Fertility following laparoscopic removal of rudimentary horn with an ectopic pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Rudimentary horn pregnancies are rare. Although there have been previous reports of laparoscopic management, reports of successful pregnancies following previous excision of rudimentary horn were not found. Laparotomy remains the more common approach. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the story of a woman found to have a rudimentary horn pregnancy who chose to be managed laparoscopically, and subsequently became pregnant and delivered a viable term infant 15 months following laparoscopic surgery. DISCUSSION: The laparoscopic approach proffers decreased hospital stay, operating time, and potential for adhesions and is thus an important option for treatment of rudimentary horn pregnancies.

Benign multicystic mesothelioma: a case report.

Benign multicystic mesothelioma (also known as multilocular peritoneal inclusion cyst) is a rare lesion found on any abdominal peritoneal surface that occurs most frequently in premenopausal women. We report the case of a 36-year- old woman, who presented with a history of generalized abdominal pain, intermittent abdominal bloating, and episodes of loose stools. A pelvic ultrasound revealed a complex cystic mass with fine internal septations. The patient was managed by laparotomy with removal of mass, total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy, and multiple peritoneal biopsies. Final pathology revealed benign multicystic mesothelioma. Although mesothelioma is a rare tumour, it is important for all gynaecologists to recognize its existence, the appearance of this lesion, and its generally benign course. This is especially important as it occurs in young women where fertility considerations must be part of the discussion of any pelvic surgery.

Evaluation of aerobic Bactec 6A non-resin- and 16A resin-containing media for the recovery of microorganisms causing peritonitis.

Recovery of microorganisms causing peritonitis in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) continues to be problematic. To date, there is no universally accepted protocol. We prospectively analyzed 430 peritoneal effluent specimens by three protocols: (a) 3 ml of effluent was centrifuged and the pellet plated onto blood and MacConkey agars and into thioglycolate broth (routine method), (b) 3 ml of each was inoculated at the bedside into Bactec 6A aerobic and 16A aerobic resin-containing media, and (c) 3 ml of each was inoculated in the laboratory into Bactec 6A and 16A media. Of the peritoneal effluent specimens, 104 (24%) had microorganisms recovered; 63 were positive by the routine method compared with 86 (P < .001) by bedside-inoculated 16A. Bedside-inoculated 16A (86) recovered more microorganisms than bedside-inoculated 6A (70) (P < .05). Laboratory-inoculated 16A (78) recovered more organisms than the routine method (63) (P < .05). Of 42 positive peritoneal effluent specimens delayed in transit > or = 1 day, 23 were positive by the routine method compared with 34 bedside inoculated 16A (P < .01) and 30 laboratory-inoculated 16A (P > .114). Bedside-inoculated 16A media is superior to the routine method for the recovery of microorganisms causing peritonitis in CAPD patients.

A preliminary field trial to evaluate the use of immunisation for the control of naturally acquired Taenia saginata infection in cattle.

The efficiency of immunisation of cattle with antigens collected during 14-day in vitro cultivation of Taenia saginata or T hydatigena oncospheres for the control of naturally acquired bovine cysticercosis was tested on a farm which uses sewage effluent to irrigate pasture. A total of 260 first-calf heifers of mixed breed were divided into four groups which were either sham-vaccinated or vaccinated with T saginata antigen at 49 to 124 days or 16 to 91 days before calving or vaccinated at 49 to 124 days prepartum with T hydatigena antigen. Ten calves from each group were killed at about three months of age and all muscles, including heart, tongue and oesophagus, were examined for cysticerci. Precalving vaccination with T saginata antigen significantly reduced the number of cysticerci found. Calves from sham-vaccinated cows were either sham-vaccinated or vaccinated with T saginata antigen or T hydatigena antigen at 46 to 121 days olds. Calves from cows immunised with T saginata antigen were either sham-vaccinated or immunised with T saginata antigen. Calves from cows injected with T hydatigena antigen were either sham-vaccinated, vaccinated once with T hydatigena antigen when 46 to 121 days of age or vaccinated twice with T hydatigena antigen at median ages of 65 days and 99 days. All these calves were killed at 13 to 14 months old and their heart, diaphragm, tongue and masticatory muscles examined for cysticerci. Of the 38 surviving sham-vaccinated calves from sham-vaccinated cows, 21 animals (55 per cent) were infected. Several of the vaccination regimes reduced this rate of infection significantly but the most effective was precalving vaccination of the cow and vaccination of the calf with T saginata antigen which reduced infection by 78 per cent compared with the controls. Precalving vaccination of cows with T hydatigena antigen together with double vaccination of their calves with the same antigen preparation also significantly reduced infection in the calves by 64 per cent.

Preliminary observations on the removal of Taenia saginata eggs from sewage using various treatment processes.

Cattle were grazed for four months on pasture irrigated by effluent from activated sludge plants, a trickling filter plant, from a lagooning process with raw sewage, and then killed and their heart, diaphragm, tongue, and muscles of their head and one forelimb were sliced and examined for Cysticercus bovis. None of the cattle grazed on pasture irrigated with effluent from lagooning were infected compared with 3.3% from the trickling filter plant, 9.0% and 12.5% from the two activated sludge plants and 30.0% of cattle on pastures irrigated with raw sewage. Of the 40 control calves killed at the time the test calves were placed on the various pastures, 2.5% were infected. It appears that modern sewage purification methods do not efficiently remove Taenia saginata from the final effluent and that prolonged settling is necessary before effluent is used to irrigate cattle pastures if C. bovis infection is to be reduced to very low levels.

Vaccination of calves against Taenia saginata infection using antigens collected during in vitro cultivation of larvae: passive protection via colostrum from vaccinated cows and vaccination of calves protected by maternal antibody.

Six-to-11-day-old calves which received colostrum from cows vaccinated with in vitro culture antigens of Taenia saginata during their last month of pregnancy showed a high level of resistance to a challenge infection with T saginata eggs. Although colostral antibody reduced the numbers of larvae which became established it did not promote destruction of those which had undergone development. Calves which had received colostrum from vaccinated dams were themselves vaccinated with culture antigen when they were eight to 10 weeks old. These calves showed strong immunity to a challenge infection of T saginata eggs administered four weeks after vaccination.

Vaccination of lambs against infection with Taenia ovis using antigens collected during short-term in vitro incubation of activated T. ovis oncospheres.

Activated oncospheres of Taenia ovis were incubated for 24 h or 48 h at 37-5 degress C in Medium 858 alone or in Medium 858 enriched with 20% lamb serum or foetal calf serum. Antigens contained in the supernatant medium from these incubations were concentrated, emulsified in Freund's incomplete adjuvant and injected intramuscularly into lambs. These lambs developed a very high level of immunity to subsequent challenge infection with T. ovis eggs.

The prevalence of cysticerci of Taenia saginata in cattle reared on sewage-irrigated pasture.

The hearts, masseter muscles, tongues and laryngeal muscles from 200 cattle aged 10 to 11 months, and 100 cattle aged 20 to 21 months, which had been reared on sewage-irrigated pastures at the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works Farm, Werribee, Victoria, were examined for infection with cysticerci of Taenia saginata by slicing in the laboratory and the result obtained were compared with those recorded during normal meat inspection procedures at the abattoir. Of the 10 to 11-month-old cattle 51-5% were found to be infected and 8% of the total animals harboured viable cysticerci. Of the 20 to 21-month-old animals 33% were infected, and, even at this age, 8% of the animals still carried viable cysticerci. On-line meat inspection at the abattoir detected significantly fewer infections than did laboratory slicing.