Changes in muscularis propria of anterior vaginal wall in women with pelvic organ prolapse.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphological and immunohistochemical alterations of tissue removed from the upper third of anterior vaginal wall in a sample group of the female population presenting homogenous risk factors associated with Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP). The case study consisted of 14 patients with POP and there were 10 patients in the control group. Patient selection was carried on the basis of specific criteria and all of the patients involved in the study presented one or more of the recognized POP risk factors. Samples were taken from POP patients during vaginal plastic surgery following  colpohysterectomy, and from control patients during closure of the posterior fornix following hysterectomy. Samples were processed for histological and  immunohistochemical analyses for Collagen I and Collagen III, α-Smooth Muscle Actin (α-SMA), Platelet-Derived-Growth-Factor (PDGF), matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3), Caspase3. Immunofluorescence analyses for Collagen I and III and PDGF were also carried out. In prolapsed specimens our results show a disorganization of smooth muscle cells that appeared to have been displaced by an increased collagen III deposition resulting in rearrangement of the muscularis propria architecture. These findings suggest that the increase in the expression of collagen fibers in muscularis could probably due to a phenotypic switch resulting in the dedifferentiation of smooth muscle cells into myofibroblasts. These alterations could be responsible for the compromising of the dynamic functionality of the pelvic floor.

Analgesia: effects on the first and second stages of labor.

BACKGROUND: This controlled observational study aimed at evaluating the effects of epidural analgesia on the first and second stages of delivery in nulliparous women, referred to the birth centers of the Sant'Omero "Val Vibrata" Hospital and the "San Salvatore" Hospital in L'Aquila, selected in accordance with specific inclusion criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May Ws, 2012 and April 3 1s, 2013, 363 patients were enrolled at the birth centres of the "Val Vibrata" Hospital in Sant'Omero (TE) and of the "San Salvatore" Hospital in L'Aquila. 139 patients received epidural analgesia during labor at the "Val Vibrata" Hospital; 224 patients constituted the control group and went through natural delivery without analgesia at the "Val Vibrata" and "San Salvatore" hospitals. RESULTS: Dilation time was different in the two groups: in the group with analgesia, the median was 2.30 and 3.35 in the control group. The median expulsion time was 2.05 in the analgesia group and 0.40 in the control group. DISCUSSION: The statistical analysis of the study has highlighted the fact the analgesia influences the dilation and expulsion time of labor, confirming on the one hand the clinical evidence, and on the other, adding important results that have not been analyzed by other scientific studies. The results have shown that in nulliparous women, with spontaneous onset of labor, analgesia causes a major reduction in the dilation time of the cervical canal with respect to the control group.

Chinese IUD removal techniques in a Chinese population in central Italy.

OBJECTIVE: To describe routine techniques and a newly developed approach to the removal of Chinese intrauterine devices (IUs). METHODS: Office records regarding women of Chinese nationality who presented to a tertiary care hospital for IUD removal between January 2007 and March 2012 were retrieved. Their demographic data were reviewed and menstrual/obstetric history, IUD type, and reasons given for removal were recorded. All underwent pelvic transvaginal ultrasound scanning. RESULTS: Of 134 Chinese IUDs, 18 (13.4%) were removed successfully in an office setting using a hook or uterine curette without general anesthesia or cervical dilation. Extraction under brief general anesthesia was performed in 55 (41.0%) cases. A further 61 (45.5%) Chinese IUDs were successfully removed in an office setting using a miniature resectoscope. Four types of Chinese IUDs were removed, the most common being the stainless steel ring (55.7%). CONCLUSIONS: All removal procedures were effective and safe. The mini-resectoscope appears to be a safe and effective tool enabling minimally invasive surgery.

How does early cognitive behavioural therapy reduce postpartum depression?

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a frequent mood disorder. Early identification of mothers at risk is crucial to successful prevention. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an effective preventing therapy. Objectives of this study are to identify mothers at risk for PPD using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and evaluate the efficacy of CBT for the prevention of PPD in these mothers. Women were recruited during their second postpartum day. Two groups were selected: mothers with high risk (EPDS score ≥ 10) and mothers with low risk (EPDS score < 10) of PPD. The first group underwent CBT. Follow up was carried out at 40 days, three, six, and 12 months after childbirth. APGAR score, neonatal hospitalization, delayed breastfeeding, and cesarean section were significant obstetric risk factors. Mothers at high risk of PPD presented a statistically valid improvement of EPDS score. Mothers with low risk of PPD did not have CBT and showed a higher EPDS score than mother at high risk at 12 months. PPD prevention is possible through early identification of mothers at risk and early cognitive behavioural therapy.

Leiomyosarcoma: a rare malignant transformation of a uterine leiomyoma.

The malignant transformation of a uterine leiomyoma is still debated and, if it occurs, it is very rare. The case of a patient affected by one small leiomyoma is described. Diagnosis was made postoperatively on histopathological examination. The case reported here is meant to underline the need to keep all uterine myomas in check since the transition into leiomyosarcomas (LMSs) may occur with an evolution over a time period which has not been established so far. Specific receptors for luteinizing hormone/human chorionic gonadotropin (LH/hCG) have also been identified in the myometrium of several animal species, including humans. Conventional LMSs express estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR), and androgen receptors (AR) in 30-40% of cases. In comparison with other more common uterine malignancies, uterine LMSs bear some resemblance to type 2 endometrial carcinomas and high-grade serous carcinomas of ovary/fallopian tube origin, based on their genetic instability, frequent p53 abnormalities, aggressive behavior, and resistance to chemotherapy. It could be useful to understand with further researches if hormonal stimulation could be a contributing factor of uterine leiomyoma transformation into LMS. Until today the oncogenic mechanisms underlying the development of uterine LMSs remain elusive.

The correspondence between abnormal transformation zone grade 1 and grade 2 colposcopic parameters and histology. Clinical implications.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the correlation between the colposcopic parameters of Grade 1 and Grade 2 abnormal transformation zone (ANTZ G1-ANTZ G2) and histological examination of the cone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of medical records of 600 women who underwent colposcopy and conisation (large loop excision of the transformation zone - LLETZ) between January 1, 2009 and July 31, 2012. The correlation between colposcopic and histological parameters was analysed using the Spearman nonparametric test. RESULTS: In ANTZG1 there was no correlation (r = - 0.03; p = 0.55); in ANTZG2 however, a low degree of correlation (r = 0.21; p = 0.03) was found. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of an ANTZ G2 colposcopic picture were 33.45% (confidence interval [CI] 95% 28.0% to 39.2%), 95.48% (CI 95% 92.5% to 97.5%), 87.4% (CI 95% 79.7% to 92.9%), and 60.5% (CI 95% 56% to 64.9%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The decisive factor in the diagnosis of the cervical oncologic pathologies is the histological examination of the cone, and not the colposcopy which should be seen as a "guiding" investigation in predicting conisation and application of the most appropriate treatment.

Placental site trophoblastic tumor on endometrial polyp: a case report.

Placental site trophoblastic tumor (PSTT) is the least common form of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD), and is biologically different from other forms of GTD. There is a wide clinical spectrum of presentation and behavior ranging from a benign condition to an aggressive disease with a fatal outcome. The authors document a case of PSTT on an endometrial polyp. A 51-year-old woman had abnormal vaginal bleeding for the duration of two months. Her past history included a vaginal delivery in 1998. Her physical examination was normal. Tumor markers were at normal levels. Serum beta- human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level was 19 mIU/ml and human placental lactogen (hPL) level was in the normal range. The patient underwent an operative hysteroscopy. On examination the uterine cavity appeared to be occupied by a pedunculated polypoid neoformation measuring about 2.5 cm in diameter which was removed and later determined to be a PSTT. There were occasional mitotic figures (0-1/10 high power field). The patient underwent hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The patient has no evidence of disease six months after surgery. The authors conclude that a high mitotic count and atypical undifferentiated pathological features are significant poor prognostic factors for survival in PSTT. Hysterectomy represents the gold standard of treatment in all cases of disease confined to the uterus.

Post-traumatic amenorrhea: the role of diagnostic and operative hysteroscopy in the prevention, diagnosis, differential diagnosis and treatment.

AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the selective removal of residual intrauterine trophoblastic tissue by using a hysteroscopic procedure, especially in the prevention of the Intra-Uterine Adhesion's Syndrome. METHODS: Seventy-six patients had an Asherman's Syndrome: 5 cases after laparotomic myomectomy, 1 after caesarean section, 2 after hysteroscopic myomectomy, 10 after VIP, 1 with a severe vaginal endometriosis, 1 after conisation, 4 after a post-partum hemorrhage due to coagulopathy or uterine atony, 20 cases after D&C because of PPH due to placental retention, 26 after repetitive D&Cs because of AUB due to post abortion chorial residues' retention, 6 cases after D&C for post menopausal AUB. Thirty-six patients presented AUB due to chorioplacental residues retention: 14 cases after a vaginal delivery or a caesarean section, 4 after VIP, 18 cases after repetitive D&Cs for incomplete or internal spontaneous abortion. Complete physical examination, transvaginal ultrasonography and operative hysteroscopy was offered as first treatment to all patients. Surgical treatment of IUA depends on the type (I-IV) and is based on the section of synechiae, liberation of the uterine cavity and tubal recesses, recovery of the residual endometrium to restore the physiology of the reproductive tract. Our technique to remove the chorioplacental residues is based on: correct use of loops and electric currents, enucleation by cold loops of the base of the placental implant, and to single out the level of miometrial infiltration. RESULTS: After treatment we have noticed: two hysterectomies (for persistent AUB after myomectomy and for severe bleeding after dehiscence of a C. section), restoration of regular menstruations in 94.6% of patients (6 women in menopause), disappearance of pelvic pain and dysmenorrhea in all cases (100%), 8 pregnancies of the 9 women who were wanting child after hysteroscopic synechiolysis (88.9%). CONCLUSION: According to the present study, the best way to prevent IUA is to make D&C for abortion, avoiding waiting longer than 24 hours, perform a D&C and then a diagnostic hysteroscopy after PPH in symptomatic women, reserve D&Cs only for a PPH, or an incomplete abortion, limit to only one D&C, always make a diagnostic hysteroscopy after D&C and uterine plugging for PPH.

Sonoelastography as method for preliminary evaluation of uterine cervix to predict success of induction of labor.

INTRODUCTION: Induction of labor is a useful practice to solve many obstetric situations but has a large impact on the health of women and their babies and therefore needs to be clearly justified clinically. AIM: To determine the sensitivity of sonoelastography in the evaluation of the cervix to predict the success of induction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 53 subjects preparing for induction of labor. Transvaginal evaluation of cervical length and a sonoelastogram were performed. We preliminarily classified the sonoelastograms into five elastography index (EI) categories and examined the different distribution of cesarean or spontaneous deliveries in various subgroups of EI by χ(2) test and multivariate analysis by logistic regression. RESULTS: Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference of prevalence of spontaneous delivery (EI1-3 82.75%, EI4-5 45.8%) versus cesarean section (EI1-3 17.25%, EI4-5 54.16%) (p = 0.0072). The diagnostic validity of EI was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curve and cut-off of the predictive value was EI3. DISCUSSION: The results of our study indicate that sonoelastography is an innovative technique that could allow a more objective preliminary evaluation of the cervix before inducing labor, however further studies with a larger number of subjects and a standardization of image acquisition are necessary.

Impact of surgery and radiotherapy in women with uterine malignancies.

According to the National Health and Social Life Survey, sexual dysfunction affects about 43% of perimenopausal women. A diagnosis of cancer has a profound physical, emotional, and social impact, influencing the relationship with the body, the perception of illness and death, family, social and professional relationships, and the relationship with the partner and, consequently, sexuality. Loss of desire, dyspareunia, orgasmic disorder, difficulties in emotional and physical closeness to the partner, feelings of shame, and inadequacy commonly occur after treatment for uterine cancer; however, if these problems are associated with surgery or with radiotherapy, still remains unclear. According to this study, the authors may conclude that the experience of cancer could lead patients to a rediscovery of. their own sexuality and to an improvement in the relationship with their partner, showing that, sometimes, the relational and psychological factors assume greater importance than physical effects on sexuality, and they can somewhere compensate the morphofunctional failure.

Uterine endometrioid carcinoma with focal area of choriocarcinomatous differentiation: case report.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: An endometrioid carcinoma coexisting with choriocarcinomatous differentiation is an uncommon event with an aggressive clinical course and a poor prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors describe an endometrioid carcinoma of the endometrium provided with a focus of choriocarcinoma-like cells in a 50-year-old menstruated woman with a history of abnormal uterine bleeding. A total bilateral hystero-annessectomy was performed. RESULTS: Histopathologic study showed endometrioid adenocarcinoma limited to the endometrium with a single microinvasive (< one mm) choriocarcinomatous focus. Immunohistochemistry established intense reactivity of tumor cells for CK 7 and AE1/AE3, for beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG), and for HER2 confirming the diagnosis. During the clinical course and follow-up, serum levels of beta-hCG were always negative. Up to date the patient is still alive with no evidence of disease. CONCLUSION: Even if endometrioid carcinoma with choriocarcinomatous differentiation is considered highly malignant, occasionally it may have a good prognosis, especially when a non-invasive behaviour is detected together with negative serum beta-hCG levels.

External-beam radiotherapy and/or HDR brachytherapy in postoperative endometrial cancer patients: clinical outcomes and toxicity rates.

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to evaluate local disease control, overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and local relapse-free survival (LRFS) in patients with endometrial cancer undergoing adjuvant vaginal brachytherapy (VBT )± external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From September 2007 to February 2011, 40 patients with endometrial cancer were retrospectively analysed. Surgery consisted of total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy without node dissection (16 patients) or with bilateral pelvic node dissection (24 patients). The stage distribution was as follows: two IA, nine IB, 12 IC, five IIA, eight IIB, two IIIA and two IIIC. Thirty-four patients underwent EBRT and VBT. Six patients received VBT alone. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 26 months. The 5-year OS and DFS were 96.4% and 86.9%, respectively. No local recurrence was observed. Four patients presented distant disease (three had lung metastases and one had hepatic node metastases). Acute EBRT-related toxicities were seen in 15 (38%) patients. We recorded late toxicities in 14 patients (35%). There was no evidence of grade 3-4 toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant EBRT and/or VBT in patients with endometrial cancer showed good outcomes in terms of local disease control, with an acceptable toxicity profile.

New horizons in the non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a chronic disorder, clinically associated with chronic pelvic pain, dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea, and infertility. Its socio-economic impact is extensive, given the large number of affected women in reproductive age, its symptomatology (that interferes with normal social life and the patient's ability to work), and its frequent association with infertility. Nonetheless, the diagnosis of endometriosis is still difficult and late in the evolution of the disorder. The authors have used the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS) criteria to make a systematic review of the literature of the last 28 years, seeking to identify potential biomarkers useful for a non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis. The authors have highlighted more than 50 biomarkers in the studies included in the present report, but they have not succeeded in identifying a clinically useful non-invasive diagnostic biomarker or panel of biomarkers. More studies are needed before biomarkers can be introduced in clinical practice.

Placenta accreta: conservative approach.

Placenta accreta refers to any abnormally invasive placental implantation. Diagnosis is suspected postpartum with failed delivery of a retained placenta. Massive obstetrical hemorrhage is a known complication, often requiring peripartum hysterectomy. The authors report a case of placenta accreta in a primiparous patient with multinodular leiofibromyomatosis of the uterus following failed manual removals of a retained placenta. They describe a conservative management in a stable patient desiring future fertility with a unilateral prophylactic uterine artery embolization, a multidose regimen of methotrexate, and a subsequent abdominal myomectomy.

Reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome in pregnancy: a case report.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES), is an acute, neurotoxic state. It is a very rare clinico-neuroradiological entity, and it is a complication of multiple clinical conditions. The association of PRES with toxemia in pregnancy is established. In this article, the authors discuss the case of a 22-year-old woman, gravida 1, 36-week pregnant, with extensive, bilateral white matter hypodensity, predominantly involving the parieto-occipital lobes region. These changes were highly suggestive of posterior reversible encephalopathy. This case report demonstrates that early treatment with control of blood pressure seizures can reverse this condition and also prevent progression to an irreversible damage, thus emphasizing the need for early diagnosis and treatment.

Early ovarian pregnancy diagnosed by ultrasound and successfully treated with multidose methotrexate. A case report.

A case report of a primary interstitial ovarian pregnancy is presented. A 37-year-old married woman with two children after two Cesarean sections and a spontaneous abortion, with a contraceptive intrauterine device (IUD) inserted three years before, presented at five weeks plus five days amenorrhea with a positive pregnancy test and lower abdominal pain but with no vaginal bleeding. Her previous menstrual cycles had been regular. She was hemodynamically stable. On bimanual examination, the uterus was of normal size, and there was an approximate four-cm tender right adnexal mass. Serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (b-hCG) was confirmed positive. Ultrasound revealed a well-positioned IUD in the uterus and a right adnexal mass with normal vascular flow on Doppler, that contained a well-defined gestational sac, well-distinct from the quiescent hemorrhagic corpus luteum. There was no fetal node or cardiac activity or free fluid. The patient received four injections of methotrexate intramuscularly using the multidose regimen that involves the administration of methotrexate calculated according to body weight, alternated with 0.1 mg/kg of leucovorin calcium per os after 30 hours until the values of 3-hCG had decreased by 15%. The patient's post-treatment period was uneventful with a full restoration of ovarian morphology and the complete absorption of the gestational sac. This case is the first where diagnosis was made by endovaginal sonography and treatment was made by multidose methotrexate. Spiegelberg criteria for the diagnosis of ovarian pregnancy are obsolete; new ultrasound and laboratory criteria are needed for a diagnosis as early as possible without the need of surgery.

Spontaneous rupture of splenic hemangioma in puerperium.

Atraumatic splenic rupture is a rare clinical entity and in the absence of trauma, the diagnosis and treatment are often delayed. In this article the authors discuss a case of a 45-year-old woman, gravida 5, para 4, with spontaneous splenic rupture on her second postpartum day. The rupture was related to a splenic hemangioma that is a vascular malformation and the most common neoplasm of the spleen. Despite the fact that hemangiomas are the most common primary neoplasms of the spleen, only few cases of splenic rupture have been described in pregnancy or puerperium. However, spontaneous splenic rupture is a rare event and the rupture should be suspected in woman with unexplained abdominal pain or with clear signs of haemorrhage.

A decrease in sex ratio at birth nine months after the earthquake in L'Aquila.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple factors influence the secondary sex ratio (SSR) including stress, which appears to affect mainly the males born. OBJECTIVE: We evaluate the effects of the earthquake in L'Aquila on the SSR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The SSR for the first six months of 2010 was compared to that of the same period of 2008. The chi-square test and Fisher's test were used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: Nine months after the earthquake, an important reduction in the SSR was recorded: January 2010 versus January 2008 =0.62 versus 0.96. An overall fall in the SSR was also recorded when the first 3 months of 2010 were compared to the first three months of 2008: 0,82 versus 1,11. When the first three months of 2010 were compared with the second three months of 2010, a statistically significant increase of the sex ratio at birth was noted (0,82 versus 1,27).