Evaluation of acute pelvic pain in women.

Diagnosis of pelvic pain in women can be challenging because many symptoms and signs are insensitive and nonspecific. As the first priority, urgent life-threatening conditions (e.g., ectopic pregnancy, appendicitis, ruptured ovarian cyst) and fertility-threatening conditions (e.g., pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian torsion) must be considered. A careful history focusing on pain characteristics, review of systems, and gynecologic, sexual, and social history, in addition to physical examination helps narrow the differential diagnosis. The most common urgent causes of pelvic pain are pelvic inflammatory disease, ruptured ovarian cyst, and appendicitis; however, many other diagnoses in the differential may mimic these conditions, and imaging is often needed. Transvaginal ultrasonography should be the initial imaging test because of its sensitivities across most etiologies and its lack of radiation exposure. A high index of suspicion should be maintained for pelvic inflammatory disease when other etiologies are ruled out, because the presentation is variable and the prevalence is high. Multiple studies have shown that 20 to 50 percent of women presenting with pelvic pain have pelvic inflammatory disease. Adolescents and pregnant and postpartum women require unique considerations.

Successful pregnancy outcome in a lung transplant recipient with tacrolimus immunosuppression. A case report.

BACKGROUND: The use of tacrolimus (FK506, PROGRAF) in pregnant lung transplant recipients has been very rarely reported. CASE: A 32-year-old woman, gravida 1, para 0, had previously undergone a unilateral lung transplant secondary to pulmonary fibrosis. Four years later she spontaneously conceived. During pregnancy, she was maintained on an immunosuppressive regimen of tacrolimus and prednisone. Bi-weekly pulmonary function testing remained unchanged until 34 weeks' gestation. At that time, labor was induced due to concern for allograft rejection. A healthy, 2,208-g, female infant was born via an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. Postpartum transbronchial biopsy showed minimal acute cellular rejection. CONCLUSION: Lung transplant recipients may achieve successful pregnancy outcomes with the use of tacrolimus.