Role of MRI and FIGO Staging in Evaluation of Fibroids - A Pictorial Review.

Uterine fibroids are the most common gynaecologic malignancy, but only 20% of women need treatment to relieve their symptoms. The management of fibroids has changed from open to laparoscopic hysterectomy, myomectomy and minimal invasive techniques such as uterine artery embolization and ablation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered the best modality in the diagnosis, characterization and number of fibroids as well as for accessing extrauterine relationships, associated diseases; it also helps in planning, choosing and prognosis of treatment options. Traditionally, uterine fibroids were classified according to their location as submucosal, intramural or subserosal. However, for minimally invasive techniques, the relation of the fibroid with the endometrium, the degree of fibroid extension in the myometrium and the pedunculated nature of the fibroid are required before the procedure. The FIGO classification system was created to describe and classify fibroid locations in a systematic and consistent manner with suitable communication to the referring doctor. We are providing an array of clinical symptoms, MRI images, and surgical approaches on the basis of FIGO classification and associated important points to diagnosis and clinical implications.

Identification and treatment of intra-abdominal fetal skeletal remains: A consequence of illicit and unsafe abortion.

OBJECTIVE: The safety of abortions has always been a matter of concern for women's health. Unsafe abortion is one of the most neglected health-care problems in developing countries due to lack of awareness of the legal issues and limited access to authorised services often leading the women to poor quality of abortion in unsafe settings through untrained health personnel. CASE REPORT: Two rare cases of second trimester unsafe abortions are reported here in which women presented after several weeks with well-preserved remains of fetal skeleton in their abdomen along with complicated multiple visceral injuries. Both these second trimester abortions were performed by untrained village abortionists for sex selection and unwanted pregnancy in an unmarried adolescent girl. The management in the unmarried girl was further complicated due to undisclosed history of abortion. CONCLUSION: These reports of unsafe abortion highlight the need for clinicians to have a high index of suspicion for an undisclosed abortion when treating any morbid woman of reproductive age with a bizarre abdominal clinical picture.

Pregnancy with dilated and peripartum cardiomyopathy: maternal and fetal outcome.

BACKGROUND: A retrospective review of the records of all the patients of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) with pregnancy at PGIMER, Chandigarh, India, in order to find out maternal and fetal outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We did a retrospective analysis of records of diagnosed cases of DCM from 1994 to 2010. There were records of 38 patients who had DCM with pregnancy. Detailed history was followed by systemic examination, routine investigations and echocardiography. Multidisciplinary care was given to these women by obstetrician, cardiologist, anesthetist and neonatologist. Pharmacotherapy consisted to diuretics, alpha and beta blockers and heparin or low-dose aspirin for thrombo prophylaxis. Elective induction of labor was advised after 37 weeks of gestation subject to favorability of cervix. RESULTS: Out of 1,472 patients of heart disease during study period, 38 women had DCM. Out of these, 8 (21 %) had idiopathic cardiomyopathy, two had DCM due to thyrotoxicosis and 28 (73.6 %) patients had peripartum cardiomyopathy. Mean gestational age at the time of presentation was 35 weeks. Majority of the patients (19/38) presented with complaints of exertional dyspnoea. Mean LVEF at the time of diagnosis was 32.28 %. There were six (15.8 %) maternal deaths and all of them had global hypokinesia on echocardiography and presented in NYHA class IV. Fetal outcome too depended upon maternal cardiac status. There were eight stillbirths and all the patients who had IUFD belonged to class IV. Twelve patients (40 %) had preterm delivery. Mean birth weight of babies was 2 kg.

Destructive operations--a vanishing art in modern obstetrics: 25 year experience at a tertiary care center in India.

BACKGROUND: Destructive operations have a limited role in modern day obstetrics. In the developed countries, obstetrics has become so advanced that these instruments have actually been put away. However, in developing countries like India, these procedures have a limited role where obstructed labor still continues to plague thousands of women every year and accounts for 8% of maternal deaths. This study was planned to define the changing role of destructive operations in obstetrics over the years as more number of abdominal deliveries are conducted in modern day obstetrics than these procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of destructive operations performed at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India, over a span of 25 years, between 1983 and 2007, was carried out. RESULTS: Of a total of 85,952 deliveries in PGIMER in these 25 years, there were 25,474 cesarean deliveries (29.63%), and 8,826 (10.26%) operative vaginal deliveries. The total number of destructive operations performed was 230 (0.26%). There were 202 craniotomies (87.8%), 13 decapitations (5.7%), 8 eviscerations (3.6%) and 7 cleidotomies (2.9%). CONCLUSION: There should be an individualized approach to each case of obstructed labor. The health care provider has to decide on the options available to him to deliver the mother by the safest route without causing morbidity and mortality. If the fetus is dead, a destructive procedure can be considered in place of abdominal-route delivery which carries considerable risk to the debilitated mother in neglected labor.

Vitamin C and E supplementation does not reduce the risk of superimposed PE in pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress could play a role in the development of preeclampsia. There is some evidence to suggest that vitamin C and E supplements can reduce the risk of the disorder. We hypothesized its beneficial role in a group of pregnant women with essential hypertension. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, we enrolled 50 pregnant women with essential hypertension. We assigned the women 1000 mg vitamin C and 400 IU natural vitamin E (RRR α tocopherol; n = 25), daily from the second trimester of pregnancy until delivery or no supplementation (n = 25). Our primary endpoint was development of superimposed preeclampsia, and main secondary endpoints were aggravation of hypertension, need for admission, need to increase antihypertensive drugs, and small size for gestational age (

Complete ectopia cordis with anencephaly: a case report.

We report a case of pentalogy of Cantrell with anencephaly diagnosed in utero on 2-dimensional sonography at 17 weeks of gestation. Due to associated anencephaly, termination of pregnancy was carried out. Histopathological examination confirmed the sonographic findings.