A Fluid-Management Drape for Hysteroscopy: Innovation for Improved Patient Safety and Surgical Care.

Background: Hysteroscopy requires accurate collection of unabsorbed distension media to measure patient fluid absorption. We assessed the effectiveness and usability of a novel total capture drape compared with a standard drape during hysteroscopy.

Method: Simulation trials were followed by an early-phase study to compare fluid-capture efficiency and measures of drape usability during hysteroscopy randomizing the total capture drape compared with a standard drape.

Counseling and diagnostic evaluation for the infertile couple.

Educating couples about natural means to improve fertility should include a discussion about appropriate timing to initiate a diagnostic evaluation for infertility. Complete infertility testing for both male and female factors allows directed care for all abnormalities to optimize chances for conception.

Influence of ejaculatory abstinence on seminal total antioxidant capacity and sperm membrane lipid peroxidation.

Objective: To determine whether the period of ejaculatory abstinence (EA) influences the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of semen or lipid peroxidation (LPO) of sperm membranes.

Design: A prospective experimental trial.

Setting: Academic medical center for reproductive endocrinology and infertility.

Obstetric and gynecologic challenges in women with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Objective: To determine how often women with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome experience obstetric and gynecologic issues both compared with the general population and within the three most common subtypes of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Methods: An anonymous, prospective, online questionnaire in English was posted to the Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation web site (http://ednf.org).

Molecular evaluation of proliferative-phase endometrium may provide insight about the underlying causes of infertility in women with endometriosis.

Purpose: To determine if endometrial gene expression is different in women with endometriosis-related infertility and fertile women.

Methods: Prospective study of mid-follicular phase endometrium in 47 subjects in two phases: microarray study of 10 infertile women with endometriosis and five fertile controls, and a quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) study of 27 infertile women with endometriosis and 15 fertile controls. Gene expression was determined by DNA microarray, and qRT-PCR used for 12 "promising" genes based on the microarray analysis.