Chronic pelvic pain due to pelvic lymphangioleiomyomatosis: A case report

AbstractLymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a rare multisystem disease affecting mainly young women, is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of smooth muscle-like cells in the lungs. We report a case of endometriosis with chronic pelvic pain due to pelvic LAM. A 41-year-old gravida 1, para 1 woman had been experiencing intermittent left pelvic pain for several years. She also complained of dyspnea on effort 2 years previously, and was diagnosed with pulmonary LAM. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging showed a right ovarian endometriotic cyst and a left pelvic mass. She was referred to our hospital for the treatment of pelvic pain; she underwent laparoscopic cystectomy of the right ovarian endometriotic cyst. Her left pelvic cyst was found in the retroperitoneal space, and biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of LAM. Therefore, we suggest that LAM localized in the pelvis should be considered when a patient with pulmonary LAM presents with pelvic pain or abdominal distention

The Amnioscope Strikes Back as a Useful Device for Pinhole Amniotomy in the Management of Polyhydramnios

Polyhydramnios is associated with many serious maternal complications such as placental abruption or cord prolapse at rupture of membranes, uterine dysfunction at delivery, and postpartum hemorrhage. When considering uterine dysfunction caused by overstretched uterine muscles, active artificial amniotomy for more efficient labor seems to be a preferred obstetric management, but the potential adverse complications make obstetricians hesitate to perform this procedure. In such a challenging situation, a new strategy is required. We recently performed pinhole artificial amniotomy using an amnioscope in four women with polyhydramnios, not only to accelerate of labor but also to more slowly and safely reduce amniotic fluid volume. We had no complications using this procedure, and all women were able to have a vaginal delivery without postpartum hemorrhage and neonatal asphyxia. Pinhole artificial amniotomy using an amnioscope may be more convenient and safer than conventional artificial amniotomy. The significance of the amnioscope has been practically nil in modern obstetric management. In this pilot clinical study, we identified a new value for the amnioscope as a promising device for safer amniotomy in women with polyhydramnios

Simple and highly efficient method for transient in vivo gene transfer to mid-late pregnant mouse uterus

Shinsuke Koyama, Tadashi Kimura, Kazuhide Ogita, Hitomi Nakamura, Chisa Tabata, Khan Md Abu Hadi Noor Ali, Kumiko Temma-Asano, Koichiro Shimoya, Tateki Tsutsui, Masayasu Koyama, Yasufumi Kaneda, Yuji Murat

Mouse model of human infertility: transient and local inhibition of endometrial STAT-3 activation results in implantation failure

AbstractEmbryo implantation involves a series of biochemical reactions and its failure is an important therapeutic target of infertility treatment. We established an infertile mouse model using transient and local suppression of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT-3) activity by STAT-3 decoy transfer into the uterine cavity during implantation, resulting in <30% implantation. This infertility is caused by suppression of decidualization, which is indispensable for implantation, and independent of progesterone. These conditions may mimic clinically unexplained infertility. Our results suggest that STAT-3 could be a useful target for diagnosis and therapy of human implantation failure

Effects of 4-Hydroxy-2-Nonenal, a Major Lipid Peroxidation-Derived Aldehyde, and N-Acetylcysteine on the Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Human Uterine Myometrium.

Background: Chorioamnionitis is one of the important causes of preterm labor. Preterm labor with chorioamnionitis is associated with oxidative stress. We reported that 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), a major end product of oxidative fatty acid metabolism, is accumulated in the placenta with chorioamnionitis. The aim of this study was to confirm the effect of 4-HNE on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin (PG) induction in the uterine myometrial tissues. We also examined the effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on 4-HNE-induced COX-2 expression. Methods: Uterine myometrial tissues were obtained from 5 patients. One of them underwent elective cesarean section without labor, and 4 of them underwent hysterectomy because of placental previa or atonic bleeding. We stimulated the uterine myometrial tissues with 4-HNE. In addition, the tissues were pretreated with NAC before 4-HNE treatment. The expression of COX-2 mRNA was observed by real-time PCR. PGE2 and prostacyclin release into the supernatants of the tissue cultures was measured by ELISA. Results: 4-HNE induced the COX-2 mRNA expression and PGE2 production in the uterine myometrial tissue culture in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. NAC inhibited 4-HNE-induced COX-2 expression. Conclusion: 4-HNE may play an important role in preterm labor. NAC might be protective against preterm labor under oxidative stress