ABSTRACT
Background: Oil-based contrast has been shown to have a fertility-enhancing effect during hysterosalpingography (HSG) but is not yet used during transvaginal hydro laparoscopy (THL). Objective: To asses if additional tubal flushing with oil-based contrast during THL is feasible. Materials and Methods: Case report with video assessment. A healthy 29-year-old woman with primary unexplained subfertility, underwent a THL under local anaesthesia. First, chromopertubation was performed by methylene blue. Afterwards, tubal flushing with 3mL oil-based contrast (Lipiodol® UltraFluid, Guerbet) was performed. Main Outcome Measures: In this case report we evaluated the feasibility of additional tubal flushing with oil- based contrast during THL, in terms of; the visibility of the oil-based contrast at the tubal fimbriae, the pain and acceptability scores. Results: Both fallopian tubes were patent to methylene-blue as well as to oil-based contrast. Interestingly, the oil-based contrast came out of the fallopian tube in the form of free droplets with strong internal bonding. Furthermore, some residue of the droplets was visible on the surface of the peritoneal wall in the form of oily micro-droplets. Conclusions: We present the first sub-fertile woman, in which additional tubal flushing with oil-based contrast during THL was performed. It is likely, that the residue of oily micro-droplets is also present inside the fallopian tube, where it may enhance the cilia movement by introducing lubrication. These lubricating characteristics of the oil-based contrast may be important for its fertility-enhancing effect. More research is necessary to confirm this hypothesis and the feasibility of tubal flushing with oil-based contrast during THL in more women.
ABSTRACT
This article describes the effects of hydroxylated biodiesel (castor oil methyl ester - COME) on the properties, combustion, and emissions of butanol-diesel blends used within compression ignition engines. The study was conducted to investigate the influence of COME as a means of increasing the butanol concentration in a stable butanol-diesel blend. Tests were compared with baseline experiments using rapeseed methyl esters (RME). A clear benefit in terms of the trade-off between NOX and soot emissions with respect to ULSD and biodiesel-diesel blends with the same oxygen content was obtained from the combination of biodiesel and butanol, while there was no penalty in regulated gaseous carbonaceous emissions. From the comparison between the biodiesel fuels used in this work, COME improved some of the properties (for example lubricity, density and viscosity) of butanol-diesel blends with respect to RME. The existence of hydroxyl group in COME also reduced further soot emissions and decreased soot activation energy.
