Standards of care offer doctors and patients the confidence that an established quality, evidence-based, care is provided, and represent a tool for optimal responding to the population's needs. It is ...expected that they will increasingly express a multimodal relationship with gynecologic laparoscopy. Laparoscopy is, now, a standard procedure in operative gynecology, standards are embedded in many laparoscopic procedures, standardization of the skills/competency assessment has been progressively developed, and the proof of competency in laparoscopy may become a standard of care. A continuous development of surgical education includes standard equipment (that may bring value for future advance), standardized training, testing (and performance) assessment, educational process and outcome monitoring/evaluation, patients' care, and protection, etc. Standards of care and training have a reciprocally sustaining relationship, as training is an essential component of standards of care while care is provided at higher standards after a structured training and as credentialing/certification reunites the two. It is envisaged that through development and implementation, the European wide standards of care in laparoscopic surgery (in close harmonization with personalized medicine) would lead to effective delivery of better clinical services and provide excellent training and education.
Corticoids are largely used for fetal interest in expected preterm deliveries. This study went further, evaluating the effect of maternal administration of dexamethasone (Dex) on the umbilical artery ...(UA), middle cerebral artery (MCA), and ductus venous (DV) spectrum, in growth-restricted fetuses, with the absent end-diastolic flow (AEDF) in UA, from singleton early-onset severe preeclamptic pregnancies. Supplementary, the impact on both uterine arteries (UTAs) flow was also evaluated. In 68.7% of cases, the EDF was transiently restored (trAEDF group), in the rest of 31.2% remained persistent absent (prAEDF group). UA-PI significantly decreased in the first day after Dex (day 1/0;
< 0.05), reaching its minimum during day 2 (day 2/1;
> 0.05), revealing a significant recovery to day 4 (day 4/2;
< 0.05), in both groups. The MCA-PI decreased from day 1 until day 3 in both groups, but significantly only in the trAEDF group (
= 0.030 vs.
= 0.227. The DV-PI's decrease (during day 1) and the CPR's increase (between days 0 and 2) were not significant in both groups. UTAs-PIs did not vary. The prAEDF group had a significantly increased rate of antenatal worsening Doppler and a poorer perinatal outcome compared with the trAEDF group. In conclusion, Dex transiently restored the AEDF in UA in the majority of cases, a "positive" effect being a useful marker for better perinatal prognosis. UA-PI significantly decreased in all cases. The improvement in umbilical circulation probably was responsible for the short but not significant DV-PI reduction. MCA-PI decreased only in sensitive cases, probably due to an already cerebral "full" vasodilation in the prAEDF group. Furthermore, the CPR's nonsignificant improvement was the result of a stronger effect of Dex on UA-PI than on MCA-PI. Finally, despite the same etiology, it was only a weak correlation between the severity of the umbilical and uterine abnormal spectrum.
Background Cystic echinococcosis, also known as hydatid disease, is a chronic and endemic illness caused by infection with a parasite called Echinococcus granulosus. In Romania, this disease has an ...incidence rate of 5.6 per 100,000 individuals, which is the highest in the Dobrogea region. The liver is the most affected site, accounting for 68.8% of cases, followed by the lungs at 17.2%. While cases of hydatid disease in the genital organs are rare, occurring at an incidence rate of only 0.5%, it is worth noting that cases of this disease in pregnancy worldwide are also rare, occurring at an incidence rate of 1 in 20,000 to 1 in 30,000 pregnancies. Case report A 15-year-old Eastern-European woman who was 12 weeks pregnant presented to the emergency room with acute pelvic pain, dysuria, and frequent urination. Her laboratory tests showed that she had a urinary tract infection, and pelvic ultrasound revealed that she had a mass on her right adnexa. Despite receiving treatment, her symptoms did not improve, and she had to undergo surgery to remove the mass, which turned out to be a hydatic cyst. She also had to undergo a cesarean section to deliver her baby owing to fetal distress during labor. Conclusions This medical case report provides a detailed description of a pelvic hydatid cyst that was discovered during pregnancy. What makes this case particularly noteworthy is the cyst's unusual location--it was found at the level of the right broad ligament of the uterus. Despite the complexity of the situation, the patient was able to receive effective treatment and the cyst was successfully managed with great outcomes for both the patient and the newborn. We hope that this report serves as a valuable example of how medical professionals can navigate challenging cases and provide optimal care for their patients. Keywords: Echinococcosis, Zoonosis, Pregnancy, Adnexal tumor, Case report
Absent end-diastolic flow (AEDF) in the umbilical artery (UA) worsens the already poor prognosis of growth-restricted fetuses (GRFs) in pregnancies complicated by early-onset preeclampsia with severe ...features (ESP).
We assessed the correlation between the effect of maternal dexamethasone (Dex) on AEDF in the UA and perinatal outcomes, in 59 GRFs from EPS-complicated pregnancies. The maternal outcome was also evaluated.
The mean maternal age at inclusion was 22.4 ± 5.9 years. Dex transiently restored EDF in the UA in 38 (64.4%) cases (trAEDF group), but in 21 (35.6%) patients, the flow was persistently absent (prAEDF group). The effect lasted up to the 4th day.
The gestational age at diagnosis, number of days from admission until delivery, and fetal weight were significantly lower in the prAEDF group than in the trAEDF group (p < .05). The same group had a significantly increased rate of fetal proximal deterioration, low APGAR scores, neonatal hypoxia, assisted ventilation, mild intraventricular haemorrhage (I/II), and respiratory distress syndrome, as well as maternal deterioration, especially in cases of resistant hypertension (p < .05). Although the rates of fetal acidemia and perinatal mortality in the prAEDF group were respectively three times and two times higher, the differences were not significant (p > .05).
The Dex no-effect on UA Doppler in GRFs with AEDF in the UA, in EPS-complicated pregnancies, can be a useful marker for a higher risk of proximal fetal deterioration, poor state at delivery, neonatal hypoxic complications, and worsening maternal condition, but not for perinatal mortality. The findings also highlight the alarmingly younger age of patients with EPS. Finally, all these pregnancies should be monitored in a complex multidisciplinary manner in tertiary referral units.
Key message
The effect of dexamethasone on absent end-diastolic flow in the umbilical artery in growth-restricted fetuses from pregnancies complicated by early-onset preeclampsia with severe features can be a useful prognostic factor for perinatal outcomes.
Background: Osseous tissue in the endometrium is a rare find, and it is most often discovered when the patient presents with infertility. It is frequently associated with dysmenorrhea and abnormal ...menstrual bleedings. Although its etiology remains unclear, in almost all described cases until now, the patient has an obstetrical history. Case report: In this report, we present a unique case of endometrial osseous metaplasia in a 27-year-old primary infertile patient. The transvaginal ultrasound revealed a 18/13/7 mm hyperechoic endometrial mass with posterior acoustic shadowing and no flow on color Doppler. A hysteroscopic examination found a polygonal calcification on the endometrial posterior face of the uterine cavity, in the corporeal isthmic region, which was extracted. The histopathological evaluation revealed microscopic elements compatible with endometrial calcification. The patient had a good postoperative course and the complex endocrinologic, immunologic and electrolytical investigation failed to prove any abnormality. Follow-up transvaginal ultrasound examinations revealed no modifications. Three years later, the patient conceived spontaneously, had an uneventful pregnancy and delivered a full-term fetus. Conclusion: We assumed that this entity can be a serious cause of infertility since the patient had a long history of (primary) infertility and its resection made the pregnancy’s occurrence possible. Finally, since neither history of abortion or chronic inflammation nor any abnormal laboratory test were noticed, we concluded that the etiology of this entity remained unclear.
We report a particular case of a spontaneously occurring pregnancy in a long-term amenorrheic patient due to a prolactinoma with high serum prolactin (PRL) following the failure of dopamine agonist ...therapy (DA) for infertility. Initially, clinical, laboratory, and genital ultrasounds were normal, but the serum PRL was 10,074 μIU/mL (n.v.: 127−637 μIU/mL), the PEG fraction was 71% (laboratory cut-off > 60%), and luteinizing hormone (LH) was significantly lower. An MRI revealed a pituitary tumor of 12.8/10 mm with a subacute intratumoral hemorrhage. DA was initiated, and menstrual bleeding reappeared with a reduction in the tumor’s volume to 1.9/2.2 mm at 12 months. Two years later, the patient renounced DA and follow-ups. After another 2 years, she became spontaneously pregnant. Serum PRL was 18,325 μIU/mL, and an MRI revealed a microprolactinoma of 2.1/2 mm. The patient gave birth to a normal baby at term, and she breastfed for six months, after which she asked for ablactation, and DA was administered. This case highlights the possibility of the occurrence of a normal pregnancy during a long period of amenorrhea induced by a microprolactinoma with a high level of serum PRL, even if DA fails to correct infertility. There was no compulsory relationship between the tumoral volume’s evolution and the evolution of its lactophore activity. The hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism induced by high PRL was mainly manifested by low LH, and in this situation, normal levels of FSH and estradiol do not always induce follicle recruitment and development without abnormalities in the ovary ultrasound.
Aim. Magnesium sulfate, mainly used in obstetrics to treat eclamptic convulsions, is currently questioned as to its clinical tocolytic effect. We aimed to study the relaxant action (if any) of ...magnesium sulfate on in vitro pregnant and non-pregnant myometrium.
Methods. Myometrial strips, harvested from five pregnant women (35-39 gestational weeks) during Cesarean procedures indicated for dystocia or scared uterus and five non-pregnant women during hysterectomy or myomectomy for benign conditions, were placed in a Krebs-Henseleit solution organ bath and the isometric force was registered. We assessed the effect of Mg2+ (magnesium sulfate) at different concentrations (0.50-10 mM) on spontaneous and oxytocin-induced (1 μM) myometrial contractility.
Results. Mg2+ temporarily reduced spontaneous myometrial contractions in a dose-dependent manner, with efficient regimens at 2.0-2.5 mM, and arrested contractility completely at 3 mM. Oxytocin-induced contractions were reduced by 30-40% at 8 mM and decreased further at 9-10 mM. Induced contractions were reduced, in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner (maximum effect at 20 min), at higher Mg2+ concentrations and with non-significant proportional differences between pregnant and non-pregnant myometrium.
Conclusions. The present in vitro study suggests a possible benefit of Mg2+ in the inhibition of spontaneous myometrial contractility, but not of uterine-induced hyperactivity.
PDF
