Optimised gynaecological examination with a new pelvic examination chair.

Objective: The present aim was to contribute to improving the traditional pelvic examination chair with vertical leg support and to evaluate patients' and examiners' experience of a new gyneacological and urological examination chair with heated upholstery.

Study Design: A new gynaecological and urological examination chair was constructed with laterally adjustable leg support, a foot-plate and the perineum exposed only during the examination procedure. Patients (n = 131) with or without endometriosis were invited to participate in an anonymous questionnaire survey concerning how they experienced a gynaecological examination.

Minimal clinically important difference for pain on the VAS scale and the relation to quality of life in women with endometriosis.

Objectives: The minimal important difference can be helpful in interpreting data from clinical trials. The objective of the study was to calculate the minimal important difference for improvement on the VAS scale for women with endometriosis.

Study Design: A prospective study was conducted to evaluate the effect of pertubation with lignocaine on dysmenorrhea and quality of life in women with endometriosis.

Responsiveness of the Endometriosis Health Profile-30 questionnaire in a Swedish sample: an observational study.

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the responsiveness of the Endometriosis Health Profile-30 (EHP-30) questionnaire in a Swedish sample.

Materials And Methods: Forty-two patients with endometriosis were included in a prospective observational study.

Main Outcome Measures: The changes on the EHP-30 questionnaire after pertubation treatment were compared with the patients' self-estimated change in pain intensity.

Effect of Lignocaine on IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 in Peritoneal Macrophages and Endometriotic Stromal Cells.

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the effect of lignocaine on cytokine expression and secretion in vitro in peritoneal fluid macrophages and endometriotic stromal cells.

Design: Experimental in vitro study on human cells.

Population And Sample: Peritoneal fluid (n = 10) and samples from endometriotic cysts (n = 7) were collected from 13 women (women with endometriosis n = 8, and healthy controls n = 5) during surgery for clinical reasons.

Transducer hygiene: comparison of procedures for decontamination of ultrasound transducers and their use in clinical practice.

Background: To determine whether current hygiene practices are appropriate during sonographic examinations.

Methods: Five major hospitals in Sweden were investigated with a survey. At each hospital, the departments corresponding to the main types of sonographic examination were chosen.

Quality of life in patients with endometriosis and the effect of pertubation with lidocaine - a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Pertubation with lidocaine has been shown to reduce pain (on a VAS-scale) in women with endometriosis. A clinical study was performed to evaluate the effect of lidocaine pertubations on quality of life.

Design: Double-blind, randomized and controlled trial.

Serum concentration of lignocaine after pertubation: an observational study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to report the serum concentration of lignocaine after pertubation in patients with endometriosis.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Setting: The study was carried out at a gynaecological outpatient unit in Stockholm, Sweden.

Pertubation with lidocaine--a non-hormonal, long-term treatment of dysmenorrhea due to endometriosis.

The major symptoms of endometriosis are dysmenorrhea and infertility. Pertubations with lidocaine have been shown to reduce dysmenorrhea and have an enhancing effect on fertility. Different concentrations of lidocaine were evaluated in a randomized, double-blind study of pre-ovulatory pertubations with lidocaine solutions in women with dysmenorrhea.

Pertubation with lignocaine as a new treatment of dysmenorrhea due to endometriosis: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology that can cause severe dysmenorrhea. Lignocaine has anti-inflammatory properties and exerts effects on nerve endings and intra-peritoneal macrophages. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pertubation with Ringer-Lignocaine on dysmenorrhea in women with endometriosis.

A new rapid and effective method for treatment of unexplained infertility.

Background: Artificial insemination (intrauterine insemination by husband or artificial insemination by husband) is often tried as first treatment for couples with unexplained infertility. Pertubation has previously proved to increase the chance of achieving pregnancy for these couples. The effect of pertubation on fertility can be mechanical as well as anti-inflammatory by using a substance that inhibits phagocytosis of the spermatozoa.

Human chorionic gonadatropin (hCG) during third trimester pregnancy.

Objective: Separate reference values were recently established for routine blood samples during last trimester pregnancy. Previously, these were based on blood samples from healthy men or non-pregnant women. Normal changes in variation in the levels of steroid hormones in the last weeks of pregnancy before delivery are also incompletely investigated.

Retrograde migration of glove powder in the human female genital tract.

Background: This study in humans was undertaken to evaluate earlier results from animal research showing a retrograde migration of glove powder from the vagina into the intra-abdominal cavity.

Methods: One study group was gynaecologically examined with powdered gloves the day before an abdominal hysterectomy and another group 4 days pre-operatively. There were two control groups similarly examined with powder-free gloves.

Reference intervals for plasma levels of fibronectin, von Willebrand factor, free protein S and antithrombin during third-trimester pregnancy.

During pregnancy, significant changes occur in the hemostatic system and in the plasma levels for several plasma proteins, especially towards term. In this study changes occurring during normal pregnancy and immediately postpartum were investigated to establish adequate reference intervals for important hemostatic parameters. Blood samples were collected during pregnancy weeks 33, 36, 39 and 1-3 h after delivery from 153 healthy pregnant women with at least one previous normal pregnancy.

Glove powder in the hospital environment -- consequences for healthcare workers.

Objective: Exposure to starch powder from natural rubber latex medical gloves can cause allergy symptoms among healthcare employees and impair working conditions, due to the absorption of latex protein antigens onto the starch powder on the gloves. To evaluate and take care of this problem at Stockholm Söder Hospital we carried out this study.

Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to all employees working within the medical centre.

Pertubation with lignocaine--a possible new treatment for women with endometriosis and impaired fertility.

The causal relationship between reduced fertility and early stage endometriosis without pelvic adhesions is unclear. Peritoneal fluid from patients with endometrial peritoneal implants contains more leukocytes with an increased capacity to phagocytose spermatozoa. Peritoneal fluid supplemented with lignocaine has a reduced sperm phagocytosis capacity.

New reference values for routine blood samples and human neutrophilic lipocalin during third-trimester pregnancy.

Reference values are usually based on blood samples from healthy men or non-pregnant women. Blood samples from pregnant women may be compared with these reference values. Correct references for pregnancy can be extremely important for clinical decisions such as ablatio placentae, appendicitis, premature rupture of membranes and preeclampsia.

Post-operative consequences of glove powder used pre-operatively in the vagina in the rabbit model.

This study was undertaken to determine if a retrograde migration of glove powder (Biosorb(TM)) from the vagina into the abdominal cavity in combination with a subsequent intra-abdominal trauma could affect the development of adhesions. A rabbit model was used with one control and one test group. A total of 50 mg Biosorb(TM) was deposited intravaginally in the test cases before ovulation was induced.

Precautions taken to prevent adhesions--a questionnaire study among Swedish obstetricians and gynaecologists.

Objective: To collect data on the current practice and knowledge about surgical techniques for prevention of adhesions and types of surgical gloves used by Swedish obstetricians and gynaecologists.

Design: Postal questionnaire during 1995.

Setting: Sweden.

Fibrinolysis in the peritoneal fluid during adhesions, endometriosis and ongoing pelvic inflammatory disease.

The concentrations of the specific activators (u-PA and t-PA) and the specific inhibitors (PAI-1 and PAI-2) of the fibrinolytic system were analyzed in the peritoneal fluid in women suffering from intra-abdominal adhesions, endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory diseases (PID). Peritoneal fluids were collected from ten women in whom a laparotomy was performed and an additional 108 in whom a laparoscopy was carried out. In comparison with the normal control patients all activators and inhibitors were significantly increased in cases of PID and when a second-look laparoscopy was performed one week after laparotomy with adhesiolysis.

The effect of lignocaine on sperm phagocytosis in the peritoneal fluid from women with or without endometriosis.

The study was undertaken to investigate a possible mechanism for reducing the phagocytosis of spermatozoa by leukocytes in the peritoneal fluid from women suffering from endometriosis. Peritoneal fluids were collected during laparoscopy from women undergoing laparoscopic sterilization or from women under investigation for cause of infertility where the laparoscopic findings were endometriosis. Prepared spermatozoa from one healthy man were incubated in vitro with peritoneal fluid with or without lignocaine.

Retrograde migration of starch in the genital tract of rabbits.

This study in a rabbit model simulates contamination with glove powder in association with a routine gynaecological examination. Large individual variations of powder contamination were found and there were no overall statistically significant differences between the control and experimental animals. The findings are supported by the observation that some but not all women develop adhesions after gynaecological surgery.

The human leucocyte antigen (HLA) DR expression and the distribution of T-lymphocytes in the fimbriae of the normal fallopian tube and during pelvic adhesion disease.

Problem: Systematically to investigate the expression of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) DR on the columnar epithelium and the content of T-lymphocytes in the fimbriae specimens of the fallopian tube from healthy women and from women with infertility and pelvic adhesions.

Method: The staining of HLA-DR expression on the columnar epithelium was judged on a four-graded scale according to the distribution of HLA-DR expression. The amount and distribution of T-lymphocytes were registered.

Role of eosinophilic granulocytes in women with infertility and pelvic adhesions.

Increased numbers of eosinophilic granulocytes and eosinophil degranulation have been observed in various inflammatory conditions. Biopsies from the fallopian tubes of 28 patients were examined for the content of eosinophilic granulocytes. Peritoneal fluids (PF) from 89 patients were analyzed for the concentrations of eosinophilic granulocytes and the granule protein eosinophil cationic protein (ECP).

Hyaluronan and myeloperoxidase in human peritoneal fluid during genital inflammation.

The changes in concentration of hyaluronan (HYA) and myeloperoxidase in peritoneal fluid (PF) were studied during genital intraperitoneal inflammation. PF were collected from 111 women undergoing laparatomy for adhesiolysis and reconstructive surgery of the fallopian tubes, or laparoscopy in search of causes of infertility or low abdominal pain. When the number of leukocytes in the PF had been counted, the fluid samples were centrifuged and the supernatants analyzed for the concentrations of HYA and of myeloperoxidase.