Vasopressin Administration During Laparoscopic Myomectomy: a Randomized Controlled Trial
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01393704 |
Recruitment Status
:
Completed
First Posted
: July 13, 2011
Results First Posted
: April 10, 2017
Last Update Posted
: February 15, 2018
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The main purpose of this study is to compare blood loss at the time of laparoscopic or robotically-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy when using different amounts of dilute vasopressin solution. Myomectomy is a surgical procedure to remove fibroids from the uterus. Vasopressin is a synthetic drug used to help decrease blood loss at the time of gynecologic surgery; although very little is know about the optimal dosage and administration.
The investigators plan to perform a randomized clinical trial on patients scheduled for minimally invasive myomectomy. All patients will get the same overall amount of vasopressin. Patients will be assigned by chance to one of two groups: one group will receive higher volume of a more dilute vasopressin solution. The other group will receive a lower volume of a more concentrated solution. The investigators will collect information on operative blood loss and complications related to surgery.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Blood Loss, Surgical | Drug: Vasopressin | Phase 4 |
All surgeons who enroll patients into our study are experienced laparoscopic surgeons who have performed at least 100 advanced laparoscopic procedures including hysterectomies and myomectomies. Briefly, our laparoscopic myomectomy technique is as follows: After gaining peritoneal access and placing visual and operative trocars, the surgical site is inspected carefully and fibroid locations identified. After informing the anesthesia team that vasopressin (from pharmaceutical company American Regent 20 units/ml) is about to be injected, the uterus is infiltrated with vasopressin.
Patients will be randomized one of two treatment groups pre-operatively on the day of surgery:
- One arm will receive injection of 200 ml total of the 0.05 units/ml dilute vasopressin solution (total 10 units Vasopressin used, dilution of 20 units vasopressin in 400 ml of normal saline).
- The second arm will receive injection of 30 ml total of the 0.3 units/ml dilute vasopressin solution (total 10 units Vasopressin used, dilution of 20 units Vasopressin in 60 mL of Normal Saline).
The procedure is done according to surgeon preference using various energy modalities such as monopolar or Harmonic Scalpel® (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Cincinnati OH), for making the incision in the uterus. The fibroid is then removed from the uterus and examined. The incision is then closed in several layers with laparoscopic standard suturing technique, and hysterotomy site is generally covered with an adhesion barrier (Gynecare Interceed® (Ethicon Women's Health and Urology, Somerville NJ) or Seprafilm® slurry (Genzyme Biosurgery, Framingham MA)).
Blood Samples:
As per routine, preoperative blood samples to assess hematocrit levels will be taken no greater than 2 weeks prior to surgical date; if no preoperative laboratory studies have been obtained a sample will be drawn on the day of surgery. Postoperative blood samples to assess hematocrit will be taken no sooner than 4 hours after surgery for patients who are discharged the same day; for patients who are monitored overnight in hospital, the lab will be drawn on postoperative day #1.
Follow-up:
Patients will be followed for 8 weeks after surgery to assess for occurrence of any postoperative complication. A member of the team (health care worker such as research assistant who has been trained in HIPPA procedures) will be in charge of abstracting data from the medical records and entering this information into a study database.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 152 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Single (Participant) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Vasopressin Administration During Laparoscopic Myomectomy: a Randomized Controlled Trial |
Study Start Date : | July 2011 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | April 2015 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | June 2015 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Active Comparator: High Volume Dilute Vasopressin
20 units Vasopressin diluted in 400 mL of Saline, inject 200 mL total of the dilute Vasopressin solution in subserosal location overlying fibroid (total 10 units Vasopressin used).
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Drug: Vasopressin
Dilute vasopressin solution will be injected subserosally into myoma at time of minimally invasive myomectomy.
Other Name: Pitressin
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Active Comparator: Low volume dilute vasopressin
20 units Vasopressin diluted in 60 mL of Normal Saline, inject 30 mL total of the dilute Vasopressin solution in subserosal location overlying fibroid (total 10 units Vasopressin used).
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Drug: Vasopressin
Dilute vasopressin solution will be injected subserosally into myoma at time of minimally invasive myomectomy.
Other Name: Pitressin
|
- Estimating Blood Loss at the End of Myomectomy - Hematocrit Percentage [ Time Frame: 5 minutes post-operatively ]To evaluate whether volume of dilute Vasopressin administered during minimally-invasive myomectomy affects blood loss, three parameters will be collected to assess this outcome. Pre and post-operative hematocrit change (%) was one of these measurement methods.
- Estimating Blood Loss at the End of Myomectomy - Surgeon Estimated Blood Loss [ Time Frame: 5 minutes post-operatively ]To evaluate whether volume of dilute Vasopressin administered during minimally-invasive myomectomy affects blood loss, three parameters will be collected to assess this outcome: Subjective surgeon's estimate of blood loss (ml) was one measurement method.
- Estimating Blood Loss at the End of Myomectomy - Suction Canister Estimated Blood Loss Calculation [ Time Frame: 5 minutes post-operatively ]To evaluate whether volume of dilute Vasopressin administered during minimally-invasive myomectomy affects blood loss, three parameters will be collected to assess this outcome. Objective calculation of blood loss via the measurement of suction canister fluid (ml) was one of these. The calculation for estimated blood loss will be as follows: EBL = [total suction canister volume] - [volume of irrigation used] - [volume of vasopressin solution injected /2].
- Number of Participants With Peri-operative Complications [ Time Frame: 8 weeks postoperatively ]Intra or post-operative complications (including but not limited to need for blood transfusion or adverse effect related to Vasopressin).
- Total Operation Time [ Time Frame: 5 minutes postoperatively ]Time from incision to end of surgery

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years to 60 Years (Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | Female |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- The inclusion criteria for our study include all women who are candidates for a laparoscopic or robotic-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy and are willing to accept randomization.
- The exclusion criteria: for our study include: suspected malignancy or contraindication to morcellation of uterine tissue, history of adverse reaction or allergy to vasopressin, and active cardiovascular or pulmonary disease that would indicate a contradiction to use of vasopressin.

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01393704
United States, Massachusetts | |
Brigham&Women's hospital | |
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02115 |
Principal Investigator: | Jon I Einarsson, MD,MPH. | Brigham and Women's Hospital |
Responsible Party: | Jon I. Einarsson, Chief, Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01393704 History of Changes |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
2011-P-000264/1 |
First Posted: | July 13, 2011 Key Record Dates |
Results First Posted: | April 10, 2017 |
Last Update Posted: | February 15, 2018 |
Last Verified: | January 2018 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | No |
Keywords provided by Jon I. Einarsson, Brigham and Women's Hospital:
myomectomy vasopressin blood loss |
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Hemorrhage Blood Loss, Surgical Pathologic Processes Intraoperative Complications Vasopressins Arginine Vasopressin |
Hemostatics Coagulants Vasoconstrictor Agents Antidiuretic Agents Natriuretic Agents Physiological Effects of Drugs |