Umbilication is a strong predictor of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of the colposcopic feature of umbilication for detecting high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 2/3). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study included 430 randomly selected women who underwent conization for CIN 2 or CIN 3. The control group consisted of 102 patients with biopsy-confirmed CIN 1. Colpophotographs and reports from colposcopy examinations from all patients were retrospectively analyzed by 2 independent colposcopy experts with the aim to assess the presence of umbilication. The occurrence of more than 2 mosaic "tiles" with central punctation was considered to be a positive finding regardless of whether the mosaic pattern was coarse or fine. The prevalence of umbilication in CIN 1 and CIN 2/3 respectively was compared. The diagnostic value of umbilication alone and combination of umbilication and/or ridge sign was assessed. RESULTS: Umbilication was detected in 10% and ridge sign in 10.2% of patients with CIN 2/3. Simultaneous presence of umbilication and ridge sign was rare (1.1%). The umbilication solely reached 12% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 100% positive predictive value for the detection of underlying CIN 2/3. CONCLUSIONS: Umbilication is an age-independent colposcopic feature with very high specificity for predicting CIN 2/3.

"See and treat" hysteroscopy after missed abortion.

A prospective study was conducted on the incidence of intrauterine pathology after missed abortion diagnosed and treated by hysteroscopy. A hysteroscopy was performed in 100 women four to 12 weeks after a dilatation and curettage for missed abortions. Uterine malformations were found in 12 patients, intrauterine adhesions in seven and submucous myoma in two cases. As a side finding four cases of asymptomatic retained products of conception were found. Most cases of the intrauterine pathology were treated instantly by hysteroscopy, "see and treat" regimen was preferred. Post-missed abortion-hysteroscopy is a simple and useful method for early diagnosis and treatment of congenital and acquired intrauterine pathology.

Midterm clinical and first reproductive results of a randomized controlled trial comparing uterine fibroid embolization and myomectomy.

The purpose of this study was to compare the midterm results of a radiological and surgical approach to uterine fibroids. One hundred twenty-one women with reproductive plans who presented with an intramural fibroid(s) larger than 4 cm were randomly selected for either uterine artery embolization (UAE) or myomectomy. We compared the efficacy and safety of the two procedures and their impact on patient fertility. Fifty-eight embolizations and 63 myomectomies (42 laparoscopic, 21 open) were performed. One hundred eighteen patients have finished at least a 12-month follow-up; the mean follow-up in the entire study population was 24.9 months. Embolized patients underwent a significantly shorter procedure and required a shorter hospital stay and recovery period. They also presented with a lower CRP concentration on the second day after the procedure (p < 0.0001 for all parameters). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the rate of technical success, symptomatic effectiveness, postprocedural follicle stimulating hormone levels, number of reinterventions for fibroid recurrence or regrowth, or complication rates. Forty women after myomectomy and 26 after UAE have tried to conceive, and of these we registered 50 gestations in 45 women. There were more pregnancies (33) and labors (19) and fewer abortions (6) after surgery than after embolization (17 pregnancies, 5 labors, 9 abortions) (p < 0.05). Obstetrical and perinatal results were similar in both groups, possibly due to the low number of labors after UAE to date. We conclude that UAE is less invasive and as symptomatically effective and safe as myomectomy, but myomectomy appears to have superior reproductive outcomes in the first 2 years after treatment.

Expression of angiopoietic factors in normal and type-I diabetes human placenta: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Morphological changes of blood vessel wall have been described in placenta from pregnancies complicated by diabetes mellitus type-I. STUDY DESIGN: We measured mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), angiopoietin 1 and 2 (Ang-1 and Ang-2), their receptors VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, Tie-2, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2), and its receptor FGF-2R in placental tissue of diabetes type-I patients, in normal term placenta, and endometrium of non-pregnant women by real time reverse transcriptase PCR. RESULTS: The expression of Ang-2 and VEGFR-1 mRNAs was significantly higher in placenta (P