HOX A10 and HOX A11 mutation scan in congenital malformations of the female genital tract.

Homeobox (HOX) genes encode a number of transcription factors, expressed along the developmental axis of the female genital tract during the embryonic period. Because HOX A10 and HOX A11 genes are expressed in the embryonic paramesonephric (Müllerian) ducts, abnormally low expression by mutant HOX A10 and HOX A11 genes might cause genital tract anomalies. This case-control study examined if one or more mutations in the HOX A10 and HOX A11 genes are included in the pathogenesis of the female genital tract anomalies.

Placenta abruption in a woman with Wilson's disease: a case report.

Wilson's disease is a rare genetic disorder of copper metabolism that causes primary hepatic cirrhosis, secondary menstrual abnormalities and infertility. Following the appropriate therapy patients are asymptomatic and pregnancy may be achieved. We present a case of placental abruption in a pregnant woman with Wilson's disease and we review the management dilemmas and treatment options of pregnant women with Wilson's disease.

Women's expectations and intention to terminate pregnancy in case of abnormal findings at the second trimester level II ultrasound scan. A prospective, questionnaire-based, cross-sectional survey.

Objective: The aims of this study were: (1) to explore pregnant women's background knowledge and expectations of 2nd trimester ultrasound screening, and (2) to investigate women's intentions to proceed to pregnancy termination if fetal anomaly is detected at the 2nd trimester ultrasound screening.

Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study. 300 consecutive pregnant women served as a convenience sample for this study.

Comparison between 20G and 22G needle for second trimester amniocentesis in terms of technical aspects and short-term complications.

Objective: To compare short-term complications of amniocentesis using 20G versus 22G needle.

Methods: A total of 200 women referred for mid-trimester amniocentesis were randomized to a 20G (Group I, n = 100) or 22G amniocentesis needle (Group II, n = 100). The primary outcome was intrauterine bleeding at needle insertion.

Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system vs. endometrial thermal ablation for menorrhagia.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a Levonorgestrel-releasing Intrauterine System (LNG-IUS) in controlling menorrhagia in comparison with endometrial thermal rollerball ablation.

Design: Seventy-nine consecutive patients with menorrhagia underwent either LNG-IUS insertion (n=42) or hysteroscopical endometrial thermal rollerball ablation (n=37) in a prospective, observational, comparative study. Women reported duration of uterine bleeding in days prior to, and six and 12 months after each intervention.

Comparison of diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound with laparoscopy in the management of patients with adnexal masses.

Purpose: The aims of this study was (a) to compare the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound examination with laparoscopic findings and both with the gold standard (histology) in the management of benign ovarian lesions, and (b) to assess the feasibility of laparoscopy in their diagnosis and management.

Methods: Prospective, comparative study (Canadian Task Force Classification II-2). A total of 117 women 15-59 years old were examined at outpatient department and had transvaginal ultrasound assessment.

Laparoscopic management of mesenteric cyst: a case report.

Mesenteric cysts are rare intra-abdominal lesions with variable clinical symptoms and signs that make pre-operative diagnosis difficult. Optimal treatment is surgical excision of the cyst with laparotomy or laparoscopy. We present a case of mesenteric cyst that was misdiagnosed as para-ovarian cyst and managed laparoscopically by gynaecologists.

Complete uterine inversion during caesarean section: A case report.

Inversion of the uterus through the uterine lower segment incision during a caesarean section is an extremely rare obstetric incident. It consists, though, an emergency complication that is potentially life-threatening, especially in cases of prolonged inversion, because haemodynamic instability and shock may occur. Prompt diagnosis and immediate uterine reversion are the key actions in the management of this serious complication.

Ultrasound and MR-imaging in preoperative evaluation of two rare cases of scar endometriosis.

Scar or incisional endometriosis is a rare, often misdiagnosed, pathologic condition of the abdominal wall. Two cases of incisional endometriosis are presented. Both patients presented with atypical cyclic pain and palpable nodules on scars of previous cesarean sections.

Adeno-associated virus infection and cervical neoplasia: is there a protective role against human papillomavirus-related carcinogenesis?

The aim of this study was to investigate whether adeno-associated virus (AAV) infection can be associated with a reduced risk for human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cervical neoplasia. The study was a prospective descriptive analysis of the prevalence of AAV and HPV DNA sequences in women with and without neoplastic cervical lesions. The study population consisted of 373 women aged 19-65 years old who attended the outpatient colposcopy clinic of a tertiary university center.

Glutathione-S-transferase M1 and T1 and cytochrome P1A1 genetic polymorphisms and susceptibility to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in Greek women.

The aim of the study was to determine the importance of genetic polymorphisms of glutathione-S-transferase T1 and M1 and cytochrome P1A1 genes in the development of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in Greek women. This was a prospective, case-control study conducted by the Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy Unit of a University Ob/Gyn Department from 1999 to 2003. Cervical smears from 114 controls without any cytological and/or colposcopical evidence of cervical pathology and from 166 women with history of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (56 CIN I, 54 CIN II and 56 CIN III) were examined with polymerase chain reaction for the above-mentioned genetic polymorphisms, taking also in mind their smoking attitudes.

ThinPrep are superior to conventional smears in the cytological diagnosis of subfertile men by testicular fine-needle aspiration.

The aim of this study was the comparison of liquid-based cytology (ThinPrep, TS) to conventional smears (CS) in the investigation of subfertile men with testicular fine-needle aspiration (FNA). Between January and December 2004, testicular FNA biopsies were performed in 30 subfertile men. Both TS and CS were diagnosed according to Meng classification.

Gluteo-vaginal sinus formation complicating posterior intravaginal slingplasty followed by successful IVS removal. A case report and review of the literature.

Posterior intravaginal slingplasty (IVS) is a technique used for the treatment of apical prolapse. Type III meshes have been mostly used with this technique. In this article, a case of bilateral gluteo-vaginal sinus tract formation that complicated a posterior vaginal slingplasty with a type III mesh is presented.

Laparoscopic excision of uterine adenomyomas.

Objective: To present a series of six consecutive women with adenomyomas who were successfully managed with a standard treatment strategy to elucidate the feasibility and the effectiveness of laparoscopic treatment of adenomyomas.

Design: Cross-sectional case series.

Setting(s): Obstetrics and gynecology department of a tertiary academic hospital and endoscopic unit of a private hospital.

Laparoscopic management of hydrosalpinx.

Hydrosalpinx is a common cause of female infertility. Lower implantation and pregnancy rates have been reported in women with hydrosalpinges. How hydrosalpinx exerts its negative effect on the implantation process is not clearly understood.

Tibolone therapy in breast cancer survivors: a retrospective study.

Aim: To investigate a possible relationship between tibolone therapy and recurrence or mortality in breast cancer survivors.

Methods: In a retrospective study, data from files of 247 patients who had been treated for breast cancer were analyzed. Twenty women were treated with tibolone because of menopausal symptoms (Group 1: mean duration of tibolone use 37.

beta-thalassemia and gonadal axis: a cross-sectional, clinical study in a Greek population.

beta-thalassemia (beta-thal) is characterized by disturbances of the reproductive system. The aim of the present study was: 1) to assess the hypothalamic- pituitary-gonadal axis in patients with beta-thal in relation to their phenotype and 2) to determine prognostic features of current gonadal status. We studied 135 patients (67 males and 68 females) with beta-thal through history, physical examination, spermiograms and GnRH test.

Evacuation of the cervix after methotrexate administration in the treatment of cervical pregnancy: five cases.

Case studies of five consecutive patients with cervical pregnancy treated with a standard protocol are presented. The aim was to evaluate the place of evacuation with curettage followed or not by cervical tamponade as an additional modality in patients with cervical pregnancies treated initially with methotrexate (MTX). The five patients with cervical pregnancies were treated with local injection and systemic administration of MTX, while in four of them additional cervical evacuation was performed.

The use of Data Mining in the categorization of patients with Azoospermia.

Objective: Data Mining is a relatively new field of Medical Informatics. The aim of this study was to compare Data Mining diagnosis with clinical diagnosis by applying a Data Miner (DM) to a clinical dataset of infertile men with azoospermia.

Design: One hundred and forty-seven azoospermic men were clinically classified into four groups: a) obstructive azoospermia (n=63), b) non-obstructive azoospermia (n=71), c) hypergonadotropic hypogonadism (n=2), and d) hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (n=11).

Laparoscopic management of unicornuate uterus with non-communicating rudimentary horn (three cases).

This article describes the laparoscopic management of unicornuate uterus with a non-communicating rudimentary horn in three women who presented with lower abdominal pain and dysmenorrhoea. The patients were managed with laparoscopic removal of the rudimentary horn along with the ipsilateral salpinx. No complications were noted intraoperatively and the patients remain asymptomatic.

A unique case of conjoined triplets.

A unique case of conjoined triplets that was characterized as tricephalus, tetrabrachius, and tetrapus parapagothoracopagus is presented. Antenatal diagnosis of the conjoined triplet was made at 22 weeks of gestation with 2-dimensional ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging. Pregnancy was terminated by hysterotomy, and diagnosis of conjoined triplets was confirmed postnatally.

Unilateral vulvar edema after operative laparoscopy: a case report and literature review.

Objective: To report a case of unilateral vulvar edema occurring after operative laparoscopy and to review the relevant literature.

Design: Case report.

Setting: University hospital.

Aromatase inhibitor anastrozole for treating endometrial hyperplasia in obese postmenopausal women.

This is a preliminary study investigating the efficacy of aromatase inhibitor anastrozole in treating endometrial hyperplasia in obese postmenopausal women. We administered anastrozole for 12 months to 11 obese postmenopausal women with high operative risk, in order to treat endometrial hyperplasia (four simple, five complex and two atypical). Endometrial thickness in all cases and histology too in the two cases with atypia, revealed atrophical endometrium during treatment and additional mean follow-up of 10.

Case report: laparoscopic treatment of a ruptured interstitial pregnancy.

Interstitial pregnancy is a rare but life-threatening condition. A case of a 28-year-old woman with a partially ruptured interstitial pregnancy treated with operative laparoscopy is presented. A laparoscopic cornual resection and a left salpingectomy were performed uneventfully.