Color doppler velocimetry of the uterine and ovarian arteries in different stages of endometriosis

The objective of this study was to establish a role for echography and to assess whether color Doppler velocimetry of the uterine and ovarian arteries may have application either as a screening or a diagnostic tool in different stages of endometriosis. Fifty women with primary infertility were subjected to premenstrual diagnostic laparoscopy with premenstrual and postmenstrual evaluation of CA 125, transvaginal ultrasonography [TVS] and color Doppler velocimetry for uterine and ovarian arteries. Endometriosis was diagnosed in 42% of the studied population. Plasma CA 125 levels were significantly high in women with endometriosis with sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 75%. Sensitivity in the detection of focal implants by TVS was 14% which was poor. It was concluded that the use of CA 125 as well as color Doppler velocimetry can improve the diagnostic accuracy of TVS. Also, they can be noninvasive screening and diagnostic methods for different stages of endometriosis. In addition, they may be helpful in detecting the recurrence of endometriosis in post-therapy follow up, thus allowing more timely intervention

Doppler technique for assessing utero placental haemodynamic changes during extradural anaesthesia for elective caesarean section with pre-eclampsia

Blood flow velocity wave forms were recorded in 2 sites in the fetal circulation in a series of 20 normal and 20 complicated pregnancies with mild and severe preeclampsia before and during cesarean section [CS] under extradural [epidural] anesthesia with plain bupivacaine 0.5% as a single bolus dose after a preload of one liter of Ringer's lactate. Abnormality of the wave form reflected a high resistance to flow and high values for S/D ratio due to decreased end diastolic velocity recorded in the studied group, which proved to be useful predictor for perinatal morbidity. A significant and highly significant decrease of S/D ratio values during extradural anesthesia in the mild and severe preeclamptic patients, respectively, was an important prognostic finding in pregnancies complicated with preeclampsia. After extradural block the mean maternal blood pressure fell significantly in mild preeclamptic patients with further significant decrease in severe preeclamptic cases, but no maternal hypotension was observed