Micron-scale phenomena observed in a turbulent laser-produced plasma.

Turbulence is ubiquitous in the universe and in fluid dynamics. It influences a wide range of high energy density systems, from inertial confinement fusion to astrophysical-object evolution. Understanding this phenomenon is crucial, however, due to limitations in experimental and numerical methods in plasma systems, a complete description of the turbulent spectrum is still lacking. Here, we present the measurement of a turbulent spectrum down to micron scale in a laser-plasma experiment. We use an experimental platform, which couples a high power optical laser, an x-ray free-electron laser and a lithium fluoride crystal, to study the dynamics of a plasma flow with micrometric resolution (~1µm) over a large field of view (>1 mm2). After the evolution of a Rayleigh-Taylor unstable system, we obtain spectra, which are overall consistent with existing turbulent theory, but present unexpected features. This work paves the way towards a better understanding of numerous systems, as it allows the direct comparison of experimental results, theory and numerical simulations.

Caesarean section in the second delivery to prevent anal incontinence after asymptomatic obstetric anal sphincter injury: the EPIC multicentre randomised trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether planned caesarean section (CS) for a second delivery protects against anal incontinence in women with obstetric anal sphincter lesions. DESIGN: Randomised trial. SETTING: Six maternity units in the Paris area. SAMPLE: Women at high risk of sphincter lesions (first delivery with third-degree laceration and/or forceps) but no symptomatic anal incontinence. METHODS: Endoanal ultrasound was performed in the third trimester of the second pregnancy. Women with sphincter lesions were randomised to planned CS or vaginal delivery (VD). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Anal incontinence at 6 months postpartum. Secondary outcomes were urinary incontinence, sexual morbidity, maternal and neonatal morbidities and worsening of external sphincter lesions. RESULTS: Anal sphincter lesions were detected by ultrasound in 264/434 women enrolled (60.8%); 112 were randomised to planned VD and 110 to planned CS. At 6-8 weeks after delivery, there was no significant difference in anal continence between the two groups. At 6 months after delivery, median Vaizey scores of anal incontinence were 1 (interquartile range 0-4) in the CS group and 1 (interquartile range 0-3) in the VD group (P = 0.34). There were no significant differences for urinary continence, sexual functions or for other maternal and neonatal morbidities. CONCLUSIONS: In women with asymptomatic obstetric anal sphincter lesions diagnosed by ultrasound, planning a CS had no significant impact on anal continence 6 months after the second delivery. These results do not support advising systematic CS for this indication. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Caesarean section for the second delivery did not protect against anal incontinence in women with asymptomatic obstetric anal sphincter lesions.

French prenatal Vitamin D recommended supplementation: Enough or not?

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of current recommended vitamin D prenatal supplementation on blood cord 25(OH)D level in a French cohort and to determine population at risk of higher needs. DESIGN AND SETTING: An observational prospective study was conducted in teaching hospital including two large groups of newborns, one born after summer and another after winter period. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three hundred and ninety-nine mother/newborns pairs were enrolled and blood cord results were available for 225 newborns in the post-summer group and 174 newborns in the post-winter group. Maternal supplementation during pregnancy was recorded from medical notes and questionnaires. RESULTS: 25(OH)D level were generally low with mean at 50.9±24.7nM. Vitamin D supplementation was prescribed in only 37.6% over all the study period. Studying general population, 25(OH)D was significantly higher in the supplemented group, but current recommended supplementation failed to cover the needs for most subgroups of newborns. After winter, 25(OH)D cord blood level was in deficiency range for 40.7% of the general population and in the pigmented mothers group the deficiency rates even rose up to 61.9%. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Vitamin D cord level is low in north of France as in other industrial countries. Despite national guidelines on vitamin D supplementation, the rates are currently insufficient. Beside, although the recommended 100,000IU single dose helps to limit deficiency in newborns, it fails to cover infant's needs for optimal status. Actually, benefit of this substitution is for children below the 10th percentile weight. A new recommendation with higher rate of vitamin D for all pregnant women after specific studies seems to be indicated.

[Uterine necrosis after arterial embolization for postpartum hemorrhage]. / Nécrose utérine après embolisation hémostatique des artères utérines.

Radiologic embolization of the uterine arteries is increasingly used to treat severe postpartum hemorrhage, as an alternative to surgical procedures. Guidelines have been published in order to standardize the indications as well as the technique. An important objective was to limit severe complications such as uterine necrosis. We report a case of a uterine necrosis after arterial embolization for severe postpartum hemorrhage due to uterine atony on a uterus with fibroids. This complication occurred despite the use of the recommended technique.

[Uterine necrosis following pelvic arterial embolisation for postpartum haemorrhage: case report]. / Nécrose utérine après embolisation pelvienne pour hémorragie du postpartum : à propos d'un cas.

We report a case of uterine necrosis in a 38 year-old patient, who underwent a caesarean section for placenta praevia and an embolisation of the uterine arteries for postpartum haemorrhage. The pelvic embolisation was performed with absorbable gelatine sponge pledgets. This woman presented with abdominal pain and fever three weeks after delivery and a computed tomography scan revealed the presence of gas in the myometrium and endometrium and allowed the diagnosis of uterine necrosis. A total abdominal hysterectomy was performed with adnexal conservation and the diagnosis of uterine necrosis was confirmed histologically. The complications of pelvic embolization and the risks of surgical procedures for the management of intractable obstetric hemorrhage are described.

[Single-shot ropivacaine wound infiltration during cesarean section for postoperative pain relief]. / Intérêt de l'instillation pariétale unique de ropivacaïne dans la prévention des douleurs après césarienne.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficiency of single-shot ropivacaine wound infiltration during cesarean section for postoperative pain relief, using a prospective, randomized, double-blinded study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients with planned cesarean section were enrolled between September 2007 and May 2008 and randomized into two groups: single-shot wound infiltration of 20mL of ropivacaine 7.5mg/mL (Group R; n=56) or single-shot wound infiltration of 20mL of saline solution (group T; n=44). The primary goal of this study was the double-blinded evaluation of the postoperative pain after coughing and leg raise using the 100-mm visual analog scales (VAS) during the first 48 postoperative hours after cesarean delivery. The secondary goals were the occurrence of nausea and vomiting and the morphine consumption. RESULTS: Numerical pain rating scale for pain evaluation was significantly lower (P<0.05) in the ropivacaine group than in the control group at M0, M20, M40, M60, H2 and H4. But, at H8, H12 and H24, no significant difference for VAS was noted between the two groups. The occurrence of nausea and vomiting and the total morphine consumption were not significantly different between the two groups during the first 48 postoperative hours. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Single-shot ropivacaine wound infiltration during planned cesarean section is a simple and safe procedure that provides effective reduction of post-partum pain within the first 4hours.

Risk of synechiae following uterine compression sutures in the management of major postpartum haemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To determine with hysteroscopy or hysterosalpingogram the risk of uterine synechiae following uterine compression sutures for major postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) caused by uterine atony. DESIGN: A retrospective observational study. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Beaujon Hospital, Clichy, France. POPULATION: One hundred and ninety-seven women with PPH between 2007 and 2010. One hundred and thirteen women (57.4%) were transferred as an emergency to our institution from other centres. METHODS: Of the 197 women, 94 with PPH had uterine arterial embolisation and 33 with major PPH were managed with surgical uterine compression sutures (Hackethal technique). The women were invited to undergo a control hysteroscopy or hysterosalpingogram, after postpartum consultation, to assess the uterine cavity. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The prevalence of subsequent uterine synechiae. RESULTS: Uterine compression sutures succeeded in controlling PPH in 26 of 33 women (78.8%). Seven needed a hysterectomy. Among women with a preserved uterus, 15 underwent an exploration of the uterine cavity, including hysteroscopy (12) or hysterosalpingogram (8). Four women (26.7%) developed uterine synechiae and one had a subsequent pregnancy 18 months after uterine compression sutures. The median time between delivery and hysteroscopy or hysterosalpingogram was 9.3 months (2.4-34.8 months). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a significant risk of uterine synechiae after placement of compression sutures for PPH that transverse the uterine cavity. Postoperative uterine synechiae might be underestimated, and their prevalence and clinical significance should be assessed in long-term follow-up studies.

A benign metastasizing leiomyoma involving a nodule in the pulmonary artery: case and literature review.

Benign metastasizing leiomyoma (BML) is a rare disease defined as a primary benign uterine tumor with "metastatic" lesions preferentially occurring in the lung, pelvis and lymph nodes. There are few reports about local recurrence after initial surgery. We report a case of a BML with local recurrence and metastasis growing into the wall of the left pulmonary artery, diagnosed 11 years after initial hysterectomy. A 55-year-old woman complaining of abdominal discomfort, heaviness and asthenia was admitted to our hospital for investigation of a voluminous uterine mass with high vascularization and three pulmonary nodules. The resection of the mass by laparotomy was complicated by uncontrolled severe hemorrhage due to vascular proliferation, requiring multiple transfusions, packing the cavity and postoperative uterine artery embolization. Three months later the patient underwent a left upper lobe lobectomy with the aim of removing the largest pulmonary nodule, a nodule a located in the lingular branch of the left pulmonary artery. The comparison of hysterectomy and lobectomy pieces showed a similar aspect, leading thus to the diagnosis of BML. Awareness of this rare entity should potentially avoid under-diagnosis and difficulties due to hemorrhage during surgery.

Ovarian malignant immature teratoma associated with pregnancy--a case report.

We report the case of a malignant immature teratoma diagnosed at 21 weeks of amenorrhea in a 36-year-old healthy woman. Ultrasound examination showed a multilocular cystic mass of 175 mm in diameter, situated on the left side of the uterus. A left ovariectomy was performed by laparotomy at 22 weeks of amenorrhea. Histologic examination revealed a malignant grade 2 immature teratoma, and the patient underwent three courses of chemotherapy with a good pregnancy outcome. A cesarean section was carried out at 39 weeks of amenorrhea, associated with a left salpingectomy on which the pathologist examination did not find any malignant cells. The newborn had a normal aspect, and the mother was considered to be in remission after two more courses of chemotherapy..

[Is primiparity, the only risk factor for type 3 and 4 perineal injury, during delivery?]. / La primiparité est-elle le seul facteur de risque des lésions du sphincter anal en cours d'accouchement?

OBJECTIVE: Primiparity has been identified as the main risk factor of type 3 and 4 perineal injuries The purpose of our study, according to a population-based observational study, was to identify other clinical risk factors for lesions during vaginal delivery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two groups have been compared. Group A or study group (n=63) was defined as parturients with three or four-degree perineal tears. Group B or control group (n=67) included women who delivered vaginally without any perineal lesion during the same period. Characteristics of the population were compared: maternal age, race, maternal weight, BMI (Body Mass Index), parity, mode of anaesthesia, gestational age, post maturity, length of labor, fetal weight, mode of delivery (assisted or not). Specific characteristics were also compared, obesity, shoulder dystocia, type of presentation, episiotomy and dose of ocytocin. RESULTS: Primiparity was significantly associated with higher frequency of sphincter lacerations (71 vs 43%, p=0.001). The patients of group A were with significantly higher weight than the patients of control group (67 vs 63 kg, p=0.036). Futhermore the BMI was different in the two groups (25,6 vs 23,4, p=0.003). There was a significant difference according to the length of the second part of labor (68 vs 48 min, p=0.037) and the posterior variety (32 vs 4%, p<0.001). The occurrence of shoulder dystocia was only just significant (6 vs 0%, p=0.052). Assisted-extraction is highly associated with perineal injuries (44 vs 1%, p<0.001). Futhermore the instrument has been concerned by the difference: Tarnier's forceps-assisted extraction (14 vs 1%, p=0.003), Suzor's forceps-assisted extraction (16 vs 0%, p=0.0005), Thierry's spatula-assisted extraction (14 vs 0%, p=0,0005). The association forceps and episiotomy has been found with higher frequency of perineal injury (43 vs 1%, p<0,0001). There were no difference between the 2 groups according fetal characteristics, type of analgesia, maternal age, gestational age, post-maturity or dose of ocytocin. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Primiparity is not the only risk factor of perineal injuries. Other risk factors have been found: assisted-extraction, occiput posterior fetal head position, and association episiotomy and assisted-extraction. Black origin seems to be protective.