Uterine curettage following second trimester abortion by extraovular instillation of prostaglandin E2. A prospective-randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the benefits associated with routine uterine curettage following complete second trimester termination of pregnancy by extraovular prostaglandin E2. STUDY DESIGN: Fifty-five patients between 15 and 24 weeks' gestation who had undergone complete termination of pregnancy by continuous extraovular instillation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), were randomly assigned into either no further intervention (n=25), or uterine curettage under general anesthesia (n=30). The need for late uterine curettage, clinical and ultrasonographic parameters at 1 and 42 days follow-up, as well as the incidence of the minor and major complications, were compared between groups. RESULTS: Baseline and post-abortion clinical and ultrasonographic characteristics were similar in both groups. Mean (+/- Standard error of the mean) number of post-abortion bleeding days in the curettage group was 8.9+/-1.8 versus 10.1+/-2.6 days in the non-curettage group (P=NS). No patient in the former group, compared to three patients in the latter group, needed late uterine curettage, (P=NS). Major and minor complications rates in the curettage and in the no-curettage groups were not significantly different. Considerably more patients in the curettage group needed analgesic agents following the abortion compared to the no-curettage group (60% vs. 3.3%, respectively; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Routine uterine curettage in patients undergoing complete second trimester termination of pregnancy by extraovular instillation of PGE2, exerts no benefit.

Pelvic actinomycosis. Is long-term antibiotic therapy necessary?

OBJECTIVE: To describe 11 cases of actinomycosis and analyze whether long-term antibiotic use in necessary. STUDY DESIGN: Analysis of 11 cases of pelvic actinomycosis diagnosed and treated during the last nine years. Four patients had an intrauterine device (IUD) for 6-20 years, three patients had an IUD for 3-5 years, and four patients had no known etiology. In most patients the symptoms lasted from several days to one month. The actinomycotic lesions involved one or both ovaries in all 11 cases. In five patients the lesion extended to other areas, such as the uterus, omentum, parametrium, pelvic walls, colon, bladder, cul-de-sac and gallbladder. RESULTS: All patients underwent surgery that included removal of the lesions with the ipsilateral or both adnexa and, in specific cases, with extension of the lesions, hysterectomy, omentectomy, hemicolectomy and cholecystectomy. Confirmation of the diagnosis of actinomycosis was done by histology in all cases, and antibiotic treatment usually began 1-14 days after surgery. The drug of choice was penicillin. The duration of treatment was 12 months in 6 patients, 6 months in 3 and < or = 3 months in two. All patients were alive and well after two to nine years of follow-up. CONCLUSION: In contrast to actinomycosis at other sites, where the literature recommends antibiotic therapy for 6-12 months, pelvic actinomycosis could be a limited disease. We propose that in cases of pelvic actinomycosis where the abscess can be completely removed surgically, a shorter period of antibiotic therapy can be effective.

[Taxol (paclitaxel) as second-line therapy in breast and ovarian cancer].

Results of chemotherapy with taxol (paclitaxel) in 55 patients with recurrent breast and ovarian cancer were reviewed. Taxol was given as a 3-hour infusion, every 3 weeks, on an outpatient basis. There was complete or partial response in 8 patients (23%) with breast cancer and 10 (50%) with ovarian cancer. Performance status and previous response to adriamycin were important prognostic factors. Toxicity was manageable. Treatment had to be stopped for hypersensitivity reactions in only 2 patients. Taxol given in an ambulatory clinic is safe and effective.

Second-trimester membrane rupture. Abortion induced with prostaglandin E2 after oxytocin failure.

OBJECTIVE: To test an effective method of terminating second-trimester pregnancy with ruptured membranes in women who fail to abort from an oxytocin infusion. STUDY DESIGN: Five patients with rupture of membranes during the second trimester of pregnancy and failed to abort using the traditional method of intravenous oxytocin infusion were treated with intrauterine instillation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) solution through a double-balloon device. RESULTS: All five patients aborted within 8.8 +/- 4.5 hours from the beginning of PGE2 instillation. No major complications occurred. The only side effect was short-duration pyrexia (less than 48 hours). CONCLUSION: Use of the double-balloon device and intrauterine instillation of PGE2 was effective for termination of pregnancy in patients with rupture of membranes who do not respond to oxytocin.

Ripening and dilatation of the unfavourable cervix for induction of labour by a double balloon device: experience with 250 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of the double balloon device (the Atad Ripener Device) in ripening and dilatation of the unfavourable cervix for induction of labour. METHODS: Two hundred and fifty women with unfavourable cervices (Bishop score < or = 4) underwent induction of labour with the Atad Ripener Device. Indications were pregnancy induced hypertension (n = 118), post-dates (n = 69), elective inductions (n = 23), other reasons including nonreassuring nonstress test, intrauterine growth retardation, previous caesarean section and diabetes mellitus (n = 40). The Atad Ripener Device was inserted into the cervix, the uterine balloon inflated in the internal os, and the cervico-vaginal balloon in the external os of the cervix (100 mL of normal saline to each balloon). Pressure produced by the inflated balloons caused gradual dilatation and effacement of the cervix. The Atad Ripener Device was removed 12 h after insertion, the cervix assessed again, and labour managed according to obstetrical criteria. RESULTS: The Atad Ripener Device caused an increase in the Bishop score in all subgroups with a mean change of 4.6 (from 2.0 prior to induction to 6.6 upon removal of the Atad Ripener Device; P < 0.05). The mean time interval from insertion of the Atad Ripener Device to delivery was 18.9 h, and from removal to delivery was 6.9 h. Caesarean section was performed in 39/250 patients (16%), and the others had a normal vaginal delivery. CONCLUSIONS: 1. The double balloon device induces significant ripening and dilatation of the unfavourable cervix. 2. Induction of labour was successfully achieved following removal of the Atad Ripener Device. 3. Our caesarean section rate was low compared with rates reported for women with an unfavourable cervix induced by other methods.

Follow-up of small, postmenopausal ovarian cysts using vaginal ultrasound and CA-125 antigen.

To determine the natural history of small, simple ovarian cysts in postmenopausal women, 51 postmenopausal patients with small (< 5 cm), smooth, aseptate, hypoechogenic ovarian cysts, without ascites, were followed by vaginal ultrasound examinations every 3 months for an average period of 2.5 years. In 34, CA-125 antigen was measured and found to be within normal limits. None of the cysts showed changes in texture, nor did ascites appear. The CA-125 antigen serum levels remained low. The mean size of the cysts decreased with time. There was no statistically significant correlation between the initial size of the cyst, its tendency to grow or shrink, and the absolute CA-125 serum level. Our findings support the option of a conservative follow-up by repeated ultrasonic and CA-125 antigen examinations of small, simple cysts in postmenopausal women.

A randomized comparison of prostaglandin E2, oxytocin, and the double-balloon device in inducing labor.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of three methods for ripening and dilating the unfavorable cervix for induction of labor. METHODS: Pregnant women having an indication for induction of labor with a singleton vertex fetus, intact membranes, and Bishop score of no more than 4 were randomized to one of three induction methods: intravaginal prostaglandin (PG) E2 tablets (3 mg) followed by a second dose if labor did not start; continuous intravenous oxytocin drip; or the Atad Ripener Device, with inflation of both balloons and removal after 12 hours. For all patients, the cervix was assessed by the same investigator before induction and 12 hours later. RESULTS: Thirty subjects were included in the PGE2 group, 30 in the oxytocin group, and 35 in the Atad Ripener Device group. The postpartum course was comparable in all. The change in Bishop score in the PGE2 and Atad Ripener Device groups was significantly better than in the oxytocin group (median and range of 5[0-9] and 5[0-7], respectively, versus 2.5 [0-9]; P < .01). Cervical dilation more than 3 cm was more frequent in the Atad Ripener Device group compared with both the PGE2 and oxytocin groups (85.7 versus 50 and 23.3%, respectively; P < .01). The trial of induction failed in only two patients (5.7%) in the Atad Ripener Device group, compared with six (20%) in the PGE2 and 16 (53.3%) in the oxytocin groups (P < .001). Mean (+/- standard deviation) induction-to-delivery interval was 21.3 +/- 7.0 hours in the Atad Ripener Device group, 23.2 +/- 12.5 hours in the PGE2 group, and 28.2 +/- 14.7 hours in the oxytocin group. The success rate for vaginal delivery was significantly better in the Atad Ripener Device and PGE2 groups compared with the oxytocin group (77.1 and 70%, respectively, versus 26.7%; P < .01). CONCLUSION: The Atad Ripener Device had a significantly better success rate for cervical dilation and a lower failure rate than those for PGE2 and oxytocin. The PGE2 and Atad Ripener Device groups had better results than the oxytocin group in regard to Bishop score change and induction-to-delivery interval. The Atad Ripener Device may be a superior method for cervical ripening and labor induction in patients with unfavorable cervices.

Choriocarcinoma of the bladder. Report of a case of primary tumor or late metastasis of a molar pregnancy.

Choriocarcinoma of the bladder was diagnosed in a 54-year-old woman presenting with macroscopic hematuria 17 years following evacuation of a molar pregnancy. The patient was treated by cystoscopic transurethral tumor resection followed by three courses of triple-agent chemotherapy and total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Six months later a gradual rise in beta-human chorionic gonadotropin levels led to the diagnosis of recurrent bladder tumor at the site of the previous tumor. The patient underwent a conservative partial cystectomy, and 12 months postoperatively there was no evidence of disease. It is unclear whether the patient developed a primary urinary bladder choriocarcinoma or late metastatic disease from the previous molar pregnancy.

Double-balloon instillation device for second-trimester abortion. Outcome in 340 consecutive cases.

For the past five years we have used a double-balloon device for extraovular instillation of prostaglandin solution for termination of midtrimester pregnancy. In 340 consecutive cases a success rate of 91% (abortions within 24 hours) was achieved, with a mean instillation-to-abortion interval of 17.5 +/- 6.5 (SD) hours in nulliparas versus 12.8 +/- 6.1 in multiparas (P < .005). The instillation of continuous, low-dose prostaglandin solution into the extraovular space resulted in very few side effects and no complications. Furthermore, the technique was used successfully in women who had undergone one or more cesarean sections in the past. The use of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) resulted in shorter instillation-to-abortion intervals than did prostaglandin F2 alpha (P < .01); 500 micrograms/h of PGE2 solution was needed in nulliparas, whereas 250 sufficed in multiparas.

Intraoperative frozen section examination of myometrial invasion depth in patients with endometrial carcinoma.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of frozen sections (FS) as a method for estimation of the depth of myometrial invasion in patients with stage I endometrial carcinoma. During a 3-year period (1989-1992), 46 consecutive patients with FIGO stage I endometrial carcinoma were included in this study. The depth of myometrial invasion was estimated by FS examination performed during surgery. The final histologic findings of the surgical specimen were compared to the FS evaluation. The results of this study demonstrate that deep or superficial myometrial invasions were correctly diagnosed by FS in 42 out of 46 cases (91.3%). Three cases (6.6%) with deep myometrial invasion were falsely diagnosed as superficially invasive. One case with superficial invasion (2.1%) was falsely diagnosed as deeply invasive. In conclusion, intraoperative FS examination of depth of myometrial invasion by endometrial carcinoma is a simple and accurate method, providing a good correlation with the final histologic report of the surgical specimen.

Vaginal ultrasonography in patients with postmenopausal bleeding.

Our objective was to define a subset of women with postmenopausal bleeding in whom the accepted practice of endometrial sampling could be safely omitted. Vaginal endosonographic measurements were compared to the histological findings of curettings following diagnostic dilatation and curettage in 129 women with post-menopausal bleeding who were not receiving hormonal therapy. Atrophy was diagnosed in 49%, slight proliferation in 10%, endometrial polyps in 11%, hypoplasia in 12%, and adenocarcinoma in 12%. Endometrial atrophy was associated with a mean sonographic thickness of 2.6 mm of the double layer (range 0-6.5 mm). Of the women with a final histological diagnosis of atrophy, 92% had an endometrial thickness of 3 mm or less. Furthermore, all women with a sonographic endometrial thickness of 3 mm or less had atrophic endometrium (p < 0.0001). An endometrial thickness of 3 mm or less would have reduced the number of dilation and curettage procedures by 45% and no cases of endometrial pathologies would have been missed. In women presenting with postmenstrual bleeding, meticulous scanning of the endometrium can select a group where endometrial sampling can be omitted from the protocol.

Development of vaginal adenosis following combined 5-fluorouracil and carbon dioxide laser treatments for diffuse vaginal condylomatosis.

BACKGROUND: The management of vaginal human papillomavirus (HPV) lesions may be difficult. We report an unusual long-term consequence of treatment. CASE: A 40-year-old woman presented with vaginal adenosis following treatment of multiple vaginal condylomata by endovaginal applications of 5% 5-fluorouracil cream and vaporization of the remaining subclinical condylomata by CO2 laser. CONCLUSION: The approach to the management of vaginal condylomatosis should take into consideration the possible later occurrence of adenosis.

Gradual cervical dilation for termination of early second-trimester pregnancy with a double balloon device.

Thirty-two women with pregnancies of 12-15 weeks underwent cervical dilation before abortion using a double balloon device. In all cases, satisfactory dilation was achieved and evacuation accomplished. The slow dilation process, resulting from the continuous indirect dilator effect of the balloons, was not associated with patient inconvenience in most cases. Larger dilation was achieved by adding a continuous instillation of extraovular prostaglandin E2 solution through the device. The double balloon device is a convenient and safe cervical dilator and may be a suitable method for cervical dilation before abortion.

Nonpharmaceutical ripening of the unfavorable cervix and induction of labor by a novel double balloon device.

Artificial ripening of the unfavorable cervix was attempted in 48 women using intracervical prostaglandin (PG) E2 gel applied by a cannula and in 70 others by a newly designed double balloon device (Atad Ripener Device). In the first group (phase A), application of PGE2 gel by intracervical cannula resulted in a mean increase of 3 points in the Bishop score and a mean instillation-to-delivery time of 34.2 hours. The study of labor induction by the double balloon device was carried out in two parts. One (phase B) consisted of a double-blind randomized controlled study in which, through the double balloon device, ten women received PGE2 gel and another ten were given placebo gel. There was no significant difference in the increase of Bishop score between the two groups (5.8 points in the treatment group and 6.0 in the placebo-controlled group). Ninety percent of women in both groups delivered vaginally with a mean of 20.8 hours after device insertion. The third phase of the study consisted of an open trial of inserting the double balloon device alone without PGE2, and inflating the balloons in 50 patients. A mean increase of 4.4 points in the Bishop score was noted in these women. These findings suggest that the use of the double balloon device for ripening of the unfavorable cervix is an effective and well-tolerated method of labor induction.

Stage III-IV epithelial carcinoma of the ovary: is the second-look operation of any value for the patient?

A second-look operation (SLO) was performed in 18 of 24 patients operated for Stage III-IV epithelial carcinoma of the ovary in order to assess the effect of chemotherapy and to decide if further treatment, such as radiation therapy, was indicated. All patients had postoperative combination chemotherapy: either with PA [Platinol (Bristol, UK) and adriamycin] or with CHAD (cyclophosphamide, hexamethylmelamine, adriamycin and cis-diamminedichloroplatinum). In 7 of 18 (39%) patients who had SLO following chemotherapy, macroscopic tumor was present; in 7 (39%) patients, microscopic residual or recurrent disease was found, as proven by histological examination of the biopsies taken during the operation. Only in four patients (29.7%) was the SLO negative. Of these patients, three had recurrent disease after 3,6 and 7 months postoperatively. These findings indicate that the SLO was noncontributory to the management of the patients. The role of the SLO commonly used in most current treatment protocols of patients with Stage III-IV epithelial carcinoma of the ovary is questionable and requires further evaluation.

Removal of completely perforating IUDs by explorative laparotomy.

Nine patients with completely perforating intrauterine contraceptive devices are presented. In all cases, the device was removed by explorative laparotomy. In eight out of the nine women, the device was found to be embedded in the omentum or vesical peritoneal plica. The advantages of explorative laparotomy over laparoscopy or colpotomy are emphasized.

PIP: The use of laparotomy for removal of completely perforating IUDs was reviewed. A table summarizes the clinical details of 9 patients who sought removal of completely perforating IUDs at the Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel, between 1979-83. The patients varied in age between 23-46 years. Only 2 of the 9 patients had reported pain during the IUD insertion. Predisposing factors that may explain the perforation were found in patient 3 (cesarean section), patient 4 (grand multipara), and patients 6, 7, and 8 (6-10 weeks postpartum). 5 of the IUDs were Lippes loops; the others were Cu-7s. All patients were asymptomatic. In 6 cases, the IUDs were deeply embedded in the omentum; in 2 cases the IUDs were found free in the posterior cul de sac. In all cases in which the IUDs were embedded, the removal was difficult and required fine dissection of the adhesions between the device and the surrounding tissues. As the routine investigations failed to show whether the perforating IUDs were embedded or free in the abdominal cavity, it is advisable to remove such devices by explorative laparotomy.

Patent ductus arteriosus after prolonged treatment with indomethacin during pregnancy: case report.

Indomethacin was administered to suppress premature uterine contractions in a twin pregnancy from the 27th until the 32nd week of pregnancy. Patent ductus arteriosus was diagnosed after delivery in one twin and persisted patent for a period of 4 weeks. A hypothesis of the constrictive influence of prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors on the fetal ductus arteriosus during intrauterine and neonatal periods is suggested.

Involvement of the central nervous system by ovarian carcinoma.

Ovarian carcinoma rarely metastasizes to the central nervous system (CNS). Of 110 patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma treated at the Northern Israel Oncology Center between the years 1979 and 1985, only five (4.5%) had CNS involvement. The median age of the patients with 54.5 years. All of them had treatment with cisplatin and Adriamycin (doxorubicin). The median duration from diagnosis to the development of brain involvement was 17 months. The median survival time was 28 months from diagnosis of carcinoma and 2 months from diagnosis of CNS disease. The increased incidence of this kind of metastasis in patients achieving local control of their advanced disease suggests that a change in the pattern of metastatic spread or the prolonged survival permits occult CNS metastases to become apparent. A routine computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan of the brain should therefore be performed on patients with ovarian carcinoma with prolonged survival.

Continuous extraovular prostaglandin F2 alpha instillation for late pregnancy termination in patients with previous cesarean section delivery.

Late pregnancy termination by continuous extraovular instillation of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) was successfully performed in 13 patients with previous cesarean section (CS) delivery. The indications for pregnancy termination were intrauterine fetal demise in nine patients, social indications in two patients. Down's Syndrome in one patient and quadruplets pregnancy in one patient. One patient had a previous classical vertical cesarean section, two had two previous and one three previous low segment transverse (LST) cesarean sections. The other nine patients had one previous low segment transverse cesarean section. The instillation of prostaglandin solution was obtained by using a new double balloon catheter designed for extraovular pregnancy terminations. All patients aborted following the procedure with no complications. The instillation abortion time ranged from 5 1/2 to 20 h (mean 13.3 h).