Publications by authors named "Caterina Exacoustos"

Adenomyosis is an important clinical condition with uncertain prevalence, and clinical focus on adenomyosis in patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) has increased during recent years. Recognizing the limited clinical knowledge on the impact of adenomyosis on ART outcomes, the First Lugano Adenomyosis Workshop was a symposium involving experts in the field of adenomyosis, covering basic research, imaging, surgery and infertility to highlight current advances and future research areas over a wide range of topics related to adenomyosis. Adenomyosis is characterized by altered oestrogen and progesterone signalling pathways.

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Purpose: Evaluating menstrual blood loss (MBL) in primary healthcare is challenging. Our study aimed to assess MBL using two methods: self-perception and pictograms (Pictorial Blood Assessment Chart-PBAC and Menstrual Pictogram superabsorbent polymer-c version-MP) in women undergoing transvaginal ultrasound (TVS).

Methods: We enrolled 221 premenopausal women with spontaneous menstruation, no hormonal therapy, and no ongoing pregnancy.

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Article Synopsis
  • Endometriosis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) share similarities in symptoms and may be difficult to differentiate, prompting a review of their relationship based on existing research.
  • * Despite limited studies, some evidence indicates a possible increased risk of IBD in women with endometriosis, with chronic symptoms overlapping between the two conditions.
  • * A multidisciplinary approach involving both gastroenterologists and gynecologists is recommended to ensure accurate diagnosis and treatment for patients exhibiting symptoms of either condition.*
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: The association between endometriosis and breast cancer still remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the different subtypes of breast cancer, immunohistochemical markers, hormone receptors, and ki67 proliferation indexes in patients with and without endometriosis and/or adenomyosis. : All patients with endometriosis and breast cancer were enrolled.

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The current knowledge on adenomyosis as a risk factor for RPL is very scant. Overall 120 women were included in this retrospective observational study. They were divided in three groups each of which consisted of 40 subjects: Group 1: women with RPL who were diagnosed to have adenomyosis on transvaginal ultrasound (TVS); Group 2: patients with RPL without ultrasonographic findings of adenomyosis; Group 3: patients with ultrasound diagnosis of adenomyosis without RPL and at least one live birth pregnancy.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of performing hysteroscopy with a morcellator without anesthesia for diagnosing issues in women experiencing abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB), using various forms of transvaginal sonography for evaluation.
  • - Out of 182 women who had ultrasound imaging, 131 underwent hysteroscopy, with a high compliance rate and most patients reporting low pain levels; the ultrasound results were mostly confirmed through hysteroscopy.
  • - The findings supported the use of this procedure as a practical outpatient treatment for AUB, showing it can effectively diagnose and treat conditions while minimizing pain and avoiding the need for anesthesia.
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Background: Endometriosis and migraine frequently coexist, but only a limited number of studies have focused on their mutual association. The aim of our study was to investigate, in untreated women with comorbid endometriosis/adenomyosis and migraine, the correlation between headache features and endometriotic subtypes and their possible relationship with pain severity and disease disability.

Methods: Fifty women affected by endometriosis/adenomyosis and migraine matched (1:2) with 100 patients with endometriosis alone and 100 patients with only migraine were recruited and underwent pelvic ultrasound imaging and neurological examination.

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Endometriosis has a prevalence of 10% worldwide in premenopausal women. Probably, endometriosis begins early in the life of young girls, and it is commonly diagnosed later in life. The prevalence of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) in adolescence is currently unknown due to diagnostic limits and underestimation of clinical symptoms.

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Objective: To prospectively examine the association between adenomyosis type, location, and severity with reproductive outcomes in patients undergoing single embryo transfer (SET) with embryos derived from donor oocytes.

Design: A prospective observational cohort study.

Setting: University-affiliated in vitro fertilization center.

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Endometriosis affects approximately 10% of premenopausal women worldwide. Despite its impact on quality of life, the delay in diagnosing this chronic disease is well known. Many patients with endometriosis report having suffered from dysmenorrhea and chronic pelvic pain in adolescence or at a young age.

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Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and endometriosis are chronic inflammatory diseases occurring in young women, sharing some clinical manifestations. In a multidisciplinary approach, we aimed to investigate symptoms, type, and site of pelvic endometriosis in IBD patients versus non-IBD controls with endometriosis.

Methods: In a prospective nested case-control study, all female premenopausal IBD patients showing symptoms compatible with endometriosis were enrolled.

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The evaluation of endometriosis in an adolescent girl is a challenging topic. The initial stage of the disease and the limited diagnostic instrument appropriate for the youth age and for its typical features can reduce the ability of the gynecologist. At the same time, missing a prompt diagnosis can delay the beginning of specific and punctual management of endometriosis, which could avoid a postponed diagnosis from 6 to 12 years, typical of adolescent girls complaining of dysmenorrhea.

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Background: Schwannomas of the gastrointestinal tract are a rare type of spindle cell tumor of peripheral nerve. Commonly, schwannomas are discovered incidentally, as they are usually asymptomatic.

Case: 46-year-old female patient, suffering from secondary amenorrhea and nonspecific intermittent pelvic pain associated with constipation.

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Objectives: To diagnose endometriosis in young patients ≤25y with severe dysmenorrhea through specific ultrasonographic examination findings and to correlate the symptoms to its different forms: ovarian, deep infiltrating endometriosis, and adenomyosis.

Design: A retrospective observational study.

Setting: University Hospital.

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Insertion of a LNG-Intra-uterine System (LNG-IUS) has many gynecological indications. The approved indications worldwide are contraception, treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding depending on not organic disease, and endometrial protection in case of an estrogenic therapy. Instead adenomyosis, fibroids, and fertility-sparing management of endometrial hyperplasia or early endometrial cancer in patients with desire of pregnancy are off label indications.

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Objective: To evaluate transvaginal sonography (TVS) findings after laparoscopic partial cystectomy for bladder endometriosis and to correlate postsurgical ultrasound findings with symptoms.

Material And Methods: A retrospective study including women who underwent laparoscopic partial cystectomy for bladder endometriosis. Within 12 months after surgery, TVS examination was conducted in all patients to evaluate the bladder morphology, and the presence of any postsurgical sonographic findings of the pelvis.

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Background: The overall clinical significance of the finding of endometrial abnormalities in predicting premalignant/malignant endometrial lesions is still incompletely determined. For this reason the management, surgical or expectant, of women in which an endometrial abnormality has been detected is debated.

Methods: This retrospective study was carried out on 1020 consecutive women, 403 premenopausal and 617 postmenopausal, who underwent operative hysteroscopy in a University Hospital for suspected endometrial abnormalities, which were detected by transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) and/or office hysteroscopy.

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Study Objective: To evaluate the ultrasound features, types, and degrees of adenomyosis among adolescents and to correlate these findings with clinical symptoms DESIGN: A retrospective observational study.

Setting: Gynecological ultrasound units from January 2014 to June 2020.

Patients: A total of 43 adolescents (aged 12-20 years) who were diagnosed as having adenomyosis at a pelvic ultrasound examination.

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Advances in preoperative diagnostics as well as in surgical techniques for the treatment of endometriosis, especially for deep endometriosis, call for a classification system, that includes all aspects of the disease such as peritoneal endometriosis, ovarian endometriosis, deep endometriosis, and secondary adhesions. The widely accepted revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine classification (rASRM) has certain limitations because of its incomplete description of deep endometriosis. In contrast, the Enzian classification, which has been implemented in the last decade, has proved to be the most suitable tool for staging deep endometriosis, but does not include peritoneal or ovarian disease or adhesions.

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Article Synopsis
  • A study was done to check for endometriosis in girls aged 12-20 using ultrasound and see how it affects their health symptoms.
  • Out of 270 girls, 54% had painful periods and 28% had heavy bleeding, with a small number showing signs of endometriosis.
  • The study found that girls with painful periods were more likely to have signs of endometriosis, making it important for doctors to pay attention to these symptoms in teenage girls.
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Objectives: To evaluate transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) findings in patients who underwent segmental rectosigmoid resection for deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) and to correlate postsurgical ultrasound findings with symptoms.

Methods: A retrospective study including 50 premenopausal women with bowel endometriosis who underwent segmental rectosigmoid resection was conducted. Within 12 months after surgery, a TVUS examination was conducted in all patients to evaluate the presence of postsurgical endometriosis locations and symptoms, including dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, dysuria, dyschezia, and chronic pelvic pain.

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Adenomyosis is characterized by the presence of ectopic endometrium within the myometrium. This features lead to structural changes in the surrounding myometrium and endometrium resulting also in functional changes. Alterations in the myometrium are suspected to lead to defective remodeling of spiral arteries during the early stages of decidualization resulting in altered vascular resistance and defective placentation.

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Study Objective: To correlate the type and degree of adenomyosis, scored through a new system based on the features of transvaginal sonography, to patients' symptoms and fertility.

Design: This is a multicenter, observational, prospective study.

Setting: Two endometriosis tertiary referral centers (University of Rome "Tor Vergata" and University of Siena).

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