The uterocervical angle-cervical length ratio: A promising predictor of preterm birth?

OBJECTIVE: To predict spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) (labor before 37 weeks of pregnancy) in low-risk singleton pregnancies during the second trimester, using ultrasound markers: uterocervical angle (UCA) and cervical length (CL). METHODS: In a prospective observational cohort study, we followed primigravid women with singleton pregnancies without known risk factors for sPTB from 16+0-23+6 weeks of pregnancy until birth. Transvaginal ultrasonography on admission revealed the UCA and CL, and maternal history was obtained from submitted patient profiles. Logistic regression models disclosed significant predictive variables, and receiver operating curves (ROCs) demonstrated optimal cut-offs and test accuracy indices. Predictive functions of variables were compared using positive and negative likelihood ratios. RESULTS: In a sample of 357 participants, 41 (11.5%) experienced sPTB. UCA and CL were significantly associated with sPTB when adjusting for other variables (adjusted odds ratio: UCA 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.07 and CL 0.82, 95% CI 0.75-0.90). Optimal cut-offs were estimated to be 106° and 33 mm for UCA and CL, respectively. We devised the novel index UCA/CL with an area under the ROC of 0.781 (95% CI 0.734-0.823), cut-off = 3.09°/mm, and improved likelihood ratios (positive: 3.18, 2.47, and 4.22; negative: 0.63, 0.52, and 0.51 for UCA, CL, and UCA/CL, respectively). CONCLUSION: The second-trimester UCA/CL was found to be a promising index to predict sPTB in low-risk singleton pregnancies. Further multicenter studies may generalize this conclusion to other gestational ages or risk groups and make it more comprehensive by considering other risk factors.

A transvaginal ultrasound-based diagnostic calculator for uterus post-cesarean scar defect.

BACKGROUND: A cesarean scar defect (CSD) is incomplete healing of the myometrium at the site of a prior cesarean section (CS), complicating more than half of all cesarean sections. While transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) is the most common modality for diagnosing this defect, hysteroscopy remains the gold standard. We aimed to develop an efficient diagnostic tool for CSD among women with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) by integrating TVU findings and participants' demographic features. METHODS: A single-center cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 premenopausal and non-pregnant women with a history of CS complaining of AUB without a known systemic or structural etiology. Each participant underwent a hysteroscopy followed by a TVU the next day. The defect dimensions in TVU, patients' age, and the number of previous CSs were integrated into a binary logistic regression model to evaluate their predictive ability for a hysteroscopy-confirmed CSD. RESULTS: Hysteroscopy identified 74 (74%) participants with CSD. The variables age, the number of CSs, defect length, and defect width significantly contributed to the logistic regression model to diagnose CSD with odds ratios of 9.7, 0.7, 2.6, and 1.7, respectively. The developed model exhibited accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 88.00%, 91.89%, and 76.92%, respectively. The area under the receiver operating curve was 0.955 (P-value < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Among non-pregnant women suspected of CSD due to AUB, looking at age, the number of previous CSs, and TVU-based defect width and length can efficiently rule CSD out.

Obstructed Descending Colon Mass Presented With Bochdalek Hernia: A Case Report.

The adult Bochdalek hernia is one of the right-sided diaphragmatic hernias that less than 30 cases reported until now. Here, we report a 64-year-old female patient who presented with dyspnea, abdominal pain, and nausea. Primary imaging showed a right-sided diaphragmatic hernia that contained the liver and right colon. At first, the patient underwent a right posterior thoracotomy, and the diaphragmatic defect was repaired. After 2 days, abdominal peritonitis happened then a midline laparotomy was performed. Finally, it was clear that the main problem was the obstructed and perforated descending colon mass that was presented with Bockdalek hernia. Unfortunately, the patient passed away 2 days after the operation. It should be considered that an increase in intra-abdominal pressure like the presence of obstructed colon mass can cause this rare hernia and It is important to determine the reason for the presentation of the symptomatic Bochdalek hernia in adult patients.

Comorbidity of Mitral Valve Stenosis with Influenza in Pregnancy, A Case Report.

In this case, a 44-year-old pregnant woman at a gestational age of 28 weeks and 6 days with symptoms of cold, shortness of breath, and cough since a week ago. She had received remdesivir ampoule, Tamiflu tablet, meropenem and linezolid, and dexamethasone. She received oxygen through a 14-liter reservoir bag mask and hydrocortisone, heparin, and ceftriaxone. Nine hours after hospitalization, the patient suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest, resuscitation was performed, and the patient was intubated. Emergency cesarean section was done in the intensive care unit. Finally, the patient suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest, prop was placed for the patient, and evidence of severe Mitral stenosis and right ventricle dilation were observed. The cardiopulmonary resuscitation operation continued for an hour, but unfortunately the patient died. So, it is important to be careful about influenza during pregnancy and in the case of heart failure symptoms, it is necessary to consider the presence of underlying mitral stenosis.

Effect of misoprostol with and without letrozole on the induction of abortion for women with first-trimester missed abortion.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether addition of letrozole to a misoprostol-based abortion regimen can increase the rate of complete abortion. METHODS: The randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial enrolled women with missed abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy attending Sadooghi Hospital, Isfahan, Iran, from 2016 to 2018. The women were randomly assigned to the study group, which received 10 mg of letrozole daily for 3 days, followed by two doses of 800 µg of vaginal misoprostol at a 4-hour interval, or the control group, which received a placebo, followed by the same dose of misoprostol. Sonography was performed to check the abortion status. RESULTS: In total, 120 women completed the study: 60 in the misoprostol plus letrozole group, and 60 in the misoprostol only group. Complete abortion was documented for 93 (77.5%) women: 48 (80.0%) in the misoprostol plus letrozole group and 45 (75.0%) in the misoprostol only group (P=0.80). The mean duration of induction in the misoprostol plus letrozole and misoprostol only groups was 7.35 ± 3.54 hours and 8.2 ± 3.8 4hours, respectively (P=0.21). CONCLUSION: Administration of misoprostol alone was found to be as effective as the administration of misoprostol plus letrozole for first-trimester missed abortion.

An animal model study for repair of tracheal defects with autologous stem cells and differentiated chondrocytes from adipose-derived stem cells.

BACKGROUND: Stenosis of trachea with mucosal and cartilage lesions is a challenging problem in tracheal surgery. Owing to ease of harvest and abundance, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are attractive and increasingly used in tissue engineering. The aim of this study was to evaluate the repair of trachea with autologous stem cells and differentiated chondrocytes from adipose-derived stem cells in an animal model. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Six canine ADSCs were isolated and proliferated in monolayer culture and CD44; CD90 markers were investigated by flow cytometry. ADSCs were seeded in alginate beads and were differentiated into chondrocytes by TGF-ß3. Cartilage-specific markers with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction were demonstrated in differentiated cells. These differentiated cells and stem cells in alginate scaffold were separately transferred to a defect created in canine's trachea. After 8 weeks, the healing and cartilage formation in the trachea was evaluated by histological methods. RESULTS: We identified formed cartilage pieces and chondrocytes with lacuna and extracellular matrix in defects implanted with differentiated cells, but in other groups, staining of the sections did not show the presence of cartilage in the engineered tracheal wall. CONCLUSION: We showed that cartilage- engineered from differentiated adipose-derived stem cells in alginate biodegradable scaffold could repair tracheal cartilage defects.