Abdominal and urogenital diseases can often be the cause of lower back pain and sciatic-like symptoms.

SUMMARY The treatment of lower back pain and sciatic-type symptoms are often not related to spinal cord infringement, but are due to other factors such as urogenital irritation and piriformis syndrome. Other factors can exist and it behooves the physician to make a definitive diagnosis in order to prevent treating with medicines and treatments that often do not work. Medicines in high doses can lead to dependence or addiction.

De novo pudendal neuropathy after TOT-O surgery for stress urinary incontinence.

Background And Objectives: Five cases of pelvic nerve complications after transobturator tape (TOT) inside-out surgical procedures for stress urinary incontinence are presented.

Methods: We conducted a chart review of patients with complications referred to our practice.

Results: Five patients with nerve complications after TOT inside-out procedures were investigated.

Anterior vaginal wall tenderness (AVWT) as a physical symptom in chronic pelvic pain.

Background And Objectives: Chronic pelvic pain is often difficult to diagnose and treat properly. Physicians called on to treat this problem may not be able to give a specific diagnosis. The aim of this study was to see whether the physical presence of anterior vaginal wall tenderness could help narrow down and elucidate diagnoses in a practice focusing on diagnosis and treatment of chronic pelvic pain.

Correlation of anterior vaginal wall pain with endometriosis in infertile patients.

Objective: To investigate whether anterior vaginal wall tenderness in a patient with unexplained infertility correlated to a high percentage of finding endometriosis on laparoscopy.

Method: Fifty-five consecutive patients with unexplained infertility had vaginal examinations with anterior wall palpation to determine whether there was tenderness (AVWT). As part of the infertility workup, laparoscopy, biopsies and cystoscopy with hydrodistention were performed.

Utilizing the great blue heron (Ardea herodias) in ecological risk assessments of bioaccumulative contaminants.

Selection of an appropriate species is a key element of effective ecological risk assessments (ERA), especially when site-specific field studies are to be employed. Great blue herons (GBH) possess several ideal characteristics of a receptor species for the assessment of bioaccumulative compounds in the environment, such as ease of study, high potential for exposure, widespread distribution, and territorial foraging behavior. Methodologies for assessing exposure and population health are described herein.

The relationship between interstitial cystitis and endometriosis in patients with chronic pelvic pain.

Objective: This study was designed to determine the relationship between interstitial cystitis (IC), endometriosis (endo), and chronic pelvic pain (CPP) in individuals in whom nongynecological and nonurological problems had been previously ruled out.

Methods: A prospective study of 162 consecutive women with a complaint of chronic pelvic pain seen in the clinic was performed between August 2002 and December 2005. These patients underwent a workup to exclude other causes of pelvic pain, had PUF (Pain Urgency and Frequency) questionnaires filled out, and underwent a laparoscopy and a cystoscopy with hydrodistention.

The treatment of mild endometriosis with laser laparoscopy: a two-step treatment analysis of patients whose primary therapy was successful.

Objectives: The most advantageous treatment for pelvic endometriosis that is not extensive has long been the subject of debate. In recent years, the ability to detect atypical presentations has allowed the gynecological surgeon to treat this entity more readily. The treatment in the past has been concerned with the singular treatment being applied at the time, not on the prior treatment effects on current therapy.

Chronic pelvic pain: the occurrence of interstitial cystitis in a gynecological population.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine what relationship exists between interstitial cystitis and chronic pelvic pain in patients.

Methods: A prospective study of 35 women with a complaint of chronic pelvic pain was performed between August 2002 and September 2003. These patients underwent a workup to exclude other causes of pelvic pain and underwent a laparoscopy and a cystoscopy with hydrodistention at 80 cm of hydrostatic water pressure.