Changing Practices in the Surgical Management of Adnexal Torsion

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate trends in the surgical management of adnexal torsion and to evaluate these trends with respect to the updated American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) guidelines. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Women who underwent surgery for adnexal torsion between 2008 and 2020 were identified on the basis of International Classification of Diseases codes. Surgeries were grouped as either ovarian conservation or oophorectomy with the use of Current Procedural Terminology codes. Patients were also grouped into year cohorts with respect to the publication of the updated ACOG guidelines (2008–2016 compared with 2017–2020). Multivariable logistic regression, weighted by cases per year, was used to assess differences between groups. RESULTS: Of the 1,791 surgeries performed for adnexal torsion, 542 (30.3%) involved ovarian conservation and 1,249 (69.7%) involved oophorectomy. Older age, higher body mass index, higher American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, anemia, and diagnosis of hypertension were significantly associated with oophorectomy. There was no significant difference in the proportion of oophorectomies performed before 2017 compared with after 2017 (71.9% vs 69.1%, odds ratio [OR] 0.89, 95% CI 0.69–1.16; adjusted OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.71–1.25). A significant decrease in proportion of oophorectomies performed each year was identified over the entire study period (−1.6%/y, P=.02, 95% CI −3.0% to −0.22%); however, the rates did not differ before and after 2017 (interaction P=.16). CONCLUSION: There was a modest decrease in the proportion of oophorectomies for adnexal torsion performed per year over the study period. However, oophorectomy is still commonly performed for adnexal torsion, despite updated guidelines from ACOG recommending ovarian conservation.