60%), were similar across the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe. The European group were more likely to perform LUNA (62% versus 21%), completely transect the uterosacral ligaments (56% versus 36%) and at a distance of more than 2 cm from its cervical insertion (50% versus 21%) than the UK group. There is variation in the surgical techniques of performing LUNA in Europe and the techniques vary according to operator experience.
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of O & G, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. pallavi@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Latthe
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Hills
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D016208:Databases, Factual; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008022:Ligaments / Q000294:innervation* / Q000601:surgery*; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012447:Sacrum / Q000294:innervation / Q000601:surgery; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014599:Uterus / Q000294:innervation / Q000601:surgery