(1) Background: This study aims to establish the knowledge, attitudes and current behaviours towards female fertility preservation (FP) services amongst healthcare professionals (HCPs) in the UK. (2) Methods: An online survey was advertised publicly on the social media platform Instagram between 25 February 2021 and 11 March 2021. (3) Results: In total, 415 participants fulfilled the inclusion criteria and completed the survey. The majority of HCPs discussed FP techniques either never 39.5% (n = 164), once a year 20.7% (n = 86) or once a month 17.8% (n = 74). The majority rated their knowledge of each type of FP method as ‘very poor’ or ‘poor’ and strongly disagreed 14.2% (n = 59) or disagreed 42.2% (n = 175) with the statement they ‘felt confident to counsel a patient on FP’. The majority either agreed 37.8% (n = 157) or strongly agreed 22.2% (n = 92) that it was their responsibility to discuss FP and 38.1% (n = 158) agreed or strongly agreed 19.5% (n = 81) they considered the desire for future fertility when planning treatment. The majority 87.2% (n = 362) had not experienced formal training on FP. (4) Conclusions: Discrepancies in knowledge remain regarding techniques of FP, referral pathways, awareness of facilities offering services and existing educational resources. Many HCPs recognise the importance of FP and their responsibility to initiate discussions. The knowledge that FP may not delay the treatment of cancer has also improved; however, training in FP is scarce.
Introduction: Post-hysterectomy vaginal vault collections, often infected haematomas, cause significant morbidity requiring resource-intensive and invasive management. Our proposed method for vault drainage, a novel ultrasound-guided technique, aims to provide a minimally invasive treatment for refractory collections. This is a proof-of-concept case series that describes the technique and evaluates its potential efficacy. Methods: Retrospective case series of nine patients with vaginal vault collections (eight infected haematomas, one lymphocyst) refractory to, or unsuitable for conservative management with intravenous antibiotics. Transvaginal drainage with blunt sponge holding forceps was performed under transabdominal ultrasound-guidance, taking 3–5 min with minimal discomfort. Prior transvaginal ultrasound was performed to confirm collection anatomy. The primary outcomes were symptom resolution and inflammatory marker reduction. All patients were seen and treated at Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom. Results: All patients had their vaginal vault collection successfully drained with subsequent resolution of their symptomatic illness (e.g., pyrexia, pain, discharge). One patient required repeat drainage. Inflammatory markers decreased significantly post-drainage. No procedure-related complications occurred. Discussion: The proposed procedure treated all patients' vaginal vault collections. This technique offers a minimally invasive, ultrasound-guided alternative to interventional radiology or surgery. This may particularly benefit high-risk patients such as we describe (e.g., high BMI, complex surgery, cancer diagnoses) who are less suitable for invasive intervention. Conclusions: We present an ultrasound-guided, minimally invasive technique for the treatment of refractory post-hysterectomy vaginal vault collections that avoids the need for sharp instruments or surgical intervention.