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Assessment of Changes in Vaginal Microbiota Profiles Before and After Vaginal Urogynecologic Surgery

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Gynecological Surgery
Interventions
Other: Vaginal swabs
Other: Stool samples
Other: Urine samples
Registration Number
NCT04301401
Lead Sponsor
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nīmes
Brief Summary

Several studies have shown interactions between vaginal microbiota and post-surgical evolution. A study conducted by our team showed a tendency for patients with complications to have a greater diversity of vaginal microbiota. The main objective of the proposed study will therefore be to evaluate the vaginal, urinary and digestive microbiota modifications during and after vaginal surgery and to correlate them with the symptoms of the urogynecological sphere.

Detailed Description

In gynecological surgery, surgical site infections are a common complication. Gynecological surgery and, more specifically, vaginal surgery leads to a high risk of infection not only due to its " clean-contaminated " nature related to the proximity of the vagina but also due to the use of a transvaginal mesh or suburetal sling. The germs most commonly found at the origin of a surgical site infection are germs forming part of the vaginal flora.

Furthermore, in the field of pelvic organ prolapse surgery, certain specific complications such as mesh retraction and mesh exposure may be related to infection due to bacterial colonisation.

The vaginal ecosystem contains a large quantity of bacteria, the commonest of which are lactobacilli. This ecosystem varies in women depending on their sexuality, hormonal impregnation, tobacco consumption or hygiene.It has been demonstrated that the microbiota can be divided into 7 classes depending on the predominant types of germ. It has also been shown that an imbalance in vaginal flora could be responsible for infections of the upper genital tract, obstetric complications or even the transmission of sexually transmissible diseases.

Several studies have shown interactions between the microbiota and post surgical evolution. A recent study carried out at the Gynecology and Obstetrics department of Nîmes University Hospital (Veit Rubin et al, NAU 2019) also investigated the relationship between vaginal microbiota and the onset of postoperative complications in transvaginal mesh surgery. This retrospective study also found that patients with complications tended to have a greater diversity of microbiota. Furthermore, certain species of bacteria (Veillonella spp) seemed to be commoner in patients with complications. However, this was a low-powered retrospective study with few participants and the results therefore need to be confirmed.

Our hypothesis is that the vaginal microbiota may be modified by a surgical act with a vaginal approach. There are very few studies on vaginal microbiota and so far no studies have evaluated the potential impact of a transvaginal surgery on vaginal microbiota.

Our study may help to better understand the relationship between the vaginal microbiota and the postoperative evolution of patients.These possible modifications in vaginal microbiota might be predictive of the symptomatology of patients benefitting from transvaginal surgery and play a role in the the post-operative evolution of these patients.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
60
Inclusion Criteria
  • All Caucasian menopausal women (not taking hormone substitutes)
  • Due to undergo transvaginal surgery (as a cure for pelvic organ prolapse or stress urinary incontinence surgery) from the Gynecology departments of Nantes and Nîmes University Hospitals.
  • Patients must be covered by a health insurance policy
  • Patients must have given written, informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Patients on recent (<1 month) immunosuppressive therapy,
  • Patients with ongoing antibiotic therapy,
  • Patients with chronic vaginosis,
  • Patients on hormone replacement therapy
  • Patients who have had previous transvaginal mesh surgery.
  • Patients taking part in another category 1 study for research involving human subjects.
  • Patients in an exclusion period determined by another study
  • Patients under court custody, guardianship or curatorship
  • Patients for whom it has been impossible to give clear information

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Patients being evaluated for changes in microbiotaStool samplesPatients being evaluated for changes in vaginal microbiota following transvaginal surgery.
Patients being evaluated for changes in microbiotaVaginal swabsPatients being evaluated for changes in vaginal microbiota following transvaginal surgery.
Patients being evaluated for changes in microbiotaUrine samplesPatients being evaluated for changes in vaginal microbiota following transvaginal surgery.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Classes of vaginal flora before surgeryDay 1

A vaginal swab will be taken before surgery and the sample will be analyzed by DNA sequencing in order to classify the microbiota into community state types.

Classes of vaginal flora 6 weeks after surgeryDay 42

A vaginal swab will be taken 6 weeks after surgery and the sample will be analyzed by DNA sequencing in order to classify the microbiota into community state types.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Pain 12 months after surgeryMonth 12

The patient will be asked to evaluate pain according to a visual analogue scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (extremely painful).

Betadiversity of vaginal flora directly after disinfection and draping, measured with the Bray-Curtis indexDay 1

A vaginal swab will be taken directly after disinfection and draping and the betadiversity of the microbiota will be measured according to the Bray-Curtis index in Taxonomic Operational Units.

Betadiversity of vaginal flora six weeks after surgery, measured with the Bray-Curtis indexDay 42

A vaginal swab will be taken six weeks after surgery and the betadiversity of the microbiota will be measured according to the Bray-Curtis index in Taxonomic Operational Units.

Betadiversity of vaginal flora before preparation for surgery measured with the Bray-Curtis indexDay 1

A vaginal swab will be taken before any preparation for surgery has begun and the betadiversity of the microbiota will be measured according to the Bray-Curtis index in Taxonomic Operational Units

Alphadiversity of vaginal flora one hour after disinfection and draping, measured with the Shannon indexDay 1

A vaginal swab will be taken one hour after disinfection and draping and the alphadiversity of the microbiota will be measured according to the Shannon index in Taxonomic Operational Units.

Betadiversity of vaginal flora one hour after disinfection and draping, measured with the Bray-Curtis indexDay 1

A vaginal swab will be taken one hour after disinfection and draping and the betadiversity of the microbiota will be measured according to the Bray-Curtis index in Taxonomic Operational Units.

Prolapse. Feeling a bulge six weeks after surgeryDay 42

Yes/No. If present, this will be classified according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification

Urinary incontinence upon effort 12 months after surgeryMonth 12

Yes/No.If present, this will be classified according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification

Need to urinate urgently six weeks after surgeryDay 42

Yes/No.If present, this will be classified according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification.

Dysuria 6 weeks after surgeryDay 42

Yes/No.If present, this will be classified according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification.

Betadiversity of vaginal flora twelve months after surgery, measured with the Bray-Curtis indexMonth 12

A vaginal swab will be taken twelve months after surgery and the betadiversity of the microbiota will be measured according to the Bray-Curtis index in Taxonomic Operational Units.

Classes of vaginal flora 12 mois after surgeryMonth 12

A vaginal swab will be taken 12 months after surgery and the sample will be analyzed by DNA sequencing in order to classify the microbiota into community state types.

Alphadiversity of vaginal flora twelve months after surgery, measured with the Shannon indexMonth 12

A vaginal swab will be taken twelve months after surgery and the alphadiversity of the microbiota will be measured according to the Shannon index in Taxonomic Operational Units.

Dyspareunia 12 months after surgeryMonth 12

Yes/No. If present, this will be rated according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification.

Anal incontinence 6 weeks after surgeryDay 42

Yes/No. If present, this will be classified according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification.

Presence or absence of complications 6 weeks after surgeryDay 42

Yes/No. If present, these will be rated according to the Clavien Dindo classification. The Clavien Dindo classification is a scale with grades ranging from 1 to 5 in which Grade 1 = any deviation from the normal postoperative course without the need for pharmacological treatment or surgical, endoscopic and radiological interventions. Allowed therapeutic regimens are: drugs as antiemetics, antipyretics, analgetics, diuretics and electrolytes and physiotherapy. This grade also includes wound infections opened at the bedside. Grade 5 = death of the patient.

Urine sample 12 months after surgeryMonth 12

A urine sample will be collected from the patient 12 months after surgery and stored in a sterile pot at -80° at the Biological resource Centre at Nîmes or Nantes University Hospitals.

Presence or absence of infection at the operating site 6 weeks after surgeryDay 42

Yes/No

Alphadiversity of vaginal flora before preparation for surgery measured with the Shannon indexDay 1

A vaginal swab will be taken before any preparation for surgery has begun and the alphadiversity of the microbiota will be measured according to the Shannon index in Taxonomic Operational Units

Alphadiversity of vaginal flora directly after disinfection and draping, measured with the Shannon indexDay 1

A vaginal swab will be taken directly after disinfection and draping and the alphadiversity of the microbiota will be measured according to the Shannon index in Taxonomic Operational Units.

Alphadiversity of vaginal flora six weeks after surgery, measured with the Shannon indexDay 42

A vaginal swab will be taken six weeks after surgery and the alphadiversity of the microbiota will be measured according to the Shannon index in Taxonomic Operational Units.

Prolapse. Feeling a bulge twelve months after surgeryMonth 12

Yes/No. If present, this will be classified according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification

Dyspareunia six weeks after surgeryDay 42

Yes/no. If present, this will be rated according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification.

Pain six weeks after surgeryDay 42

The patient will be asked to evaluate pain according to a visual analogue scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (extremely painful).

Urinary incontinence upon effort six weeks after surgeryDay 42

Yes/No. If present, this will be rated according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification.

Urine sample before surgeryDay 1

A urine sample will be collected from the patient before surgery and stored in a sterile pot at -80° at the Biological resource Centre at Nîmes or Nantes University Hospitals.

Need to urinate urgently 12 months after surgeryMonth 12

Yes/No.If present, this will be classified according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification.

Dysuria 12 months after surgeryMonth 12

Yes/No.If present, this will be classified according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification.

Constipation 6 weeks after surgeryDay 42

Yes/No. If present, this will be classified according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification.

Constipation 12 months after surgeryMonth 12

Yes/No. If present, this will be classified according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification.

Anal incontinence 12 months after surgeryMonth 12

Yes/No. If present, this will be classified according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification.

Presence or absence of complications related to a prosthesis 6 weeks after surgeryDay 42

Yes/No. If present, these will be rated according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification

Presence or absence of complications related to a prosthesis 12 months after surgeryMonth 12

Yes/No. If present, these will be rated according to the International Continence Society-International Urogynecological Association classification.

Presence or absence of infection at the operating site 12 months after surgeryMonth 12

Yes/No

Urine sample after vaginal disinfection and surgical draping.Day 1

A urine sample will be collected from the patient before surgery but after vaginal disinfection and surgical draping, and stored in a sterile pot at -80° at the Biological resource Centre at Nîmes or Nantes University Hospitals.

Urine sample 6 weeks after surgery six weeks after surgeryDay 42

A urine sample will be collected from the patient 6 weeks after surgery and stored in a sterile pot at -80° at the Biological resource Centre at Nîmes or Nantes University Hospitals.

Presence or absence of complications 12 months after surgeryMonth 12

Yes/No. If present, these will be rated according to the Clavien Dindo classification.The Clavien Dindo classification is a scale with grades ranging from 1 to 5 in which Grade 1 = any deviation from the normal postoperative course without the need for pharmacological treatment or surgical, endoscopic and radiological interventions. Allowed therapeutic regimens are: drugs as antiemetics, antipyretics, analgetics, diuretics and electrolytes and physiotherapy. This grade also includes wound infections opened at the bedside. Grade 5 = death of the patient.

Stool sample before surgeryDay 0

The day before surgery, at the inclusion visit, a stool sample will be collected in a sterile pot and stored at -80° at the Biological resource Centre at Nîmes or Nantes University Hospitals.

Stool sample 6 weeks after surgeryDay 42

Six weeks after surgery, a stool sample will be collected in a sterile pot and stored at -80° at the Biological resource Centre at Nîmes or Nantes University Hospitals.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire

🇫🇷

Nîmes, Gard, France

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