HLA-frequencies of Austrian umbilical cord blood samples.

We investigated HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DRB1 gene frequencies in 1368 unrelated Austrian umbilical cord blood samples. HLA-C gene frequencies were investigated in a subgroup of 503 samples. HLA typing was performed via sequenced-based typing (SBT). The aim of this study was to examine the HLA diversity in a large Austrian population sample. In addition we present results of a subsample of 100 samples at a subtype level. This study is the first systematic investigation of donated umbilical cord blood samples in the Austrian population.

[Proposal of a new methodology: tridimensional colposcopy (3D) of the lower genital tract]. / Proposition d'une nouvelle technique : la colposcopie 3D.

The combination of a colposcope to a computer with a 3D video adapter and a dedicated graphics card can get with a specialized 3D visualization deferred delayed colposcopic imaging software. The 3-dimensional images allow the observation of new aspects of epithelial surfaces from different angles which is possible to visualize with this technology alone.

Diagnostic value of the papanicolaou smear in lower genital tract infections during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the diagnostic value of the Pap smear in lower genital tract infections during pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 190 pregnant women were examined in the Lower Genital Tract and Colposcopy clinics of the Obstetrics Division at the University Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín" of University of Buenos Aires from April to August 1997. Samples were taken from the vaginal fornix for microbiologic study and from the exocervix for Pap smear. Both the sensitivity and specificity test of the Pap smear for diagnosing lower genital tract infections were calculated considering the microbiologic study as the reference standard. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the Pap smear for Candida spp., bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis compared with microbiologic study was 50, 81, and 78, respectively. The specificity for the same study was 96%, 93%, and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Pap smear for diagnosing lower genital tract infections is useful when positive results are found for these infections because of its high specificity.

Large-Loop Excision Using a New Probe: Variloop for the Treatment of CIN.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to evaluate the efficiency of using a diathermic loop with an adjustable diameter (Variloop for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in outpatient surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Loop electrosurgical excision was performed on 185 patients, including 21 (11.3%) with low-grade lesions and an endocervical squamocolumnar junction, 44 (23.7%) with CIN2, 118 (63.7%) with CIN3, and 2 (1%) with discrepancies between cytological and histological findings. The procedure was performed in an average of 10 minutes. For 177 patients, local anesthetic was used. In all cases, the specimen was removed in one piece. RESULTS: We observed minimal epithelial distortion with mild coagulation necrosis at the edge of the specimens in 2 of 185 (1%) cases, but this did not interfere with the histological evaluation. Correlation between the biopsy and the conization diagnosis was the best for CIN3, found in 70% of the cases. However, two cases of microinvasion and three cases of adenocarcinoma in situ that were diagnosed were not suspected preoperatively in any of these patients. In 171 of 185 cases (92.4%), there was no endocervical margin involvement. At the 1-year follow-up, two patients had a moderate stenosis with a squamocolumnar junction not visualized, and two others had a severe stenosis with a marked cervical narrowing. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the diathermic loop with adjustable diameter (Variloop) allows efficient treatment of CIN, wherein endocervical development does not exceed 15 mm from the external os without causing significant thermic alterations.

[Electro-conization with the diathermic loop. Indications and results]. / L'électroconisation à l'anse diathermique (ECAD). Indications et résultats.

The experiment of electro-conization with diathermic loop was effected on 185 patients. The indications are represented by: a) low grade lesions: 21 cases (11.3%) only when the squamo-columnar junction was into the endocervix; b) CIN 2: 44 cases (23.7%): c) CIN 3: 118 cases (63.7%); d) cyto-histologic discordance: 2 cases. After one year, the following results could be noted: 94.1% of the patients were cured, only 11 out of the 185 presented a recurrence (or persistence). It seemed interesting to us to study the factors which could influence the "in sano" (Free margin)/or not character of the resection. It appeared that the surface of the lesion did not seem to influence its histological result since we got: 83%, 96%, 94.5% and 92.3% of "in sano" conizations to be correlated with a lesion surface equal to 1/4, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 of the cervical area. The second factor to be studied was the patients' age. So from 15 to 25 years (96%) of the resections were "in sano". There from 26 to 35 (92%), and from 36 to 45 (91.9%). Among post-menopausal women from 46 to 55 years old only 86.4% of electro-conizations were "in sano". Histologic alterations of the histologic specimen were noted in two cases (1%), the interpretation was easy and clear in the other cases. What about the complications? In 2 cases a moderate stenosis was to be noted; in 2 other cases: post-operative hemorragiae which were treated by a selective electro-coagulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)