[Idiopathic scrotal edema].

Idiopathic scrotal edema causes painful enlargement of the scrotum, as does torsion of the testis or of a testicular appendage, or epididymo-orchitis. Unilateral edema of the scrotum develops rapidly, the skin becomes pale pink or red, and there is discomfort rather than acute pain. Careful palpation reveals a nontender testis. The condition is usually self-limited, and resolves completely without treatment in 48 hours. It must be differentiated from testicular torsion, for which urgent surgical treatment is mandatory.

The predictive value of fetal breathing movement and Bishop score in the diagnosis of "true" preterm labor.

In 70 patients who were between 32 and 36 weeks' gestation and who complained of painful uterine contractions, real-time ultrasonography was performed to establish the presence or absence of fetal breathing. Ten of the 14 women in whom no fetal breathing movement could be detected were delivered of infants within 48 hours, whereas the pregnancies continued for a week or longer in 52 of the 56 patients in whom fetal breathing was present. There was a good correlation between Bishop score and pregnancy outcome. Of the 48 patients with "unfavorable" cervix (Bishop score less than or equal to 3), 45 were delivered of infants after 1 week or more, whereas of 22 patients with a Bishop score of 4 to 6, nine were delivered of infants within 48 hours and ten pregnancies continued for 1 week or more.