title: Successful treatment of cervical incompetence using a modified laparoscopic cervical cerclage technique: a cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We introduce a modified surgical method for laparoscopic cervical cerclage (LCC) and compare the operative data and obstetric outcomes to those obtained by traditional vaginal cerclage (TVC).
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective cohort study in a university-affiliated hospital from August 2008 through February 2013. Nineteen patients treated by LCC were prospectively monitored and the treatment outcomes were compared to a control group consisted of 25 patients that were retrospectively studied and treated with TVC using traditional McDonald suture. Laparoscopic cervical cerclage was performed with Mersilene tape and a modified surgical technique. Perioperative complications and obstetric outcomes were compared between LCC and TVC treatment groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No perioperative complications occurred during LCC treatment. Of the 19 LCC patients, 15 (78.9%) became pregnant during the study period. The fetal salvage rate was 92.3% (12/13) and no adverse events were encountered. The mean gestational age in LCC group was 36.4 weeks, and it was 17.4 weeks longer than their previous pregnancy age, which was significantly higher than obtained by TVC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This modified technique for laparoscopic cervical cerclage demonstrates good obstetric outcomes with low risk of adverse events, which may provide a reasonable alternative to achieve pregnancy success in patients with cervical incompetence.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China.
authors: Lu
authors: L
authors: Luo
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China.
authors: Shu-qin
authors: SQ
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China.
authors: Hong-ye
authors: HY
authors: Jiang
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China.
authors: Gang
authors: G
authors: Niu
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China.
authors: Qiong
authors: Q
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China. Electronic address: yszlfy@163.com.
authors: Shu-zhong
authors: SZ
authors: Yao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023802:Cerclage, Cervical / Q000379:methods*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002581:Uterine Cervical Incompetence / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Cervical cerclage; Cervical incompetence; Laparoscopy; Vaginal cerclage