Bilateral uterine and ovarian artery ligation in addition to B-lynch suture may be an alternative to hysterectomy for uterine atonic hemorrhage.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: To evaluate the effectiveness of bilateral uterine arteries and ovarian artery ligation followed by B-Lynch compression suturing in controlling atonic postpartum hemorrhage. METHODS: In this retrospective study, the data of eight patients that had uterine atony during cesarean section and treated by bilateral uterine and ovarian artery ligation followed by B-Lynch compression suturing during the period from February 2009 to September 2010 were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Eight cases were treated by the above protocol; the average age of the patients was 25.25 +/- 5.09 years, and the mean gestational age was 35.75 +/- 3.80 weeks. Seven of the patients were primiparous. They were hospitalized on average 5.25 +/- 2.31 days. The mean operation time was 61.25 +/- 24.60 minutes and mean estimated blood loss was 2787.5 +/- 1573.38 ml. Internal iliac artery ligation was necessary in one patient only. Hysterectomy was not performed in any of the patients. Five patients had intraoperative or postoperative blood transfusion. CONCLUSION: The addition of uterine artery and ovarian artery ligation to the B-Lynch suture may be considered as a major hemostatic step before proceeding to hysterectomy in cases of uterine atony bleeding, and all gynecologic surgeons should be familiar with it.

The effects of hormone replacement therapy on myocardial performance in early postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: The results of the studies in which the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on cardiac function have been evaluated are rather disputable. In these studies, cardiac function was evaluated with conventional echocardiographic methods. This study was planned in order to investigate the effects of HRT on myocardial velocities and myocardial performance index (MPI) in healthy early postmenopausal women. METHOD: In a prospective, controlled study, 60 healthy postmenopausal women were assigned to two groups (32 in the HRT group and 28 in the control group). After conventional echocardiographic parameters were measured, tissue Doppler echocardiography recordings were obtained from the mitral and tricuspid annulus. Systolic myocardial velocity (Sm), early and late diastolic myocardial velocities (Em and Am) and time intervals were measured and MPI was calculated. Then the symptom-limited exercise stress test using the Bruce protocol was performed. After 3 and 6 months of HRT (oral 0.625 mg conjugated estrogen + 2.5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate/day), the same examinations were repeated. The effects of HRT on myocardial velocities, MPI and exercise time were evaluated at the 3rd and 6th months. RESULTS: The parameters of the control group remained statistically unchanged during the study. HRT did not have any effect on segmental and mean left ventricular (LV) Sm or right ventricular (RV) Sm. However, LV Em/Am and RV Em/Am ratios significantly increased at the 6th month of HRT, and LV and RV MPI values were observed to decrease significantly as compared to basal values. Additionally, a significant increase was observed in exercise duration and metabolic equivalent values after 3 months of HRT, and this increase continued at the 6th month as well. The favorable changes in all parameters in the HRT group were significantly different from those of the control group. CONCLUSION: Data obtained in this study suggest that HRT is not only effective for treating menopausal complaints but also increases cardiovascular performance by improving especially diastolic functions in early postmenopausal women.

The role of immunonutrition in gynecologic oncologic surgery.

BACKGROUND: This study assesses the effect of immunonutrition on biochemical and hematological parameters, incidence of infection, postoperative complications, mortality rate and length of hospital stay. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 50 patients operated on for gynecological malignancies were randomly assigned to two groups, each receiving two days preoperative and seven days postoperative enteral nutrition after intestinal movements started. The patients in group 1 were given 1000 kcal/d immun-enhancing enteral nutrition (IEN). The patients in group 2 received 1000 kcal/d standard enteral nutrition. The nutritional (albumin, prealbumin), immunologic (CRP, white blood cell (WBC) count, lymphocyte population) parameters, length of hospital stay (LOS) and clinical outcomes were examined. RESULTS: The two groups did not differ in terms of demographic data, nutritional status, surgical status, mortality rate (p > 0.05). WBC count, lymphocyte population, CRP levels were significantly higher in group 1 compared with group 2 in the postoperative period (p < 0.05). Pulmonary and urinary tract infection rates were similar in both groups (p > 0.05) but wound infection, and LOS rate were significantly lower in group 1 than group 2 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Perioperative immunonutrition proved to be safe and useful in increasing the immunologic response. It may decrease postoperative complications and LOS in patients undergoing surgery for gynecological malignancy.

Does the localisation of tumour at stage I endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma have an impact on invasion of the tumour and individualisation of the surgical procedure?

OBJECTIVE: To detect whether the localisation of the tumour has an impact on the dissemination of the tumour and whether or not surgical procedures should be individualized according to the localisation of the tumour. MATERIAL METHOD: 106 clinically surgically stage I endometrial endometrioid carcinoma cases treated multi-institutionally at Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GATA) and Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak (ZTB) Women's Health Education and Research Hospital Gynecologic Oncology Units in the last five years were evaluated retrospectively. The tumours localised near the internal cervical os and not invading the cervical canal were accepted as lower uterine segment (LUS) localisation and the corporal location as upper uterine segment (UUS) localisation. RESULTS: Tumour localisation was more frequent in the upper segment than LUS (85.9% vs 14.1%). There was no statistically significant difference between only endometrial and only serous invasion rates. Myometrial invasion less than one-half was significantly higher in the UUS group than the LUS group (p < 0.05). Lymph vascular space involvement rate was significantly higher in the LUS group (60%, 9/15) than the UUS group (23 %, 21/91), (p < 0.01). Positive peritoneal cytology rate was 20% (3/15) in the LUS group and 6.6% (6/91) in the UUS group (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with LUS involvement should be considered as high-risk patients. Thus more expanded surgery must be taken into consideration. In this study a limitation was the low number of patients with LUS involvement. Larger prospective studies are necessary to confirm our results.

A sarcomatous-type peritoneal malign mixed mullerian tumor implant in association with ovarian adenocarcinoma: a case report.

A rare case of a patient with a histopathological diagnosis of a sarcomatous-type peritoneal malign mixed müllerian tumor implant in association with ovarian adenocarcinoma is reported. A 52-year-old patient was referred to our clinic for an adnexal mass. At pelvic examination, an irregular, fixed, approximately 7-8 cm in size mass was detected in the right adnexal area. At transvaginal ultrasonographic examination, it was observed that there was an 80 x 70 mm sized, irregularly contoured, semisolid mass with hyperechogenous areas inside originating from the ovary in the right adnexal area. At laboratory examination tumor marker CA-125 was 280.4 U/ml (< 35), CA-15-3 was 146.5 U/ml (< 25), whereas other markers were within normal range. The patient was operated on for a right adnexal mass. A staging laparatomy procedure was applied. Postoperative histopathological diagnosis was reported as malignant mixed mullerian tumor of the ovary, with the ovarian component as poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and the metastatic foci over serosal surfaces as a sarcomatous component. Postoperatively six courses of adjuvant and consolidation chemotherapy were administered to the patient. Further studies are needed to set a consensus about evaluation of treatment and prognosis for this kind of pathology.

A breast cancer patient with pelvic and gastric malignancy after adjuvant tamoxifen treatment for breast cancer.

As is known, tamoxifen therapy is related to endometrial proliferation, hyperplasia, polyp formation, invasive carcinoma and uterine sarcoma. In this study, we present a 75-year-old woman who had five children. Gastric tumor, endometrial carcinoma and cervical adenocarcinoma in situ were detected after treatment with tamoxifen for breast cancer. It seems that being aware of the undesirable affects of tamoxifen treatment during the chemotherapy and post-chemotherapy period is very important.

A comparison of liquid-based cytology with conventional cytology.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the 2 methods of cytologic screening to detect abnormalities of the cervical epithelium. METHODS: This study with 3 groups of women was performed at Selcuk University Meram Medical School between January 2004 and March 2006. In one group (paired sample for specimen collection) women were screened with conventional cytology; in another group (paired sample for specimen collection) they were screened with liquid-based cytology; and in the third group (split sample for specimen collection) they were screened by both methods. RESULTS: The rate of unsatisfactory results was lower in the liquid-based than in the conventional cytology group (6.1% vs. 2.6%; P<0.05). More smears containing atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance were detected by the liquid-based method, but the difference was not statistically significant. Also, no statistically significant differences between liquid-based and conventional cytology were observed in the detection of other epithelial abnormalities (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The liquid-based and conventional cytology methods were found to be equivalent in the detection of cervical epithelial abnormalities.

Contraceptive efficacy and side effects of Implanon.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy and side effects of Implanon used for long-term contraception. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Prospective study of 80 patients who used Implanon for long-term contraception between January 2004 and January 2006. Side effects, efficacy and removals were recorded. RESULTS: Amenorrhoea, infrequent bleeding and frequent bleeding were reported by 33 (41.25%), 19 (23.75%) and 14 patients (17.5%), respectively. Non-menstrual side effects comprised breast tenderness in 15 patients (18.75%), acne in eight (10%), headache and dizziness in three (3.75%); depressive mood disorders, pelvic pain and loss of libido were mentioned each by two of the women (2.5%). During the study period, Implanon was removed from 20 participants. No problem was encountered during its placement or removal. CONCLUSION: Patients considering use of Implanon must be carefully selected and informed about its expected side effects before placement.

Effects of ovulation induction on ovarian morphology: an animal study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the ovulation induction has relation with postneoplastic lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-eight female, 90-day-old rats were enrolled for the trial. They were divided into three groups. In the first group, 13 rats received one cycle of ovulation induction with Follitropin Beta and human chorionic gonadotropin. The second group of 13 rats received three cycles of ovulation induction, and the third study group consisted of 13 rats which received six cycles of ovulation induction. Each group had a control group consisting of same number of rats that had not received ovulation induction. At the 12th month after the ovulation induction protocols ended, rat ovaries were extirpated for histopathological examination. In histopathological examination, malignant lesions, ovarian cyst and cyst diameter, epithelial stratification, epithelial tufting, mitotic index, polymorphism of epithelial cells and nucleus, epithelial cell nuclear diameter, chromatin density nuclear atypia, and mitotic activity in ovarian cyst epithelium were evaluated. RESULTS: No malignant ovarian lesion was found in the three groups. Ovarian cyst development was most frequent in the rats that underwent six cycles of ovulation induction. Epithelial stratification and tufting were most frequent in the rats which underwent ovulation induction six times. Significant difference was found between induction and control groups in second and third groups for cellular and nuclear polymorphism, presence of nucleolus, and nuclear chromatin density. CONCLUSIONS: Although development of malignant lesion were not found in any of the rat ovaries after ovulation induction, increase in the prevalence of epithelial dysplasia especially with increase in the number of induction cycles shows that some ovarian pathologies can occur subsequent to ovulation induction.