The Role of Pelvic Ultrasound in Evaluating the Success of Tension-free Vaginal Tape (TVT)

Objectives

This study aims to assess the lack of response to treatment in individuals undergoing mid-urethral sling surgery for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) using ultrasound findings of the pelvic floor.

Methods

The study included patients who underwent the tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure for stress urinary incontinence within the period spanning from January 2016 to January 2021. The physical examination involved maintaining bladder filling at an average volume of 200-400 mL, and treatment failure was determined by the presence of SUI during the Valsalva maneuver.

Results

The study comprised a total of 214 patients, where it was observed during the stress test that 32 patients (25.8%) had an unsuccessful outcome following mid-urethral sling surgery. In the unsuccessful group, the distance of the mesh-posterior urethra was lower (4.09±0.39 vs. 4.91±0.51; p<0.001), the posterior urethrovesical angle was lower when at rest, but the angle increased more significantly during the Valsalva maneuver, and the bladder neck angle was narrower (p<0.001).

Conclusion

We obtained lower mean values of mesh-posterior urethral distance in unsuccessful patients compared to those found in the group of cured patients. Pelvic floor ultrasound can predict the success of TVT surgeries but there is as yet little data and there is a need to find in the near future more standard and objective parameters for the diagnosis of urinary incontinence.

Fetal cardiac left ventricle functional changes in pregnancies with maternal hypothyroidism

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate fetal cardiac function in cases with overt and subclinical hypothyroidism and to determine the effect of levothyroxine (LT4) treatment and Anti-thyroid peroxidase (Anti-TPO) antibody status on fetal cardiac functions in cases with subclinical hypothyroidism.

METHODS

Within the scope of the study, fetuses of 23 overt hypothyroid, 52 subclinical hypothyroid and 250 control group pregnant women were evaluated. Fetal cardiac function was assessed via cardiac Doppler.

RESULTS

Isovolumetric relaxation time (IRT) and myocardial performance index (MPI) values in the overt hypothyroid group were significantly higher than both the subclinical hypothyroid group (p: .006, p: .000, respectively) and the control group (p: .000, p: .000, respectively). In addition, both IRT and MPI were significantly higher in the subclinical hypothyroid group than in the control group (p: .000, p: .000, respectively). In the subclinical hypothyroid group, there was no significant difference in terms of cardiac function parameters in the fetuses of pregnant women who received LT4 therapy and those who did not. When pregnant women with subclinical hypothyroidism were evaluated according to their Anti-TPO antibody status, IRT and MPI values were found to be significantly higher in fetuses of Anti-TPO (+) pregnant women (respectively, p: .005, p: .019).

CONCLUSION

In the presence of maternal overt or subclinical hypothyroidism, fetal cardiac functions may be affected as early as the second trimester. Anti-TPO antibody positivity in cases with subclinical hypothyroidism seems to negatively affect fetal cardiac functions.

Trauma in pregnancy: An analysis of the adverse perinatal outcomes and the injury severity score

BACKGROUND

Trauma during pregnancy is one of the most important causes of non-obstetric maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. The aim of our study is to evaluate the adverse perinatal outcomes that may occur according to the type and severity of the trauma.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, pregnant traumatized women aged 18-50 years and referred for consultation to the Prof. Dr. Cemil Tascıoglu City Hospital's emergency services of the departments of gynecology and obstetrics, between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2022, were evaluated. Demographic characteristics, trauma findings, Injury Severity Scoring (ISS), and obstet-ric outcomes were recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 1825 trauma patients, including 900 pregnants were referred to our emergency gynecology clinic for consulta-tion. One hundred and fifty three pregnant patients, whose birth information we reached, were selected as the study group. The mean age of the patients was 25.56±5.99 years and the mean gestational week at the time of trauma was 21.59±9.89 weeks, the patients had fallen (67.97%), had been exposed to violence (30.07%), and had a traffic accient (1.96%). The patient's delivery and hospitalization status on the day of trauma, fracture and ISS ≥9 were statistically significantly at a higher rate in the 3rd trimester. Rates of hospitaliza-tion and 3rd trimester traumas were found to be significantly higher in the ISS ≥9 group. (P=0.0001, P=0.028, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Compared to the general population, the rates of preterm premature rupture of membranes-premature rupture of membranes, fetal death, fetal distress, cesarean delivery, placental abruption, and preterm delivery increased in traumatized pregnant women. Patients with low ISS scores should also be followed closely during pregnancy in terms of perinatal complications, as well as the severe trauma group.

Can M-30, M-65, and IL-6 serum levels be useful markers in the diagnosis of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes?

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate the maternal and fetal serum M-30, M-65 and IL-6 levels in preeclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in both maternal and cord blood.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Women with preeclampsia (n=30), GDM (n=30), and uncomplicated pregnancy (n=28) were evaluated in a cross-sectional study. After clamping during delivery, the serum M-30, M-65, and IL-6 levels were measured in both maternal venous blood and cord blood.

RESULTS

The serum M-30, M-65, and IL-6 levels were significantly higher in preeclampsia and GDM patients' maternal blood and cord blood samples compared to the control group. In the preeclampsia group, M-65 was significantly higher in cord blood compared with the level in maternal serum, but there was no significant difference between the GDM and control groups. The control group's IL-6 level in cord blood was statistically significantly lower than the other groups. Although the M-30 value in both maternal and cord blood was statistically lower in the control group than in the GDM group, there was no significant difference between the two groups when compared to the preeclampsia group.

CONCLUSIONS

M-30 and M-65 molecules appear to have the potential to serve as biochemical markers in placental diseases, particularly preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Due to the insufficient sample sizes, more research is needed.

Relationship between extreme values of first trimester maternal pregnancy associated plasma Protein-A, free-β-human chorionic gonadotropin, nuchal translucency and adverse pregnancy outcomes

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between extreme values of first trimester screening markers and adverse obstetric outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Our study was conducted by examining the prenatal and postnatal perinatal records of 786 singleton gestations between the ages of 18-40, who applied to Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşçıoğlu City Hospital outpatient clinics for first-trimester screening for aneuploidy, between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019.

RESULTS

The presence of small for gestational age (SGA) was found to be statistically significant for the <5 percentile (<0.37) pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) group (p = 0.016). For <5 percentile β-hCG group, the presence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), premature rupture of membrane (PROM) and preterm premature rupture of membrane (PPROM) was determined as a statistically significant risk (p = 0.015, p = 0.005, p = 0.02 respectively) In the univariate test, fetal death rate was found to be high for ≥90 percentile at nuchal translucency (NT), but the presence of fetal death was found to be statistically insignificant in logistic regression analysis. (p: 0.057).

CONCLUSION

First trimester screening test can be used in predicting pregnancy complications. In this study we found that serum levels of PAPP-A are associated with developing SGA, while GDM, PROM and PPROM are more common in low serum free β-hCG.

An internally validated prediction model for critical COVID-19 infection and intensive care unit admission in symptomatic pregnant women

Background

Pregnant women are at an increased risk of mortality and morbidity owing to COVID-19. Many studies have reported on the association of COVID-19 with pregnancy-specific adverse outcomes, but prediction models utilizing large cohorts of pregnant women are still lacking for estimating the risk of maternal morbidity and other adverse events.

Objective

The main aim of this study was to develop a prediction model to quantify the risk of progression to critical COVID-19 and intensive care unit admission in pregnant women with symptomatic infection.

Study Design

This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study including 8 hospitals from 4 countries (the United Kingdom, Austria, Greece, and Turkey). The data extraction was from February 2020 until May 2021. Included were consecutive pregnant and early postpartum women (within 10 days of birth); reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. The primary outcome was progression to critical illness requiring intensive care. The secondary outcomes included maternal death, preeclampsia, and stillbirth. The association between the primary outcome and 12 candidate predictors having a known association with severe COVID-19 in pregnancy was analyzed with log-binomial mixed-effects regression and reported as adjusted risk ratios. All the potential predictors were evaluated in 1 model and only the baseline factors in another. The predictive accuracy was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves.

Results

Of the 793 pregnant women who were positive for SARS-CoV-2 and were symptomatic, 44 (5.5%) were admitted to intensive care, of whom 10 died (1.3%). The ‘mini-COvid Maternal Intensive Therapy’ model included the following demographic and clinical variables available at disease onset: maternal age (adjusted risk ratio, 1.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.07–1.95; P=.015); body mass index (adjusted risk ratio, 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–1.66; P=.010); and diagnosis in the third trimester of pregnancy (adjusted risk ratio, 3.64; 95% confidence interval, 1.78–8.46; P=.001). The optimism-adjusted area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.73. The ‘full-COvid Maternal Intensive Therapy’ model included body mass index (adjusted risk ratio, 1.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.07–1.95; P=.015), lower respiratory symptoms (adjusted risk ratio, 5.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.81–21.4; P=.007), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (adjusted risk ratio, 1.62; 95% confidence interval, 1.36–1.89; P<.001); and serum C-reactive protein (adjusted risk ratio, 1.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.15–1.44; P<.001), with an optimism-adjusted area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.85. Neither model showed signs of a poor fit. Categorization as high-risk by either model was associated with a shorter diagnosis to intensive care unit admission interval (log-rank test P<.001, both), higher maternal death (5.2% vs 0.2%; P<.001), and preeclampsia (5.7% vs 1.0%; P<.001). A spreadsheet calculator is available for risk estimation.

Conclusion

At presentation with symptomatic COVID-19, pregnant and recently postpartum women can be stratified into high- and low-risk for progression to critical disease, even where resources are limited. This can support the nature and place of care. These models also highlight the independent risk for severe disease associated with obesity and should further emphasize that even in the absence of other comorbidities, vaccination is particularly important for these women. Finally, the model also provides useful information for policy makers when prioritizing national vaccination programs to quickly protect those at the highest risk of critical and fatal COVID-19.

Short-term outcomes of pregnant women with convalescent COVID-19 and factors associated with false-negative polymerase chain reaction test: A prospective cohort study

AIM

To evaluate the clinical factors associated with false-negative RT-PCR results and to report the outcome of a cohort of pregnant women with COVID-19.

METHODS

This cohort study was conducted in a tertiary referral pandemic hospital and included 56 pregnant women. A study including pregnant women with either a laboratory or clinical diagnosis for COVID-19 were included in the study. The primary outcome was clinical factors associated with false-negative RT-PCR results defined as a positive immunoglobulin M assessed by rapid testing in clinically diagnosed patients. Clinical outcomes of laboratory diagnosed patients were also reported.

RESULTS

In total, 56 women with either RT-PCR or clinical COVID-19 diagnosis were included in the study. Forty-three women either had RT-PCR positivity or IgM positivity. The clinical outcome of these pregnancies was as follows: mean maternal age 27.7, immunoglobulin M positive patients 76.7%, RT-PCR positive patients 55.8%, maternal comorbidities 11.5%, complications in patients below 20 weeks 34.8%, complications in patients above 20 weeks 65.1%, elevated CRP 83.7%, lymphopenia 30.2%, time from hospital admission to final follow-up days 37 and stillbirth 8.3%. The proportion of women who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin M was 100% in the RT-PCR positive group and 56.5% in the clinical diagnosis group (P = .002). The symptom onset to RT-PCR testing interval longer than a week (risk ratio: 2.72, 95% CI: 1.14-5.40, P = .003) and presence of dyspnoea (risk ratio: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.14-0.89, P = .035) were associated with false-negative RT-PCR tests. The area under the curve of these parameters predicting false-negative RT-PCR was 0.73 (95% CI: 0.57-0.89).

CONCLUSIONS

Symptomatic women with a negative RT-PCR should not be dismissed as potential COVID-19 patients, especially in the presence of prolonged symptom onset-test interval and in women without dyspnoea.

A rare case presentation: pregnancy and gastric carcinoma

Background

Gastrointestinal system (GIS) malignancy with pregnancy is a very rare condition and is not common outside Japan. The incidence is between 0.025–0.1% for each pregnancy. GIS malignancies are diagnosed late in pregnancy and detected at an advanced stage. The most common cause of this condition is that the symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite and abdominal growth are mistaken with pregnancy and malignancy is overlooked. Especially in the second trimester, symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, weight loss, melena, hematemesis and deep anemia should suggest malignancy. Upper GIS endoscopy and colonoscopy are the recommended screening methods in these patients, especially in the third trimester.

Case presentation

We present a rare case presenting to our emergency room with the complaint of bloody vomiting, at the 36th week of gestation with a live singleton pregnancy, and receiving the diagnosis of undifferentiated gastric carcinoma from the biopsy taken from the ulcerated lesion on the stomach cardia, with upper GIS endoscopy performed due to deep anemia, who underwent simultaneous cesarean section and subtotal gastrectomy.

Conclusion

Gastrointestinal system (GIS) malignancy with pregnancy is a very rare condition, but it should be considered when symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, weight loss, melena, hematemesis and deep anemia occur, especially in the second trimester, and endoscopic screening should be recommended. Because of the delay in diagnosis of malignancy and the detection in advanced stages, patients should be referred for treatment without delay.

Spontaneous Heterotopic Pregnancy Presenting with Hemoperitoneum

BACKGROUND

Heterotopic pregnancy is a condition in which intra- and extrauterine pregnancies occur at the same time. Spontaneous heterotopic pregnancy is a rare event, with incidences ranging from 1 in 30,000 pregnancies to as high as 1 in 6 pregnancies assisted by reproductive technology.

CASE REPORT

A 34-year-old woman presented with a 10-week history of amenorrhea, pelvic pain, and generally feeling unwell. Ultrasonography revealed a 10-week intrauterine viable pregnancy and free fluid in the abdominal cavity. Emergency laparotomy was performed and a ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy was encountered on the right tube with hemoperitoneum. Salpingectomy was performed. Her intrauterine pregnancy was intact with positive fetal cardiac activity when she was discharged. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Heterotopic pregnancy should be kept in the differential diagnosis of any patient with an intrauterine pregnancy presenting with abdominal pain, abdominal tenderness, or free fluid in the abdominal cavity.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Non-Puerperal Complete Uterine Inversion

Uterine inversion is shortly described as the indentation and depression of the fundic area extending downwards up to the different levels of the birth canal till vaginal opening. Clinical diagnosis of uterine inversion is difficult due to its non-specific symptoms and physical examination. Ultrasonography is the most practical modality for radiological evaluation, but it is inadequate to determine the exact nature of this condition and making the differential diagnosis. In this case, we present the main MRI findings of non-puerperal complete uterine inversion caused by a giant leiomyoma.

Endometriosis of episiotomy scar: a case report

Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of histologically normal endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity. Endometriosis predominantly locates on peritoneal surfaces, but it also affects the vagina, vulva, and perineum, usually secondary to surgical or obstetric trauma. Endometriosis in an episiotomy scar is a fairly rare phenomenon. The authors present a case of endometriosis in an episiotomy scar.

Primary malignant melanoma of the cervix: a case report

Primary malignant melanomas of the uterine cervix are extremely rare tumors. Diagnosis is confirmed by immunohistochemical methods and by exclusion of other primary sites of melanoma. The treatment of this condition is not yet standardized and the overall prognosis of these patients is very poor. The authors report a case of primary malignant melanoma of the uterine cervix.

Serum oxidized low density lipoprotein levels in preeclamptic and normotensive pregnants

BACKGROUNDS/AIM: The aim of the study was to determine serum lipids and oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) levels in preeclamptic pregnants and compare with those of normotensives.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ox-LDL levels were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); total cholesterol, hight density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and triglyceride levels were measured by enzymatic colorimetric assay in 26 normotensive and 27 preeclamptic pregnants. LDL and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol was calculated by Friedwald formula.

RESULTS

Serum levels of Ox-LDL (U/L), total-cholesterol (mg/dL), HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL), LDL-cholesterol (mg/dL), triglyceride (mg/dL), and VLDL-cholesterol (mg/dL) in normotensive and preeclamptic pregnants were found as 130±60 and 133±69; 248±49 and 248±81; 67±14 and 61±16; 147±61 and 135±59; 207±76 and 256±87; 41±15 and 50±17, respectively. Mean values of Ox-LDL and other lipid parameters were higher than the upper limits of their reference ranges in both of groups. However no significant differences were found in Ox-LDL, total, HDL and LDL-cholesterol levels between two groups. However, the levels of triglyceride and VLDL-cholesterol were significantly higher in preeclampsia group.

CONCLUSIONS

The present results suggest that the levels of serum Ox-LDL and other lipid parameters rise as a result of pregnancy rather than as a result of preeclampsia.

Giant cervical myoma associated with urinary incontinence and hydroureteronephrosis

Cervical leiomyomas compromise fewer than 5% of all uterine leiomyomas. Cervical myomas exacerbates surgical difficulties, such as poor operative field, difficult suture repairs, and blood loss. When performing myomectomy for cervical myomas, care must be taken to avoid injuries to neighboring structures in the pelvic cavity.These structures include the bladder in front of the cervix, the rectum behind the cervix, and the uterine arteries and ureters on both sides. Myomectomy for cervical myoma is empirically difficult and frequently problematic. The authors report a case of giant cervical myoma presenting with urinary incontinence.

Serum neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin and plasma nitric oxide levels in healthy and preeclamptic pregnants

AIMS

The authors aimed to evaluate serum neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) and plasma nitric oxide (NO) levels in preeclamptic and healthy pregnant women above 24 gestation weeks.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-nine healthy and 21 preeclamptic (total 70) pregnant women participated voluntarily in the study. Presence of 140 mmHg and above systolic and 90 mmHg and above diastolic blood pressure which emerges after 20th gestation week, proteinuria more than 300 mg/24 hour, and edema were used as diagnostic criterion for preeclamptic pregnant women. Measurements of serum NGAL and plasma NO were performed with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and photometric method, respectively.

RESULTS

Serum NGAL and plasma NO levels of healthy and preeclamptic groups did not show a statistical difference. In preeclamptic group, a statistically meaningful correlation was found between level of NGAL and body mass index (BMI) of sampling time, creatinine and NGAL, total protein and NO, and albumin and NO.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum NGAL levels, correlated with serum creatinine levels in this study, may be the early marker of renal damage which may develop mainly due to inflammation and endothelial damage. The authors could not find a statistical difference for serum NGAL and plasma NO levels between healthy pregnant and preeclamptic groups. Varieties peculiar to humans in preeclampsia, impossibility of obtaining first trimester tissue material as an evidence of inadequate trophoblast invasion, and different appearance of maternal reaction to underlying main pathology in every case may restrict clarification of etiopathogenesis.

Intraparenchymal metastasis to the accessory spleen from ovarian cancer: a case report

Splenic metastasis from ovarian cancer is a rare entity. A few case reports are present in the literature, but to the authors' knowledge, intraparenchymal metastasis to the accessory spleen has never been reported in the literature. The authors report a case of accessory splenic metastasis from ovarian carcinoma.

The effect of an acute decrease in serum estrogen concentration on vessel walls: determination with color and pulsed Doppler ultrasound

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of an acute decrease in serum estrogen concentration on endothelial function in women with surgically induced menopause through the use of color Doppler ultrasonography. There were 40 women scheduled to undergo total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy who participated in the study; 15 women not undergoing surgery also participated as a control group. Color Doppler ultrasonographic examinations of each surgical patient were obtained 3 days prior to and 7 days after surgery. Baseline measurements of the brachial arteries, including peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, true mean velocity, arterial diameter, and volume flow, were obtained for each patient. After baseline measurements were established, hyperemia was induced by inflating a blood pressure cuff on each patient's upper arm to suprasystolic pressures for 5 min. To evaluate endothelium-dependent vasodilation, the ultrasonographic appearance of the brachial artery was evaluated after the cuff was deflated and removed from the arm. Measurements of peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, true mean velocity, arterial diameter, and volume flow were obtained, and were repeated at 1, 3, 5, 10, and 20 min subsequent to removal of the blood pressure cuff. The differences between baseline and maximum values of each Doppler parameter after the cuff deflation were calculated. No significant differences were identified in terms of laboratory findings or systolic and diastolic pressures in pre- and postoperative status of surgical patients, or between surgical patients and the control group. A significant difference in serum estradiol levels during pre- and postoperative periods ( P<0.001) was detected. No significant difference in serum estradiol levels was detected among preoperative surgical patients and members of the control group ( P=0.72). All net changes detected within each group during reactive hyperemia were statistically significant. No significant difference in values was detected among pre-, postoperative, and control subjects. Our study reveals that acute decrease in serum estrogen level does not appear to affect endothelial function; thus, we assume that this is mainly due to the result of postoperative surgical stress.

Endovascular management of postpartum massive vaginal bleeding. A case presenting with a pseudoaneurysm following subtotal hysterectomy

In the management of massive vaginal bleeding resulting from obstetrics and gynecological diseases, the percutaneous endovascular embolization procedures have been widely used in recent years. We report a case of massive vaginal hemorrhage due to arterial pseudoaneurysm formation following postpartum subtotal hysterectomy which was successfully treated via the percutaneous endovascular embolization.

Carotid intima-media thickness in surgical menopause: women who received HRT versus who did not

OBJECTIVE

The effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the natural menopausal period have been extensively studied. However, these effects have almost none been studied in purely surgical menopause. The aim of this study was to measure intima-media thickness (IMT) of carotid arteries bilaterally in two groups of surgical menopausal women who received HRT versus who did not.

METHODS

A B-mode ultrasound unit was used for the measurements of the IMTs of carotid arteries in two groups. Measurements of Group 1 (n=65, untreated group) were compared with those of Group 2 (n=70, treated group), in 2-years of follow-up. Patients in Group 2 received daily doses of 0.625 mg of oral conjugated estrogen preparates. Serum estradiol levels, lipid profiles, and blood pressures were measured, pre and postoperatively. For the statistical analyses in terms of differences of IMTs between two groups, general factorial analysis of variation was used.

RESULTS

Among preoperative values of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, estradiol, and age, only the estradiol values showed significant difference between both groups. The statistical results concerning the postoperative IMT differences for both groups showed that there was a statistically significant difference when comparing both groups, showing an increase in IMT in Group 1.

CONCLUSION

In surgical menopausal women, the direction of the HRT effect is in agreement with evidence from earlier studies on the effects of HRT in natural menopausal women.

Effects of oophorectomy and hormone replacement therapy on the pulsatility indices of hepatic and renal arteries

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the flow velocity waveform changes of the hepatic and renal arteries in women with surgical menopause who received hormone replacement therapy versus those who did not.

METHODS

Eighty women who had undergone surgical menopause were divided into 2 groups. The first group (n = 38) consisted of patients who did not receive estrogen treatments after surgery; patients in the second group (n = 42) did receive treatments. The hepatic and renal arteries of patients in both groups were examined by duplex Doppler ultrasonography before the commencement of hormone replacement therapy and after 2 years of treatment, and the pulsatility indices were calculated.

RESULTS

No significant differences were detected in the renal and hepatic artery pulsatility indices of patients in the estrogen treatment group (group 2) before and after total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (P > .05). No significant differences in preoperative and postoperative hepatic arterial pulsatility indices were detected among patients in group 1 (P > .05). Renal artery pulsatility indices measured before and after total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingooophorectomy did show a statistically significant difference in group 1 (P < .001). In addition, a statistically significant difference was detected before and after surgery in both groups when pulsatility indices were measured at the second-year control dose.

CONCLUSIONS

Hepatic arterial pulsatility indices are not affected in postmenopausal women, but renal artery pulsatility indices rise to some extent in women not receiving hormone replacement therapy.

Carotid pulsatility indices in surgical menopause

A large body of literature is available concerning association of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and postmenopausal women; to our knowledge, only few publications in purely surgical menopausal women. The aim of this study was to evaluate pulsatility indices (PI) of internal carotid arteries in two groups of surgical menopausal women who underwent HRT vs who did not. Measurements of the PIs of internal carotid arteries in both Groups were performed with color Doppler ultrasound. Measurements of the untreated group (n = 38, mean age = 47.10 +/- 2.45, group 1) were compared to those of treated group (n = 42, mean age = 47.35 +/- 2.37, group 2). A statistically significant increase in PIs of the carotid arteries were observed in Group 1 as compared to Group 2 in post-operative follow-up (p < 0.001). Pre- and post-operative PIs in Group 1 measured at significantly different values pre- and post-operatively (right, 0.73 +/- 0.031 vs 0.80 +/- 0.049; left, 0.73 +/- 0.030 vs 0.80 +/- 0.052) (p < 0.001). No such pre- and post-operative difference in PIs were noted among patients in Group 2 (right, 0.74 +/- 0.046 vs 0.73 +/- 0.044, p = 0.200; left, 0.73 +/- 0.04 vs 0.73 +/- 0.04, p = 0.504). When comparing both groups, no statistical difference was noted pre-operatively (right, p = 0.501; left p = 0.625); however, postoperative PIs did reveal a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). Pre- and post-operative side-to-side differences in the PIs of internal carotid arteries were not statistically significant (group 1, 0.158 vs 0.211; group 2, 0.152 vs 0.356). In surgical menopausal women, the beneficial effects of HRT are in concordance with previous studies in terms of PI, which were performed with natural menopausal women.

Percutaneous embolization in the management of intractable vaginal bleeding

AIM

To assess the effectiveness of arterial embolization in gynecological malignancies by Polyvinyl Alcohol particles.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Six patients, four with cervix carcinoma, one endometrium carcinoma, and one vaginal metastasis of ovarian carcinoma underwent percutaneous embolization due to intractable vaginal bleeding. As an embolic agent PVA particles were used.

RESULTS

Cessation of the bleeding was observed immediately after the embolization. Complete embolization has been achieved in all the patients Recurrent bleeding did not occur in any of the cases. There were no complications related to the embolization procedure.

CONCLUSION

Transarterial embolization is a lifesaving procedure in treating intractable vaginal bleeding. PVA particles are effective and it is a simple way in ceasing the hemorrhage due to pelvic malignancies.