Ovarian Fetiform Teratoma in a 17-Year-Old Adolescent Girl.

Fetiform teratoma, also recognized as a homunculus, is a largely uncommon form of mature cystic teratoma. Here, we present the case of a 17-year-old single female who presented to the emergency department complaining of abdominal distension and pain for four months. Abdominal examination revealed a left-sided mass. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a multi-loculated and multi-septated left cystic ovarian mass, suspicious for a teratoma. The patient underwent laparoscopy and a left cystectomy was performed. The final histopathologic diagnosis was consistent with fetiform teratoma. Although extremely rare, ovarian fetiform teratoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of women presenting with an abdominopelvic mass. It should be discerned from fetus-in-fetu and ectopic pregnancy. Careful clinical presentation, laboratory testing for beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, histopathologic examination, and cytogenetic analysis can greatly aid in pinpointing the diagnosis. Overall, fetiform teratoma carries a favorable prognosis; however, follow-up surveillance is advised to monitor for uncommon occasions of tumor persistence or relapse.

Efficacy of trebananib (AMG 386) in treating epithelial ovarian cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of death among gynecologic cancers. The majority of women are diagnosed with advanced stage disease. It is considered a chemosensitive cancer with a high initial response rate to first-line platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy. However, most patients with advanced EOC will relapse with subsequent resistance to conventional chemotherapy and ultimately succumb to their disease. Therefore, new therapeutic agents and strategies are desperately needed to improve the outcomes in patients with advanced EOC. AREAS COVERED: This review focuses on the use of Trebananib (a non-VEGF-dependent angiogenesis pathway inhibitor) in EOC. Angiogenesis has been recognized as an important process promoting EOC growth and metastasis. Targeting angiogenesis in EOC have been developed and studied with demonstrated clinical efficacy. Bevacizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody, that targets vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), has been the most well evaluated molecular targeted therapy in the treatment of advanced and recurrent EOC with proven clinical efficacy. However, VEGF-dependent angiogenesis pathway inhibitors are often associated with serious toxicities and drug resistance ultimately develops. Hence, new therapeutic approach targeting the angiopoietin-Tie-2 complex pathway (a non-VEGF-dependent angiogenesis pathway) has gained interest over the past few years as an alternative strategy to overcome VEGF-dependent anti-angiogenesis-related toxicity and resistance. EXPERT OPINION: Targeting angiopoietin-Tie-2 pathway represents a promising alternative approach to tumor anti-angiogenesis with a distinct toxicity profile from the VEGF-dependent pathway inhibitors. However, there are still many questions to be answered regarding the optimal treatment schedules, maintenance regimens, duration of maintenance therapy, and the best combination strategy. Currently there is no reliable surrogate molecular, cellular, or genetic marker that would definitively predict response to anti-angiogenic therapy. Identification of certain relevant and predictive biomarkers in the future may optimize treatment's efficacy by distinguishing the subset group of patients with EOC that would derive the most benefit from existing antiangiogenic treatment regimens.

Evaluating the safety of labour in women with a placental edge 11 to 20 mm from the internal cervical Os.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate pregnancy outcomes in a cohort of women with a placental edge between 11 and 20 mm from the internal cervical os, and to determine the likelihood of a successful vaginal delivery when trial of labour is attempted in these women. METHODS: We carried out a prospective observational study of women with singleton pregnancies and a placental edge between 11 and 20 mm from the internal cervical os (identified by transvaginal sonography) who underwent a trial of labour. RESULTS: Fourteen women with the above characteristics underwent a trial of labour during the study period. The mean interval (± SD) from ultrasound to delivery was 17.2 ± 9.6 days. Thirteen women (92.9%) delivered vaginally with no complications, and only one woman (7.1%) required an emergency Caesarean section for intrapartum bleeding. The risks of antepartum and postpartum hemorrhage were 21.4% and 14.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Having a placental edge more than 10 mm from the internal os, measured by transvaginal sonography near term, justifies allowing a trial of labour and carries a low risk of subsequent obstetrical hemorrhage.

Objectif : Cette étude avait pour objectif d'évaluer les issues de grossesse au sein d'une cohorte de femmes qui présentaient un pourtour placentaire se situant à 11-20 mm d'écart par rapport à l'orifice cervical interne; elle cherchait également à déterminer la probabilité d'un accouchement vaginal réussi lorsqu'un essai de travail est tenté chez de telles femmes. Méthodes : Nous avons mené une étude observationnelle prospective portant sur des femmes qui connaissaient une grossesse monofœtale, qui présentaient un pourtour placentaire se situant à 11-20 mm d'écart par rapport à l'orifice cervical interne (identifié par échographie transvaginale) et qui ont tenté un essai de travail. Résultats : Quatorze femmes présentant les caractéristiques susmentionnées ont tenté un essai de travail au cours de la période d'étude. L'intervalle moyen (± σ) entre l'échographie et l'accouchement a été de 17,2 ± 9,6 jours. Treize femmes (92,9 %) ont connu un accouchement vaginal sans complications; une seule femme (7,1 %) a nécessité une césarienne d'urgence en raison de la présence de saignements pendant la période intrapartum. Les risques d'hémorragie antepartum et postpartum étaient de 21,4 % et de 14,3 %, respectivement. Conclusion : La constatation d'un pourtour placentaire se situant à plus de 10 mm d'écart par rapport à l'orifice cervical interne (mesuré par échographie transvaginale peu avant le terme) justifie la tenue d'un essai de travail et ne s'accompagne que d'un faible risque d'hémorragie obstétricale subséquente.

Asymptomatic uterine incarceration at term: a rare complication of pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Uterine retroversion before 12 to 14 weeks' gestation occurs in approximately 15% of pregnancies and is usually considered an innocuous finding. When the uterus remains retroverted as the pregnancy advances, the growing uterine corpus becomes impacted in the hollow of the pelvic cavity and uterine incarceration may develop. Incarcerated retroverted uterus at term is an extremely rare and serious complication of pregnancy. CASE: A 30-year-old primigravida with asymptomatic uterine incarceration at term underwent a challenging Caesarean section because of the distortion of her anatomy. CONCLUSION: Recognition of a gravid uterus that is retroverted and incarcerated at term or near-term is critical because Caesarean section is necessary for delivery and that is likely to be challenging.

Martius graft for the management of tension-free vaginal tape vaginal erosion.

BACKGROUND: The tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure has become standard for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women. The procedure carries a risk of vaginal erosion and exposure of the mesh. When this occurs, most surgeons recommend removal of the tape for immediate relief of symptoms. However, this poses a risk of recurrence of urinary incontinence. CASE: A premenopausal woman had an exposed vaginal mesh after a TVT procedure. After failed conservative treatment, she was treated successfully using a Martius graft, with preservation of the mesh. CONCLUSION: The Martius procedure was a practical alternative for treating this patient with synthetic-mesh-induced vaginal erosion. It allowed preservation of the sling, thereby preventing recurrence of urinary incontinence.