Surgery of the abdominal aorta: experience of a university hospital in Thailand.

One hundred and thirty two patients who underwent aortic surgery at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand from January 1991 to December 2000 were studied. Twenty three patients (17.4%) were aged less than 60 years, 102 (77.3%) aged 60-80 years, and 7 (5.3%) were older than 80 years. Ninety eight patients (74.2%) underwent elective operations and 34 (25.8%) underwent emergency operations. Elective abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) repair was the most common indication for abdominal aortic surgery (56.0%). Eighteen patients (13.6%) underwent surgery for infected AAA. The incidence of infected AAA was 16.1 per cent among patients with AAA. Fifteen patients (11.4%) had ruptured AAA and 19 patients (14.4%) had aortoiliac occlusive disease. The overall mortality rate was 15.2 per cent. The mortality of elective aortic surgery was 5.1 per cent and of emergency aortic surgery was 44.1 per cent. The mortality of elective AAA repair was 4 per cent. Multiple system organ failure was the most common cause of death (80%), followed by acute myocardial infarction (10%) and exsanguination (10%). The authors conclude that elective surgery on the abdominal aorta is safe and should be performed when indicated to prevent the development of complications requiring emergency surgery which carries a much higher risk.

Defecography in patients with anorectal disorders: a study in 27 cases.

Defecography of twenty-seven cases of anorectal disorders with an age range from 22 to 86 years, were evaluated from June 1989 to February 1999. There were 24 patients with constipation, 2 patients with incomplete defecation and mucous bloody stool in one case. The defecographic results were analyzed regarding the following 1) anorectal angle, defined both at rest and straining 2) abnormalities of the rectal configuration during straining, including rectocele, intussusception, infolding and ulceration. 3) pelvic floor descent. The results showed abnormal anorectal angle 5 cases, rectocele 15 cases, intussusception of the rectal wall 3 cases, infolding 11 cases, ulceration 7 cases and anal canal constriction 1 case. Consequently, the patients with anorectal disorders were found to have a variety of rectal abnormalities in which the defecography would be the imaging tool in demonstrating them.

Buserelin acetate implants in the treatment of pain in endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the treatment of pain in endometriosis by buserelin acetate implants. DESIGN: Fourteen patients with laparoscopically confirmed pelvic endometriosis were included in the study. All presented with severe dysmenorrhea with or without deep dyspareunia and pelvic pain. Buserelin acetate 6.6 mg. Implants were injected subcutaneously in the lateral region of the anterior abdominal wall, 3 doses every 8 weeks in group 1 (n=7) and 2 doses every 12 weeks in group 2 (n=7). Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at the lumbar spine by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) before initiation of treatment and 1 year after. Symptoms, pelvic examination, ultrasonogram and serum estradiol were recorded every 4 weeks until two regular menses were established. RESULTS: All the painful symptoms were relieved and eventually disappeared in every patient within 4-6 weeks. Mean duration of amenorrhea in group 1 (408.4+/-47.7 days) was significantly longer than group 2 (331.3+/-22.4 days), p < 0.01. Mean duration of first observed side effects was 2.7+/-1.6 weeks. Hot flushes were the most common side effects. Serum estradiol levels were below 15 pg/ml in all patients and there were no significant differences between the two groups during amenorrhea. There was significant bone loss in both groups, 6.49+/-4.90 per cent in group 1 and 7.71+/-5.67 per cent in group 2. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups for lumbar BMD before and after treatment. CONCLUSION: Buserelin acetate implants are effective in the treatment of pain in endometriosis. These implants should have an important clinical application when chronic treatment is indicated. Further study is needed to design how this preparation should be used to minimize the adverse effects.

Transvaginal ultrasonography combined with pelvic examination in the diagnosis of ovarian endometrioma.

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of TVS and TVS combined with pelvic examination for the diagnosis of ovarian endometrioma. Three hundred and five ovarian masses of 244 patients with either pre-operative or post-operative diagnosis of ovarian tumor and received TVS between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 1998 were included in the study. Of 305 masses, 221 endometriomas of 164 patients were diagnosed histologically. The efficacy of TVS was 84.9 per cent with a sensitivity of 92.3 per cent and specificity of 70.2 per cent. LR+ and LR- were 3.1 and 0.1 respectively. The combination of TVS and pelvic examination with either positive test had a higher sensitivity (98.8%) but lower specificity (26.6%). This combination dramatically improved NPV (97.5%) and LR- (0.05), whereas, the combination with both positive tests had a sensitivity of 78.1 per cent, and specificity of 81.5 per cent. LR+ and LR- were not different from those using TVS alone. In conclusion, the study has shown the role of TVS in the diagnosis of ovarian endometrioma. The combination of TVS and pelvic examination may be useful in ruling out the disease. However, a further prospective study should be performed to confirm the efficacy of the combination.

Bone mineral density in primary and secondary amenorrhea.

Amenorrhea in young women is one of the best clinical indicators for estrogen deficiency, except in the presence of gynecological structural pathology. This study aimed at investigating bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with primary and secondary amenorrhea. Thirty-six patients were enrolled in the study, seven with primary amenorrhea (mean age 24.3 +/- 4.5 yrs.) and twenty-nine with secondary amenorrhea (mean age 31.1 +/- 6.9 yrs.). Eighteen regularly menstruating women (mean age 31.8 +/- 3.7 yrs.) served as controls. BMD was measured at lumbar spine, femoral neck, Ward's triangle and trochanter. RESULTS: BMD was significantly decreased in both primary and secondary hypoestrogen amenorrheic patients. Primary amenorrheic patients were more severely affected with a BMD mean Z score below 80 per cent (osteopenia) at all sites measured. The age of primary amenorrheic women also strongly correlated with degree of demineralization. This should emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of young amenorrheic patients.

Efficacy of laparoscopic ovulation induction in polycystic ovary syndrome.

This prospective study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of laparoscopic ovarian electrocoagulation in women with PCOS. Twenty-three PCOS women who had refractory to clomiphene citrate attending the Reproductive Endocrinology Unit, Ramathibodi Hospital between March 1995 and June 1998 were enrolled in the study. In all patients, electrocoagulation on the ovarian surface of both ovaries was performed through laparoscope under general anesthesia. Two patients were lost to follow-up for unknown reasons. The remaining 21 women had a mean age of 30.3 +/- 3.9 years (range 21-39) and mean duration of infertility of 4.1 +/- 2.8 years (range 1-11). There was no intra-operative and post-operative complication. After surgery, ovulation was documented in 16 out of 18 (88.9%) patients. Fifteen (71.4%) patients became pregnant. Fourteen pregnancies (93.3%) occurred within 9 months after surgery. Twelve women (80%) became pregnant in spontaneous cycles without any treatment. The outcomes of pregnancies were 10 live births, 3 ongoing pregnancies and 2 abortions. This study reveals the high efficacy of ovarian electrocoagulation in infertile women with PCOS. High pregnancy and low abortion rates are convincing. This surgical technique should be the treatment of choice for women with CC-resistant PCOS.

Management of endometrial hyperplasia: a retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of endometrial hyperplasia and to analyse the management of patients with this disorder. METHOD: Retrospective descriptive study at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ramathibodi Hospital. The medical records of patients with endometrial hyperplasia from 1990 to 1995 were analysed. Descriptive statistic was used. RESULT: Medical records could be obtained in 87 per cent of cases. Incidence of endometrial hyperplasia was 1 per cent of gynecological out-patients and 11 per cent of uterine curettage. Half of the patients had cystic hyperplasia. Main treatment options of patients with cystic hyperplasia were expectant and progestogen therapy. The major treatments of adenomatous hyperplasia were progestogen and hysterectomy. Most patients with atypical hyperplasia underwent hysterectomy. Most of the patients with expectant or hormonal therapy have recurrence of abnormal uterine bleeding. CONCLUSION: Endometrial hyperplasia is not uncommon in gynecological practice. All gynecologists should be familiar with the pathophysiology and the natural history of this disorder. The unopposed estrogen stimulation should be investigated and corrected. Treatment options should be tailored to individuals according to disease grading, age of the patient and desire of pregnancy. Long-term follow-up until menopause is mandatory to prevent the excessive uterine blood loss and the progression to carcinoma.

Female genital tuberculosis: clinical features and trend.

A retrospective study of genital tuberculosis in women attending the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology between January 1986 and December 1997 revealed 11 patients with a mean age of 38 years (range 23-77). Two patients had genital tuberculosis and tuberculous peritonitis. The incidence was 0.01 per cent of outpatients and 0.05 per cent of inpatients. Eight cases occurred during the last six years. Although the incidence was quite low, a rising trend was observed. Of the clinical features, infertility was the commonest initial symptom (3 cases). The most common site of infection was the endometrium (5 cases) followed by fallopian tube and ovary (3 cases). Chest X-ray of all patients showed no lung infiltration while AFB staining and PCR for tuberculosis were positive in two out of five and one out of two respectively. Six patients received medical treatment only, and three were treated with antituberculous drugs after surgery; all with good results. Tubal reconstructive surgery was performed in two patients without medical treatment. Gynecologists should be aware of this disease to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment.

Propofol anesthesia for transvaginal ultrasound guided oocyte retrieval.

The purposes of this study were to determine the efficacy of propofol anesthesia for oocyte retrieval and its effect on IVF outcomes. The anesthetic records of 339 oocyte retrieval cycles were analysed. The mean of total amount of propofol, duration of anesthesia and oocyte pick up were 197.7 +/- 84.2 mg, 25.2 +/- 8.5 and 19.5 +/- 7.4 minutes, respectively. In all cases propofol induced anesthesia within seconds. Mean recovery time was 32.2 +/- 5.4 minutes. Significant nausea and vomiting occurred in one patient. Mild hypotension was observed in 55 out of 339 cycles (16.2%) which did not correlate to the amount and duration of propofol used. A total of 3,417 oocytes were obtained. Fertilization occurred in 2,431 oocytes (71.1%). Mean cleavage rate was 84.5 per cent of fertilized eggs. Mean number of transferred embryo was 4.4 +/- 2.0. Embryos were transferred in 321 cycles, resulted in 73 pregnancies (21.5% per oocyte pick up and 22.7% per transfer). Neither the dose of propofol or the duration of anesthesia has significant effect on pregnancy rate. Propofol anesthesia was found to be efficacious for oocyte retrieval with a rapid induction and recovery, and minimal side effects. The fertilization and pregnancy rates are comparable to other reports using different anesthetic or analgesic agents. However, to reliably determine if propofol affects the IVF outcome a prospective and randomized trial should be performed.

Outcome of pregnancy in IVF-ET cycle at Ramathibodi Hospital.

As assisted reproductive technology is being developed, in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) are the treatments of choice for many infertility problems. The outcome of pregnancies achieved by IVF-ET is different from that of spontaneous pregnancies. In this retrospective study, the outcome of pregnancies from 400 IVF treatment cycles performed from October 1991 to October 1994 were reported. There were 80 pregnancies (20% per oocyte retrieval, 21.9% per embryo transfer) with an increased rate of abortion (30%), multiple pregnancy (20%), ectopic pregnancy (6.25%), heterotopic pregnancy (1.25%), preterm delivery (11.8%), low birth weight (35.8%) and cesarean section (62.7%). This study shows that the complication rate of pregnancies from IVF-ET cycles was higher than that found in spontaneous pregnancies. Some complications such as multiple pregnancies may be prevented by limiting the number of transferred embryos. From this study, all IVF-ET pregnancy should be considered as high risk pregnancies.

Determinants of multiple pregnancies in in vitro fertilization other than number of transferred embryos.

The aim of this study is to assess the many different parameters involved in the incidence of multiple pregnancies, such as maternal age, stimulation, endometrium, receptivity and the quality of the transferred embryos. During a 3.5 year period, 86 pregnancies were recorded in our IVF unit. A single gestational sac was identified by early ultrasonography in 67 patients, while in 19 others, multiple sacs were noted. Patient characteristics, treatment cycles and embryology results were similar in the two groups. When the number of transferred embryos was kept similar in both groups, EIR was found to be a valuable prognostic determinant for multiple pregnancies in IVF.

"Simplified IVF": program for developing countries.

The aim of this study is to assess the results of the "Simplified IVF" program at Ramathibodi Hospital. Ramathibodi IVF program has been in operation since October, 1991. Some steps of the conventional IVF procedures have been modified due to the limitation of resources. The embryo laboratory is a simple, clean room situated in a different building from the oocyte recovery room. Short protocol of GnRHa/HMG is used for ovarian stimulation. Monitoring of the follicular development is performed by ultrasound alone with limited number of scans (2-3 times/cycle). Oocyte retrieval is carried out under transvaginal ultrasound guidance and the aspirate transported to the embryo laboratory in a simple insulated box. Luteal phase is supported by giving micronized progesterone. Eighty five couples have undergone 105 ovarian stimulation cycles. OR was done in 100 cycles from 80 couples. Total oocytes collected is 1091. The fertilization rate is 75 per cent. Embryos were transferred in 97 cycles. Clinical pregnancy occurred in 25 cycles. Pregnancy rate per OR and ET is 25 and 25.8 per cent respectively. Nineteen patients have delivered (6 twins, 13 singletons). Simplification of procedures has enabled the IVF service to be available in a center with limited resources without compromising the results. Other advantages are improvement of the patient's convenience, cost savings and less time consumed as well as being less stressful.

Two years' experience of intrauterine insemination for the treatment of infertility.

The result of a two year (1990-1991) trial of IUI is presented. Discontinuous Percoll-gradient centrifugation technic was used for motile sperm separation. In 174 couples with 610 treatment cycles, there were 49 clinical pregnancies. The pregnancy per patient was 28 per cent and the pregnancy per cycle was 8 per cent. Cycle fecundity by various factors which possibly influence the outcome were assessed. The success rate appeared to be higher in the young female age group, short duration of infertility, secondary infertility, unexplained infertility, a higher number of motile sperm inseminated and dual insemination in a cycle.

Early experience with gamete intrafallopian transfer at Ramathibodi Hospital.

This report summarises the result of the GIFT program at Ramathibodi Hospital during 1990-1991. There were 35 treatment cycles in 34 infertile couples. The age of the females varied from 29 to 41 years. Duration of infertility was 3 to 10 years. GIFT was performed during diagnostic laparoscopy in 26 cycles (78%). Other indications were endometriosis (5 cycles), concurrent with myomectomy (3 cycles) and unexplained infertility (1 cycle). Two cases received CC+HMG for superovulation, the others had GnRHa+HMG. Transvaginal ultrasound guided oocyte pick up yielded 2 to 10 oocytes (mean 5.8 oocytes per cycle). Two to 8 oocytes were transferred. All patients received progesterone or HCG for luteal support. In cases of diagnostic laparoscopy, the findings were normal (10 cases), endometriosis (7 cases), pelvic adhesion (6 cases) and myoma uteri 3 cases). No pregnancy was achieved among 18 GIFT cycles performed in 1990. In 1991, after changing some instruments and methods, there were 5 pregnancies out of 17 GIFT cycles (29%). The factors that influenced the outcome were good selection of instruments and method, maturity of oocytes and semen parameters.

The efficacy of lisuride in the treatment of hyperprolactinemic amenorrhea.

Thirteen women with hyperprolactinemic amenorrhea were treated with lisuride (Dopergin, Schering AG, Germany). The dosage of lisuride was started with 0.1 mg per day and increased to 0.2 mg per day after one week of treatment. Further increment of the drug depended on clinical and laboratory responses of the patients. One patient dropped out from the study due to marked nausea and dizziness. In ten out of twelve patients serum prolactin decreased to normal. Most patients received lisuride 0.2-0.4 mg per day. Only one got more than 0.4 mg per day. Two patients whose serum prolactin levels did not decrease to normal range had uterine bleeding, quite regularly. Menstrual cycle resumed within 23 to 141 days. All galactorrhea disappeared during treatment. Two of five patients who desired pregnancy became pregnant during the treatment. The course and outcome of pregnancies were normal. Common side effects of lisuride treatment were nausea and dizziness. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that lisuride is another effective prolactin inhibiting agent even at low dose. This drug provides an alternative treatment to bromocriptine.

Treatment of endometriosis with gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (buserelin).

The results of treatment of endometriosis with intranasal buserelin is convincing. The drug effectively suppresses serum estradiol to the menopausal level. Clinical improvement and regression of endometriotic lesions were observed during treatment. Thus, buserelin offers an alternative medical treatment of endometriosis. Further studies of the effects of GnRH agonist on bone mass are needed.