Spontaneous muscle haematomas: management of 10 cases.

This is a retrospective study about the treatment of spontaneous muscle haematomas (SMH) that are an uncommon disease that occurs especially in elderly patients with acquired coagulopathy. We report the management of 10 cases admitted to our Emergency Surgical Unit (ESU) between March 2011 and October 2012. For this analysis we have considered some parameters such as age, drug history, current symptoms, location of the haematoma, cause, and imaging examination. Our attention focused on: clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, diagnostic imaging techniques and treatments.

Estrogens and neuropeptides in postmenopausal women: un update.

Menopause is characterized by depletion of ovarian follicles, a reduction of ovarian hormones to castrate levels and elevated levels of serum gonadotropins from the anterior pituitary gland. Although this process has significant repercussions throughout the body and affects a large proportion of our society, the neuroendocrine control mechanisms that accompany menopause are poorly understood. This review aims to examine rigorously the most accredited literature to provide an update about our current understanding of the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis in the onset of and transition into female reproductive senescence, focusing on the role of some specific neuropeptides in regulating the HPG axis and on their effects on several menopausal symptoms, especially referring to the cardiovascular risk, to open up new horizons for new therapeutic strategies.

Emergency contraception: an updated review.

Emergency contraception is a common practice now. Many categories of drugs are marketed with modifications in dosage, in combination and even in the timing of administration. Recent re-analysis suggests that there is still no uniformity of opinion on the actual mechanism of action and this has often fueled the ethical controversy. This review analyzes the most common emergency contraception drugs: levonorgestrel, mifepristone and ulipristal acetate about their action underlining that the hormonal products, when used in emergency contraception, play different roles depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle during which they are administered.This review aims to examine rigorously the most accredited literature to verify if a evidence-based uniformity of opinions has been achieved about the biological effects of hormones administered after the sexual intercourse.