[Taxol (paclitaxel) as second-line therapy in breast and ovarian cancer].

Results of chemotherapy with taxol (paclitaxel) in 55 patients with recurrent breast and ovarian cancer were reviewed. Taxol was given as a 3-hour infusion, every 3 weeks, on an outpatient basis. There was complete or partial response in 8 patients (23%) with breast cancer and 10 (50%) with ovarian cancer.

Pelvic actinomycosis. Is long-term antibiotic therapy necessary?

Objective: To describe 11 cases of actinomycosis and analyze whether long-term antibiotic use in necessary.

Study Design: Analysis of 11 cases of pelvic actinomycosis diagnosed and treated during the last nine years. Four patients had an intrauterine device (IUD) for 6-20 years, three patients had an IUD for 3-5 years, and four patients had no known etiology.

Uterine curettage following second trimester abortion by extraovular instillation of prostaglandin E2. A prospective-randomized trial.

Objective: To evaluate the benefits associated with routine uterine curettage following complete second trimester termination of pregnancy by extraovular prostaglandin E2.

Study Design: Fifty-five patients between 15 and 24 weeks' gestation who had undergone complete termination of pregnancy by continuous extraovular instillation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), were randomly assigned into either no further intervention (n=25), or uterine curettage under general anesthesia (n=30). The need for late uterine curettage, clinical and ultrasonographic parameters at 1 and 42 days follow-up, as well as the incidence of the minor and major complications, were compared between groups.

Second-trimester membrane rupture. Abortion induced with prostaglandin E2 after oxytocin failure.

Objective: To test an effective method of terminating second-trimester pregnancy with ruptured membranes in women who fail to abort from an oxytocin infusion.

Study Design: Five patients with rupture of membranes during the second trimester of pregnancy and failed to abort using the traditional method of intravenous oxytocin infusion were treated with intrauterine instillation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) solution through a double-balloon device.

Results: All five patients aborted within 8.

Ripening and dilatation of the unfavourable cervix for induction of labour by a double balloon device: experience with 250 cases.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of the double balloon device (the Atad Ripener Device) in ripening and dilatation of the unfavourable cervix for induction of labour.

Methods: Two hundred and fifty women with unfavourable cervices (Bishop score < or = 4) underwent induction of labour with the Atad Ripener Device. Indications were pregnancy induced hypertension (n = 118), post-dates (n = 69), elective inductions (n = 23), other reasons including nonreassuring nonstress test, intrauterine growth retardation, previous caesarean section and diabetes mellitus (n = 40).