Ovarian stripping versus cystectomy: recurrence of endometriosis and pregnancy rate.

Purpose: To compare two different surgical techniques, stripping or cystectomy, in patients treated with the same post-operative medical therapy in terms of recurrence of endometrioma, recurrence of pain and spontaneous pregnancy rate within 2 years from surgery. Methods: The inclusion criteria of this study were: (1) 25-40 years old; (2) ovarian endometrioma more than 3 cm of diameter detected by transvaginal ultrasonography (3) regular menstrual cycle (4) post-operative treatment with GnRH analogs, (5) tubal patency assessed by laparoscopic chromopertubation (6) normal human semen characteristics. Exclusion criteria were uterine myoma, previous medical treatment for endometriosis, presence of adenomyosis, previous surgery of ovarian endometrioma, multiple cysts, bilateral involvement, co-existence of deep endometriosis. Patients were assigned to two study groups: group A (N = 45) patients undergoing stripping technique and group B (N = 64) patients undergoing cystectomy technique for ovarian endometrioma. Results: In group B the percentage of ultrasonographic recurrence (15.4 %, N = 15) is much lower than in group A (55.6 %, N = 25). (p value 0.001). In group B the percentage of symptomatic recurrence (21.8 %, N = 14) is much lower than in group A (53.3 %, N = 24) (p value 0.001). Spontaneous pregnancy rate in group A patients was of 4.4 % (N = 2) and in group B 22.3 % (N = 21), (p value 0.0072). However, the percentage of specimen with adjacent healthy ovarian tissue was lower in group A (26.6 %) than in group B (50 %) (p value 0.01). Conclusions: Among the different treatment options for surgical treatment of ovarian endometrioma, in our experience cystectomy appears to be the most appropriate treatment, both in terms of recurrence and pregnancy rate. © 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

First case of transformation for breast fibroadenoma to high-grade malignant phyllodes tumor in an in vitro fertilization patient: misdiagnosis of recurrence, treatment and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Cystosarcoma phyllodes are very rare tumors and may be difficult to diagnose clinically. BACKGROUND: Fibroadenomas have long been considered benign hyperplastic lesions rather than true neoplastic processes. However, previous clonality studies have shown differing results. AIM: to assess diagnostic and treatment options for phyllodes tumor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 41-year-old female patient undergoing assisted fertilization treatment. The patient underwent fine needle aspiration biopsy that confirmed fibroadenoma before the IVF attempt. At 17 weeks of gestation, due to an increase in volume of the fibroadenoma, an excisional biopsy was performer that showed a malignant phyllodes tumor. Then she underwent quadrantectomy and chemiotherapy After 1 year there was a recurrence of phyllodes tumors and she underwent mastectomy and chemotherapy. RESULTS: Fibroadenoma that was transformed into high-grade malignant cystosarcoma after ovarian stimulation, relapsed after one year and it was not immediately diagnosed. The patient underwent mastectomy and chemotherapy. DISCUSSION: it is difficult to diagnose recurrence and to determine tehe frequency and the right treatment for such a rare cancer, so it is important to report any case in the literature. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend to remove a fibroadenoma before attempting IVF for the risk of malignant transformation

Obstetric and neonatal outcomes of women with FGM I and II in San Camillo Hospital, Burkina Faso

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is still performed in the world. Women who underwent FGM have marked psychological, gynecological and obstetric consequences. This article contributes to the spread of knowledge about obstetric and neonatal outcomes in women with FGM I and II. Our observational study compared the obstetric outcomes of 85 women with FGM I and II (case group) and 95 women without it (control group). We evaluated age, need of oxytocin during labor, duration of the expulsion phase, need of episiotomy, weight of the newborn, Apgar score at birth, resuscitation of the newborn, stillbirth. We observed the rate of cesarean sections and their main indications. We compared the rate of cesarean sections among the cases and the controls. Controls were younger than women who underwent FGM. Intravenous oxytocin injection was higher in cases. The expulsion phase was longer in women with FGM than in the controls. FGM is related to a higher risk of episiotomy. Apgar score 9/10 was more frequently assigned to babies from mothers without FGM. There were more resuscitated babies and more stillbirth in the group of cases. Ten percent of all women underwent cesarean section. FGM is related to a higher incidence of cesarean section. FGM is associated with a higher risk of gynecological and obstetrical consequences, acting on women's health and also on the economy of resource limited countries. Because of migration, health professionals could interface with women who underwent FGM and have to know their related complications

Pain in the upper anterior-lateral part of the thigh in women affected by endometriosis: study of sensitive neuropathy

Objective: To assess whether pain in the anterior-lateral part of the thigh in women affected by endometriosis is due to femoral nerve invasion by endometriotic implants. Design: Case-control study. Setting: Hospital. Patient(s): We enrolled 30 patients with endometriosis and leg pain in the anterior-lateral part of the thigh and 30 healthy women. Intervention(s): Skin biopsy and neurologic examination for detection of neuropathy. Main Outcome Measure(s): Intraepidermal small fiber density reduction and positive neurologic examination agree with sensitive neuropathy. Result(s): Biopsy results showed no statistically significant difference between the case group and the control group. At neurologic examination nine patients in the study group (30%) showed positive results, none in the control group showed signs. These nine patients had reduced intraepidermal small fiber density, compared to the lower cutoff values of the control group, suggesting a sensitive neuropathy. Conclusion(s): When there is leg pain in women with endometriosis it is important to distinguish neuropathic from referred pain. Skin biopsy and neurologic examination should be introduced in the management of leg pain in endometriosis, due to their low invasiveness to diagnose a sensitive neuropathy. As a result early detection of nerve injury and planning for a prompt specific treatment would be possible. Copyright © 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc

Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia: a therapeutical dilemma.

Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN) represents a rare and asymptomatic pre-neoplastic lesion. Its natural history and potential evolution into invasive cancer are uncertain. VaIN can occur alone or as a synchronous or metachronous lesion with cervical and vulvar HPV-related intra epithelial or invasive neoplasia. Its association with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia is found in 65% of cases, with vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia in 10% of cases, while for others, the association with concomitant cervical or vulvar intraepithelial neoplasias is found in 30-80% of cases. VaIN is often asymptomatic and its diagnosis is suspected in cases of abnormal cytology, followed by colposcopy and colposcopically-guided biopsy of suspicious areas. In the past, high-grade VaIN and multifocal VaIN have been treated by radical surgery, such as total or partial upper vaginectomy associated with hysterectomy and radiotherapy. The need to maintain the integrity of reproductive capacity has determined the transition from radical therapies to conservative ones, according to the different patients' characteristics

Borderline ovarian tumors, fertility-sparing surgery and pregnancy outcome

Borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) represent a type of epithelial tumors having a biologic intermediate behavior between clearly malignant and straight benign tumors. Most of BOTs interest women during fertile age, for which it is necessary to consider a fertility sparing surgery. To evaluate the clinical aspects and pregnancy rate of women affected by borderline ovarian tumors who have undergone fertility sparing surgery. A study of 22 patients affected by BOTs who have been treated with a fertility sparing surgery was conducted between January 2005 and October 2011 at Sant'Andrea Hospital, "Sapienza" University of Rome. The patients' characteristics analyzed were: age, histological type, tumor size, adnexal surgery, pre-operative serum CA-125, diagnostic circumstances, number of patients who became pregnant and number of overall pregnancies. Among the 22 patients treated with a fertility sparing surgery, only sixteen wanted to get pregnant. Eleven patents out of 16 accomplished it. The pregnancy rate was 68.7%. Fertility sparing surgery can be considered a safe procedure for young women affected by borderline ovarian tumors

Identification of patients with defects in the globin genes

Hemoglobinopathies constitute a major health problem worldwide. These disorders are characterized by a clinical and hematological phenotypic heterogeneity. The increase of HbA2 is an invaluable hematological marker of the beta-thalassemia heterozygosis and of double heterozygosis for the alleles of delta and alpha globin genes or for the alleles of delta and beta globin genes which can cause the increase of HbA2 up to normal or borderline values. Case Report: we report the case of a 30-year-old woman (first pregnant) who was admitted to our Unit at 12 weeks for a screening for thalassemia. The outcomes of the biochemical and haematological exams (MCV, MCH, HbA2, HbF) highlighted that the patient was a carrier of a beta-thalassemic trait. Molecular analysis of the beta globin genes highlighted a β0 39C>T heterozygous mutation. Biochemical and hematological parameters of the husband (MCV, MCH, HbA2, HbF) were normal except for the level of HbA2(3,6%). The molecular analysis of the beta globin genes highlighted a IVS2 nt844 C>G heterozygous mutation. Further more, the heterozygous mutation δ+ cod.27G>T was detected in his δ globin gene. For this reason, he was diagnosed a δ+β Thal. Conclusions: the aim of this paper is to highlight that biochemical diagnosis could not exhaustive and a molecular diagnostic widening is required to detect the genetic deficiency causing the thalassemic trait

Assessment of HPV-mRNA test to predict recurrent disease in patients previously treated for CIN 2/3

Background: The use of HPV-mRNA test in the follow-up after LEEP is still matter of debate, with regard to its capacity of prediction relapse. Objective: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the reliability of HPV-mRNA test to predict the residual and recurrent disease, and its accuracy in the follow-up of patients treated for CIN 2/3. Study design: Multicenter prospective cohort study. Patients who underwent LEEP after a biopsy diagnosing CIN 2/3 were followed at 3, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months. Each check up included cytology, colposcopy, HPV-DNA test (LiPA) and HPV-mRNA test (PreTect HPV Proofer Kit NorChip). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), of HPV-DNA test and HPV-mRNA test to predict relapse, recurrent and residual disease. Using multiple logistic regression, the statistical significant variables as assessed in univariate analysis were entered and investigated as predictors of relapse disease. Results: The mRNA-test in predicting a residual disease had a sensitivity of 52% and a NPV of 91%, whereas DNA-test had 100% and 100%, respectively. On the contrary in the prediction of recurrent disease mRNA-test had a sensitivity and a NPV of 73.5% and 97%, whereas DNA-test had 44% and 93%. On the multivariate analysis, age, cytology, HPV DNA and mRNA test achieved the role of independent predictors of relapse. Conclusion: HPV-mRNA test has a higher sensitivity and a higher NPV in predicting recurrent disease, for this reason it should be used in the follow-up of patients treated with LEEP for CIN 2/3 in order to individualize the timing of check up. © 2014 Elsevier B.V