[Gynecologic laparoscopy and abdominal scars: what approach for the peritoneal cavity?]. / Coeliochirurgie gynécologique et ventre cicatriciel: quel abord de la cavité péritonéale?

To identify and discuss the advantages of the different methods of entry into the peritoneal cavity during gynecological laparascopy in patients who have previously undergone abdominal surgical procedures. Literature review comparing the strengths of each method of entering the peritoneal cavity during gynecological laparoscopic procedures. Adhesions increase the risks of access into peritoneal cavity during laparoscopy. Many techniques or safety rules have recently been described or re-evaluated as an alternative to using the traditional combination "Veress needle and blind introduction of the first trocar". The most relevant were the "open laparoscopy", the use of optical trocar, the double laparoscopy and the use of microlaparoscope. There remains no clear conclusion regarding the optimal form of laparoscopic entry in high risk patients. Relevant data emphasizes that critical to the surgeon's choice of technique is the immediate ability to recognize accidental injury and the capacity to avoid the scarred area. According to the literature review on the procedures used for entering the peritoneal cavity in high risk patients, we conclude that double laparoscopy may indeed be an underused procedure in such cases.

[Twin pregnancy in a unicornuate uterus with a rudimentary horn]. / Grossesse gémellaire et utérus unicorne avec corne rudimentaire communicante.

We describe the case of a rudimentary horn pregnancy coexistent with an intrauterine pregnancy. This situation is usually associated with rupture of the rudimentary horn and death of the correspondent twin. This is the first report on a multiple gestation with the two siblings successfully delivered by caesarean section in the two horns of a unicornuate uterus with rudimentary horn before any complication. Since the maternal mortality is higher in this situation, early ultrasound diagnosis is important to make the right decisions.

Delayed delivery of second twin: a multicentre study of 35 cases.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to conduct a statistical analysis to determine the outcome of conservative treatment after delivery of a first fetus in multiple pregnancy and thus define new prognostic factors. STUDY DESIGN: Multicentre retrospective study involving 12 centers over a 10-year period. RESULTS: Twenty-eight twin pregnancies and seven triplet pregnancies which were managed conservatively. In twin pregnancies, 79% of the delayed-delivery fetuses survived; only 7% of the first delivered fetuses survived. The mean interval between deliveries was 47 days. No statistical difference was found concerning cerclage, antibiotic therapy, tocolysis and hospitalization. Earlier delivery of the first twin and premature rupture of membranes for the second twin were significantly related to a longer interval between deliveries. CONCLUSION: Delayed delivery in multifetal pregnancies can be successful if there are no contraindications and these pregnancies are managed in a tertiary perinatal center. Publications limited to successful cases have undoubtedly introduced some bias in assessment.

[Pregnancy after embolization of a uterine leiomyomata]. / Grossesse évolutive après embolisation d'un utérus fibromyomateux.

Uterine artery embolization could be useful in the treatment of myoma, either before surgery to facilitate dissection, or totally in place of surgery. Nowadays, this technique seems attractive, considering the development of a conservative and non-invasive medicine. However the question of fertility in women of childbearing-age remains. The case of a pregnancy following uterine artery embolization is here described. All pregnancies from the literature have been reviewed and the discussion includes benefits and drawbacks of this method.

Changing trends in pregnancy outcome among HIV-infected women between 1985 and 1997 in two southern French university hospitals.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze risk factors for pregnancy outcome among HIV-infected women before and after introduction of AZT prophylaxis in 1994. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective, two-center observational study conducted from 1 January 1985 to 31 December 1997. PATIENTS: Pregnant HIV-infected women followed in one of the obstetrics units during the study period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: pregnancy outcome (normal delivery, ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, voluntary termination of pregnancy (TOP) according to year of pregnancy, age at pregnancy professional status, marital status, ethnic origin, mode of contamination, stage of disease, partner's human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status and prior pregnancy. RESULTS: One thousand one hundred and three pregnancies among 937 HIV-infected women were studied. Mean age of patients was 28.1 +/- 4.9 years. Pregnancy outcomes were distributed as follows: 473 normal deliveries, 589 TOP, 9 ectopic pregnancies and 32 spontaneous abortions. The proportion of TOP decreased from 59.4% before 1994 to 37.5% from 1994 (P < 0.001). In univariate analysis, mode of transmission, marital status, ethnic origin, partner's HIV status and prior pregnancy were also significantly correlated with pregnancy outcome. However, after adjustment by logistic regression for each period (before and after 1994), mode of transmission no longer appeared to influence pregnancy outcome. CONCLUSION: Effective prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection appears to have influenced HIV-infected women's decisions on continuing their pregnancy to term. Incidence of voluntary TOP has decreased significantly after introduction of AZT.

Harlequin fetus: three-dimensional sonographic findings and new diagnostic approach.

Congenital ichthyosis, otherwise known as harlequin fetus, is a severe, generally lethal, anomaly. Prenatal diagnosis is usually possible in families at risk but requires invasive fetoscopy for skin biopsy. The application of three-dimensional ultrasound enables a greatly improved analysis of the facial morphology and thus provides an important contribution to prenatal diagnosis. Although such three-dimensional diagnostic procedures are performed in specialized centers, sonographers should be aware of the signs observed at routine two-dimensional ultrasound examination in order to ensure appropriate referral for diagnosis. We describe two consecutive pregnancies of the same parents in which two- and three-dimensional ultrasound were used in the prenatal diagnosis of harlequin fetus.

[Update on maternal-fetal infections by hepatitis C, HIV and cytomegalovirus]. / Mise au point sur les infections materno-foetales par l'hépatite C, le V.I.H. et le cytomégalovirus.

Maternal infections with hepatitis C virus, human cutomegalovirus and HIV and their management problems continue to raise concern in obstetrics. What should we recommend to decrease the incidence of hepatitis C virus congenital infection? We know that congenital human cytomegalovirus infection can lead to major neurological disease with sensorineuronal loss. The current lack of trusted prognostic elements to predict impact on the infected fetus makes any prenatal diagnosis questionable. Should we thus track the initial maternal antibody status and the newborn infection? For the last 10 years, HIV mother-to-infant transmission has decreased from 25% to less than 3%. The new problem is how to answer the more and more frequent request for pregnancy from an infected woman. The treatment must be adapted to the pregnancy in order to reduce the risks for the mother and the infant. All these questions emphasize the problems of viral infection which will require answers in the years to come.

[Endometriosis of the rectus abdominis muscles]. / Endométriose des muscles grands droits de l'abdomen.

The authors report three cases of endometriosis of the rectus abdominis muscle, presenting as a mass of the abdominal wall associated with pain during menstruation in women with a history of cesarean section. Treatment consisted in wide surgical resection followed by prosthetic abdominal wall repair in one recurrent case. Abdominal wall endometriosis is a rare disease that can be explained by grafting of endometrial cells to the abdominal wall during laparotomy for pelvic surgery, particularly cesarean section. Isolation of the abdominal wall during cesarean section and irrigation of the abdominal wall at the end of the operation are two theoretical measures designed to prevent endometrial cell engraftment. When abdominal wall endometriosis occurs, only radical surgical resection can prevent recurrence.

[Femoral neck fracture complicating algodystrophy in pregnancy]. / Fracture du col fémoral compliquant une algodystrophie au cours de la grossesse.

BACKGROUND: Sympathetic reflex dystrophy is an uncommon cause of pelvic pain not to be overlooked in pregnant women. CASE REPORT: At 8 months pregnancy, a 27-year-old woman complained of invalidating pain of the left hip. Magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvis performed the day after delivery evidenced a non-displaced fracture of the femoral neck and a typical aspect of sympathetic reflex dystrophy. DISCUSSION: The true frequency of sympathetic reflex dystrophy during pregnancy is probably underestimated. Approximately one hundred cases have been reported. The hip joint is involved in 9 out of 10 cases. Such localizations are uncommon outside pregnancy, accounting for 14 to 17% of all cases.

[Antiretroviral therapy and prevention of maternal-fetal transmission of HIV-1. Current and future strategies]. / Antirétroviraux et prophylaxie de la transmission maternofoetale du VIH-1. Stratégies actuelles et futures.

Azidothymidine is effective and recommended for the prophylaxis of vertical HIV transmission. Data regarding this treatment have been collected over the last decade, leading to it being widely prescribed despite the lack of information concerning its long term toxicity. Antiretroviral drug combinations administered during pregnancy appear to ensure a better protection of both mothers and their offspring. However, data available on the adverse effects of these therapies during pregnancy are scarce and mainly obtained from in vitro or animal models. Therefore there is a need for multicentric trial including long-term follow-up of exposed patients.

Obesity in obstetrics and gynaecology.

In some countries, the incidence of obesity doubles every 10 years. For the obstetrician-gynecologist, there are many different situations where the patient's excess body weight calls for an adapted diagnostic and therapeutic approach. Obesity does not in itself appear to be a factor lowering fertility. However obesity-induced hormone disorders could contribute, in certain cases, to biological imbalance and thus favor the development of ovulation dysfunction. Pregnancy in obese women should be managed as a high risk pregnancy. The incidence of gestational diabetes and hypertension is increased. Macrosomatia is frequent. There is a 2- to 3-fold increase in the rate of cesarean sections with more complications. Fetal morbidity does not appear to be changed when maternal weight gain is limited. With obesity, there is an increased risk for breast and endometrial cancer due, for most authors, to elevated levels of circulating estrogens resulting from aromatization of male sex steroids in adipose tissue and decreased levels of sex hormone-binding globulin. Anesthesia and surgery in obese patients can be problematic and special care must be taken to prevent further morbidity. Laparoscopic surgery is possible under certain conditions, although its role remains to be determined. Prescription of hormone replacement must take into consideration several parameters which determine its usefulness and surveillance. Obesity is not a contraindication for hormone replacement therapy but is frequently a non-indication.

In vitro fertilization in women over 40 years of age. A study on retrospective data for eight years.

A retrospective (1987-1995), single-center study was conducted to evaluate the IVF success rate in women who were 40 years and over. Controls were randomly selected patients who were 35 years or younger from the same center. The main evaluation criterion was the number of pregnancies initiated in each group and especially the number of full-term deliveries (take-home baby rate). Differences were considered as statistically significant for P < or = 0.05: A total of 194 IVF attempts in women 40 years or over were compared to 209 attempts in the control group. The mean ages of the two groups was 40.9 vs. 29.3 years (P < 0.001). The duration of follicle stimulation was 12.9 vs. 13.1 days (not significant, NS). The number of ampules was 29.6 vs. 29.2 (NS). Serum estradiol levels were 1435.8 vs. 2020.8 pg/ml (P < 0.001). Oocytes: 4.6 vs. 7.3 (P < 0.001). Embryos: 1.7 vs. 2.8 (P < 0.0001). Full-term deliveries: 3.6 vs. 13.4% (P < 0.05). Better oocyte retrieval was achieved (5.3 vs. 3.3; P = 0.001) in the group that was 40 years or over, but there were no differences in the rate of embryo transfer (1.9 vs. 1.3; NS) and full-term deliveries (4.2 vs. 2.9%) in a long protocol compared to a short one. The results of the study are similar to those found in the literature. Indications for standard IVF without oocyte donation should be carefully thought out and couples should be warned of the low success rate.

[Knowledge and behavior of pregnant women towards HIV infection and its screening]. / Connaissances et comportements des femmes enceintes face à l'infection par le virus de l'immunodéficience humaine et à son dépistage. Enquête Prevagest PACA.

OBJECTIVES: To assess knowledge and attitudes of pregnant women towards HIV infection and testing, and to compare them according to the outcome of the pregnancy (elective abortion vs delivery). METHODS: Between March 30 and April 26, 1992, all women ending their pregnancy in a medical center located in South Eastern France, were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire: 3,589 (89.6%) responded: 2,825 women who delivered and 764 who chose abortion. RESULTS: 61.7% of the women who delivered and 24.1% of the women who chose abortion declared having been tested for HIV during pregnancy (p < 0.001). Among women who reported not having been tested, very few did so because they refused the test (2% among women who deliver and 1.5% among women who terminated pregnancy). A total of 2.6% of women tested during prenatal care and 19.6% in the context of abortion did not know the result of their test (p < 0.001). Knowledge about HIV transmission among women who delivered dit not differ significantly from that of women who terminated pregnancy. However risky behaviors were more frequent among the latter group (38.8% vs 17.7%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This research confirms that systematic HIV screening during prenatal care was already diffused in France but remained mainly motive by foetal concerns and was not always associated with adequate preventive counselling, specially for migrant women and women with a low level of education. HIV screening and counselling is not guaranteed for women coming for elective abortion although they are more at risk for HIV infection. In spite of psychological difficulties, systematic proposal of HIV screening should be extended to the context of elective abortion.

[Medical treatment exclusively for cervical pregnancy with in situ methotrexate]. / Traitement médical exclusif d'une grossesse cervicale par méthotrexate in situ.

We present a case report of cervical pregnancy with medical treatment. Medical treatment consisted in injection of methotrexate (50 mg) into the pregnancy, on the first, third and seventh day. Ultrasound and Doppler give important information for follow up. The pregnancy totally resolved and the patient did not need any further treatment.