Attendees are encouraged to take advantage of a pair of new Trifecta Clinical Seminars on Saturday.
These innovative sessions will have three separate presentations taking place simultaneously. All audience members will receive a headset and handheld device that will allow them to tune into one of three channels, one for each presentation.
Saturday morning’s Trifecta includes sessions on ultrasound and an update on abnormal placentation. The session runs from 10:15 to 11:05 am in Exhibit Hall 5 with the following presentations:
Ultrasound in 2018: What the Specialist Should Know
will concentrate on topics that specialists involved in obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound will see every day in their practices. Jacques S. Abramowicz, MD, FACOG, FAIUM, professor and director, ultrasound services in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, will discuss basic coding issues, such as when to code for a limited scan or an anatomy scan. Dr. Abramowicz also will cover specific abnormalities that the physician or sonographer should never miss, along with basic ultrasound safety.
Everybody thinks that ultrasound is safe, Dr. Abramowicz said, but it can affect tissues. Following some simple rules can ensure safety for both the fetus and mother.
“It’s becoming more common in training, but there are still many people who perform ultrasound who don’t know about these issues,” he said. “And it’s true for residents, fellows, attendings, and stenographers, so it’s not unique to one group of individuals.”
Anomalies That Should Not Be Missed by Ultrasound
will give attendees a systematic review of fetal anatomic evaluation in the first and second trimesters. Stephen Chasen, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, suggests that a basic knowledge of the capability of quality ultrasound to assess fetal development allows providers and patients to have appropriate expectations of ultrasound’s capabilities. The “basic” examination recommended by ACOG and American College of Radiology does not include structures such as the lips and palate, cardiac outflow tracts, genitalia, or hands and feet, where significant abnormalities can be identified.
“Ultrasound can only identify abnormalities in structures that are evaluated,” Dr. Chasen said. “Systematic evaluation by qualified individuals is required to achieve high rates of prenatal diagnosis.”
Update on Management of Abnormal Placentation
features Radek Bukowski, MD, PhD, from the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas-Austin, reviewing limitations of the evidence sources for placenta accreta spectrum disorders and the need for individualization of diagnosis and management. Dr. Bukowski will likely review the uncertainties surrounding the prenatal diagnosis of the placenta accreta spectrum disorders along with an examination of treatment options available and uncertainty of optimal alternatives.
The afternoon Trifecta session, from 1 to 1:50 pm in Exhibit Hall 5, features talks on three aspects of sexuality.
Sexuality in the Postmenopausal Period, presented by Michael Krychman, MD, Southern California Center for Sexual Health and Survivorship Medicine Inc, Newport Beach, will look at treatments available today. Many women spend at least a third of their lives in their post-menopausal years, so post-menopausal sexuality is an area of growing concern.
Failing to address these concerns can have a far-reaching impact on both patient and partner, Dr. Krychman said. Emerging data shows that those who continue to engage in sexual intimacy as they age may notice better overall happiness, less chronic disease, improved sleep and immunity, and other health benefits.
“Women are suffering in silence and want their health care provider to discuss, assess, and treat sexual function concerns,” Dr. Krychman said. “There are many treatments available, and marrying the correct treatment to the correct patient is a recipe for success. Precision medicine is gaining paramount importance. There is a lot of misinformation concerning emerging technologies, such as lasers and radiofrequency devices, so patients and health care providers must examine the data critically and methodically.”
Female Sexual Dysfunction Post Gynecologic Cancer Treatment
will emphasize the impact of chemotherapy, radiation, and pelvic surgery on the four groups of female sexual dysfunction—low libido, arousal difficulty, orgasmic dysfunction, and dyspareunia. Lauren Streicher, MD, associate clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, and medical director, Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause, Chicago, will discuss the evaluation and treatment of those conditions.
Sexual function of the patient living with a gynecologic cancer represents a huge unmet need, Dr. Streicher said. Effective but underutilized treatments exist, and in partnership with oncologists, generalists can successfully treat women cancer survivors who until now have been ignored.
“Most gynecologic oncologists do not have the expertise or the time to address these issues,” she said. “There’s an opportunity for the generalist to not only offer solutions to their patients, but to also stay involved in their patient’s care even if they are not treating their cancer.”
Talking to Your Children about Sexuality
features Roshanak M. Zinn, MD, from Austin, TX, will cover age-appropriate sexuality education at different intervals throughout childhood and adolescence. Dr. Zinn will also discuss how media and other external influences affect sexual education, and what resources available today can aid sexual education.
