Fetal liver calcifications: sonographic appearance and postnatal outcome.

PURPOSE: To determine the importance of intrahepatic calcifications seen sonographically in the fetus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed sonograms obtained in fetuses scanned between 16 and 40 gestational weeks in whom intrahepatic calcifications were seen. The number and character of these calcifications were determined. Follow-up scans obtained in utero and after birth were also reviewed. Outcome was determined after birth. RESULTS: Thirty-three fetuses had intrahepatic calcifications at 16-38 weeks gestation. Four of the 33 fetuses died, one of which had liver calcifications as the only sonographic finding. This fetus had cytomegalovirus and was the only fetus with increasing numbers of calcifications on follow-up scans. All fetuses with isolated liver calcifications had a normal postnatal outcome (96% survival rate for fetuses with isolated intrahepatic calcifications). Of eight fetuses with additional anomalies, five lived; only two were healthy newborns. CONCLUSION: The outcome in fetuses with isolated intrahepatic calcifications is usually excellent, although viral causes must be excluded if additional findings appear.

Vulvar vestibulitis--subgroup with Bartholin gland duct inflammation.

Some women with vulvar vestibulitis have tenderness at the Bartholin gland duct opening and associated dyspareunia. Forty-four patients with severe incapacitating dyspareunia of up to 5 years' duration were studied. Microscopic examination revealed a chronic inflammation located near the Bartholin gland duct opening. No etiologic agent was evident. Of 30 women treated initially with laser vaporization of inflamed areas, 13 (43%) showed significant improvement. Sixteen patients were treated with perineoplasty and all improved significantly; all became functional sexually although eight had previously failed laser therapy. Women with vulvar vestibulitis can be identified easily with a simple Q-tip touch technique directed at the duct opening. This diagnosis should be considered in the evaluation of women with obscure etiologies of dyspareunia.

Laser ablation of hymenal fissures.

Four patients presented with linear ulcers (hymenal fissures) that had not responded to conventional local therapy or oral antibiotics. These sexually active women had experienced dyspareunia for 8-24 months. Cultures for venereal agents were negative. One patient had two linear ulcers, and the others had only one; all the ulcers were restricted to the hymenal ring at either the 4 or 8 o'clock position. The lesions usually were obscured when the hymen was collapsed, but they were obvious when the ring was expanded. The lesions varied in length from 0.5 to 2 cm and were very shallow, generally 1 mm deep. The ulcers were linear streaks that could be stretched to 3-4 mm wide. Laser ablation of the lesions to a depth of at least 5 mm resulted in complete resolution of the ulcer in two cases. A third patient had almost complete resolution of the lesion after two laser treatments. The fourth patient failed treatment and refused additional treatment. The underlying nature of this recalcitrant condition may be as much an enigma as that of the anal fissure. Laser treatment seems the best approach at present.

Positive correlation between mature amniotic fluid optical density readings and the absence of neonatal hyaline membrane disease.

Fetal pulmonary maturity is generally determined by analyzing amniotic fluid for surfactants. This task is accomplished by lipid extraction of the fluid and resolution, identification and quantitation of the isolated lipids with thin-layer chromatography. These methods are lengthy, cumbersome and often not available on demand. A quick, simple, reliable and economical test therefore would be highly desirable. We have been able to correlate an optical density (OD) reading of amniotic fluid at 650 nm greater than or equal to 0.15 with the absence of hyaline membrane disease (HMD). For 428 fluids in which an OD reading of greater than or equal to 0.15 was found and delivery occurred within 48 hours, HMD was present in only two infants. The accuracy of the test was 99.53% , with a false-positive rate of 0.47%. With the use of this simple and accurate test one can satisfy the requirement of an on-demand test to determine fetal pulmonary maturity.

Cesarean delivery and severe idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. A case report.

A postsplenectomy patient had idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) that was exacerbated with both her pregnancies. She failed to have sustained platelet counts in her previous pregnancy in spite of receiving steroids and chemotherapy. She underwent elective cesarean section with a platelet count of 7,000 but did not receive platelet transfusions. No unusual bleeding occurred, and an improvement in the ITP was noted postpartum.

Use of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin in gestational aging.

Quantitative radioimmunoassay (RIA) of the beta chain of human chorionic gonadotropin (B-hCG) in serum has been used to evaluate the gestational status of 99 normal early pregnancies in contrast to 29 ectopic, threatened, aborted and/or terminated cases. Quantitative measurement of serum B-hCG-RIA standardized against the second international standard (2dIS) accurately established age of normal pregnancies in utero up to but not after three weeks postconception and with an accuracy of plus or minus four days between the third and eighth week of gestation. Quantitative urinary hCG-RIA standardized against the 2dIS were not useful for gestational aging. Useful serum hCG-RIA were identically linear and parallel with the 2dIS, had negligible crossreactivity with LH, FSH and/or TSH, and had low nonspecific binding. Of 13 hCG-RIA evaluated, only assays having these latter characteristics were able to detect ectopic pregnancies, spontaneous abortions, and/or threatened pregnancies with up to 90 percent accuracy. However, some assays not standardized to the 2dIS gave over 200 percent error in hCG serum values. Thus, correct choice of quantitative B-hCG reagents is necessary for early pregnancy assessment.

Laser-assisted debridement of aortic valve calcium.

Experimental debridement of aortic valve calcium by means of laser phototherapy was investigated in vitro. Near-total debridement of calcific deposits observed on pretreatment x-ray films was accomplished using carbon-dioxide laser phototherapy. Analysis of liberated photoproducts suggests that debridement is effected by thermal degradation of the surrounding connective tissue envelope and thermal expansion of the calcific nodules. These results suggest that in selected patients with calcific aortic stenosis, it may be possible to perform intraoperative laser-assisted debridement of aortic valve calcium in order to preserve the native aortic valve and thus avoid prosthetic valve replacement.

Laser photoablation of pathological endocardium: in vitro findings suggesting a new approach to the surgical treatment of refractory arrhythmias and restrictive cardiomyopathy.

In selected patients, malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias have been successfully abolished by excision of subendocardial arrhythmogenic foci. Likewise, in certain patients in whom restrictive cardiomyopathy is due to endocardial thickening, endocardial resection has resulted in hemodynamic improvement. The present study was designed to explore the utility, in vitro, of laser photoablation of pathologically thickened endocardium. Endocardial photoablation was easily accomplished regardless of etiological or anatomical variations using either the focused beam of a carbon dioxide laser or argon laser light delivered through a 200-microns optical fiber. Photoablation of areas as large as 3.9 X 1.3 cm was performed within 40 seconds. The extent or depth of endocardial photoablation could be limited to 2 mm2 in area or 1 mm in depth using either form of laser therapy. These in vitro results suggest that either carbon dioxide or argon laser phototherapy can be successfully applied to the surgical treatment of refractory arrhythmias and restrictive cardiomyopathy. Advantages of laser photoablation include speed and precision. Furthermore, laser photoablation obviates the difficulty associated with conventional techniques in establishing tissue planes.

Triplet pregnancies.

Fifteen triplet gestations delivered over 23 years beginning with 1954 are reviewed. The mortality rate was 7.1% in the gestation period of 28 weeks or more. This mortality rate compares favorably with the 15% to 50% rate reported in the literature. Among the third babies of each set, there was a mortality rate of 14.3%, again confirming the high mortality rate reported in the literature. Morbidity in triplet gestations was equally elevated. Although the data do not suggest what the best method of delivery is, the increased morbidity and mortality for the third baby of the set delivered vaginally implies that a more liberal use of cesarean section may reduce the potential risks for that baby. Also, among the eight cesarean sections performed in pregnancies at 28 weeks of gestation or more that have been reported in the literature, none of the babies died during the neonatal period.

Relation between optical density at 650 nm and L/S ratios.

A simple and rapid test that correlates with L/S ratios has been developed. By centrifuging fresh, unfrozen amniotic fluids at 200g for 10 minutes and measuring the optical density at at 650 nm, correlation with L/S ratios is obtained. Optical density readings of 0.15 or greater correlate 100% with L/S ratios of 2.0 or greater. Optical readings below 0.15 correlate 94% with L/S ratios below 2.0.

Correlation between amniotic fluid optical density and L/S ratio.

A test that circumvents the complex methodology needed for the determination of L/S ratios has been developed. It has been observed that the optical density, measured at 400 nm, of supernatants collected from fresh amniotic fluids centrifuged at 2000 g for 10 minutes correlates with L/S ratios.