Consequences of Maternal Vitamin D Deficiency on Newborn Health.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Maternal-fetal gestational pathology is one of the biggest challenges in the field of health at this moment. The current study is designed to determine the effects of vitamin D on pregnancy, starting with the idea that impairment of vitamin D status is thought to be correlated with impairment of the newborn's health. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, we tried to establish the link between vitamin D deficiency and maternal characteristics and also how it impacted the clinical status of the newborn. We analyzed a group of 260 patients: 130 pregnant women and 130 newborns, in whom vitamin D status was detected using the serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-(OH)D). RESULTS: The results showed that vitamin D deficiency has a high incidence among pregnant women, as was presented in many important international studies. Our study also showed a positive, direct correlation between the mother's and newborn's vitamin D status. CONCLUSIONS: Taking into consideration that vitamin D deficiency has been correlated with many complications, both in maternal and newborn health, a serum level determination of 25-(OH)D is necessary in the first trimester of pregnancy, and after that, adequate supplementation is necessary in order to prevent any negative effects.

The Pelvic and Sacral Splanchnic Nerves - Identification by Dissection, Trajectory.

The modern principles in pelvic surgery imply the preservation of the nervous structures that are involved in the physiological functioning of the pelvic and genital organs. The main pelvic nervous element is represented by the inferior hypogastric plexus. This plexus receives sympathetic afferent fibres from the hypogastric nerve, parasympathetic afferent fibres from the pelvic splanchnic nerves and also sympathetic afferent fibres coming from the sympathetic sacral chain via the sacral splanchnic nerves. We aimed to demonstrate the anatomy of these structures through dissection and we exposed the origins, pathway and manner of distribution of the splanchnic nerves of the pelvis. We managed to clarify the main anatomical relations of these nerves, among which we highlighted the relation to the branches of the internal iliac artery. The parasympathetic fibres reach the pelvis by running through the anterior rami of the spinal nerves, which are the origin of the sacral plexus. We managed to exhibit the way in which the parasympathetic fibres emerge from the sacral nerves and form the pelvic splanchnic nerves. Pelvic surgery nowadays is focused on nerve-sparing, which essentially means the conservation of the integrity of splanchnic nerves, hypogastric nerves and inferior hypogastric plexuses in order to maintain the normal functioning of the anatomical sphincters and genital organs. In this respect, it is crucial for the surgeon who performs pelvic procedures to be more than well-acquainted to the anatomy of the pelvic splanchnic nerves, which are considered to be the erectile nerves, and to that of the sacral splanchnic nerves.

The distribution of the inferior hypogastric plexus in female pelvis.

Elements that comprise the inferior hypogastric plexus are difficult to expose, intricate, and highly variable and can easily be damaged during local surgical procedures. We aimed to highlight, through dissection, the origin, formation, and distribution of the hypogastric nervous structures and follow them in the female pelvis. We performed detailed dissections on 7 female formalin-fixed cadavers, focusing on structures surrounding the pelvic organs. For each hemipelvis, we removed the peritoneum from the pelvic floor, and after we identified the hypogastric nerves, we continued our dissection towards the inferior hypogastric plexuses, following the branches of the latter. Laterorectally, the hypogastric nerves form the inferior hypogastric plexus, a variable structure - nervous lamina, neuronal network (more frequently), or sometimes a combination of them. We identified three components of the inferior hypogastric plexus. The anterior bundle travels towards the base of the urinary bladder, the middle part innervates the uterus and the vagina, and the posterior segment provides the innervation of the rectum. The plexus can be identified after removing the pelvic peritoneum and the subperitoneal adipose tissue. Intraoperatively, the structures can be preserved by using an immediately-subperitoneal dissection plane. The variable branches are relatively well-organized around the pelvic vessels, supplying the urinary bladder, the genital organs, and the rectum. The ureter is surrounded by some branches, especially in its last segment, and it also receives innervation directly from the hypogastric nerve. Close to the viscera, the nerves enter neurovascular plexuses, making the intraoperative separation of the nerves and the vessels virtually impossible.

The Assessment of the Anatomical Risk in the Perioral Region.

Introduction:Safe and effective procedures in the perioral region rely on a clear understanding of the facial anatomy, as insufficient knowledge of this aspect can lead to severe complications. Materials and methods:We performed thorough layer-by-layer dissections of the perioral region on 11 freshly formalinized cadaver heads. Dissections were performed between 2020 and 2022 in the dissection laboratory of the Anatomy Department, where the ethical conducts were regulated by "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania, and fall under its jurisdiction. Dissections were digitally photographed and edited without altering the scientific content. By performing minute dissections, a considerable amount of attention has been paid to the trajectory and diameter of the superior and inferior labial arteries and their relations with the surrounding structures. Results:We demonstrated the presence of the fibro-muscular compartment above the philtrum, where the superior labial artery passes and gives off the columellar and septal branches, and where it can be compressed in case of either the migration of the filler or quick bolus injections of substance. We also emphasized the importance of the labial salivary glands as risk elements in the perioral region. The depth of the inferior labial artery varied between 4.1-5.4 mm and that of the superior labial artery between 4.8-5.6 mm. Discussion: Safe and complication-free procedures require an exact knowledge of the anatomy of the main neurovascular bundle of each facial region and their anatomical variability should be highlighted. Conclusion:The clinically relevant anatomical observations and descriptions of landmarks presented in our research serves as crucial information for plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeons and dentists. Doppler ultrasound imaging has a considerable potential for both diminishing the risk and facilitating the prompt treatment of complications, especially because it is an affordable, repeatable, quick and reliable procedure. Cadaveric dissection for anatomy training provides an unparalleled opportunity to precisely understand the structure of actual human tissue and the clinical and structural relationships between the multitude of anatomical risk elements.