Practical considerations in the use of a porcine model (Sus scrofa domesticus) to assess prevention of postoperative peritubal adhesions.

Infertility has been a common postoperative problem caused by peritoneal adhesions. Since several prophylactic agents have recently shown promising preliminary results, more complete studies comparing their real efficacy and safety are needed urgently. The aim of this study was to investigate and describe practical considerations of a porcine model that can be used to assess such prophylactic agents. First, 10 healthy 5½ months old female pigs (24.3-31.3 Kg) underwent a standardized laparoscopy to provoke peritubal adhesion formation without prophylactic agents. After 30 days, a second-look laparoscopy was performed to evaluate adhesions and perform adnexectomy for histopathological evaluation. Adhesions at different sites were classified by grade, for which the scores range from 0 (no adhesion) to 3 (very strong vascularized adhesions), and also by area, with scores ranging from 0 (no adhesion) to 4 (>75% of the injured area). The histopathological evaluation of the distal uterine horns, oviducts and ovaries were compared withthose from a control group of six healthy pigs with no previous surgery. Biological samples were collected to assess vitality, inflammation and renal, hepatic and hematopoietic systems. There were small (but significant) changes in serum albumin (P = 0.07), globulin (P = 0.07), C-reactive protein (P = 0.011), fibrinogen (P = 0.023) and bilirubin (P<0.01) after 30 days, but all values were within the normal range. No inflammation or abscess formation was observed, but different degrees of adhesion were identified. The estimated occurrence of adhesion (scores >0) and of strong / very strong adhesion (scores >1) was 75% (95% CI: 55-94.9) and 65% (95% CI: 45-85), respectively. The porcine model represents a useful animal platform that can be used to test the efficacy and safety of candidate prophylactic agents intended to prevent postoperative peritubal adhesions formation. We present several practical considerations and measures that can help to minimize animal suffering and avoid problems during such experiments.

Endometriosis infiltrating the pelvic floor muscles with histopathological correlation-A case report.

We report the case of a 29-year-old woman with deep infiltrating endometriosis who underwent robotic nerve-sparing surgery for resection of all visible lesions infiltrating pelvic and extrapelvic sites. Painful symptoms included severe dysmenorrhea, menstrual dyschezia and stranguria, with no improvement in response to hormonal treatment. The location on physical examination of a painful retrocervical nodule was identified by magnetic resonance imaging to be infiltrating the right parametrium/paracervix. During surgery, this nodule was recognized as an important retrocervical/rectovaginal lesion infiltrating the pelvic floor (i.e. levator ani and coccygeus), and was histopathologically confirmed as endometriosis infiltrating the skeletal pelvic floor muscles. A Pubmed search of the MEDLINE database in March (2019) found no publication reporting histopathologic confirmation of endometriosis infiltrating the pelvic floor muscles.

Urodynamic observations and lower urinary tract symptoms associated with endometriosis: a prospective cross-sectional observational study assessing women with deep infiltrating disease.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The objective was to assess the association between lower urinary tract disease (LUTD) and the presence of endometriosis at different anatomical sites. METHODS: Our prospective cross-sectional observational study evaluated 138 women with deep infiltrating endometriosis who had undergone preoperative evaluation of urodynamics and detailed assessment of lower urinary tract symptoms between August 2013 and May 2016. After laparoscopy, the anatomical sites of histologically confirmed endometriosis lesions were mapped. RESULTS: The presence of endometriosis in the bladder demonstrated significant negative angular coefficients for bladder compliance (mL/cmH2O) (P = 0.007; B = -54.65; 95%CI: -93.76 to -15.51) and for maximum cystometric capacity (mL; P = 0.001; B = -39.79; 95%CI: -62.51 to -17.06), whereas endometriosis in the parametrium showed significant positive coefficients for opening pressure (cmH2O) (P = 0.016; B = 5.89; 95%CI: 1.10-10.69) and post-void residual (mL) (P = 0.015; B = 31.34; 95%CI: 6.14-56.55). The presence of endometriosis in the bladder was a statistically significant independent predictor of low bladder compliance (P < 0.001; OR = 30.10; 95%CI: 9.48-95.55), whereas endometriosis in the parametrium was a statistically significant independent predictor of both abnormal residual urine (P = 0.019; OR = 5.21; 95%CI: 1.32-20.64) and bladder outlet obstruction (P = 0.011; OR = 7.91; 95%CI: 1.61-38.86). Correspondence analysis suggested two possible independent ways through which endometriosis acts on the genesis of urinary dysfunctions. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings strongly suggest that endometriosis involving the bladder might disturb storage function, whereas endometriosis in the parametrium disturbs the voiding phase.

Endometriosis of the round ligament of the uterus.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the prevalence of endometriosis in the intrapelvic portion of the round ligaments of the uterus (RLUs) and to propose criteria for their excision. DESIGN: Retrospective case series analysis of women undergoing laparoscopy for the treatment of deep infiltrating endometriosis (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). SETTING: Tertiary referral hospital. PATIENTS: We evaluated 174 patients who underwent laparoscopy for the treatment of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) between April 2006 and May 2009. INTERVENTIONS: All patients underwent laparoscopy for the treatment of DIE and had their RLUs removed when there was shortening, deviation, or thickening. After removal, the RLUs were sent for histopathologic analysis to verify the presence or absence of endometriosis. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The prevalence of endometriosis in the RLUs and the association between the macroscopic alterations and the anatomic pathology results were determined. After the identification of macroscopic alterations, 1 or both RLUs (for a total of 42) were removed from 27 of the 174 patients who underwent laparoscopy. The positive predictive value (PPV) of the macroscopic criteria proposed for endometriosis of the RLU was 83.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 72.1%-94.5%), with 35 positive RLUs out of the 42 that were excised. The prevalence of endometriosis of the RLU was 13.8% (95% CI = 8.7%-18.9%), with 24 patients having a positive histopathologic examination result for endometriosis. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of RLU endometriosis in patients with DIE was 13.8%, which emphasizes that a rigorous evaluation of this structure must be part of the routine surgical treatment of patients with endometriosis.

Genetic analysis of the cause of endometrial osseous metaplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze solitary bone fragments from the uterine cavity through DNA genotyping, thus elucidating whether they originate from metaplasia, from previous abortion, or both. METHODS: We conducted a case series study on 14 patients, of whom eight yielded bone DNA. The patients selected had histopathologic diagnoses of bone fragments inside the uterine cavity or previously removed samples available for analysis. We extracted DNA from blood and bone fragments. To identify the bone tissue origin, these materials were genotyped using polymerase chain reactions for DNA loci. Six mini short tandem repeat loci frequently used for human tissue identification were analyzed using automated sequencing. RESULTS: Among these eight patients, blood and tissue samples from the same individual produced exactly the same pair of alleles for all six loci. This indicated that the DNA profile was completely the same for the bone samples and the mother's blood (95% confidence interval 63-100%), thus confirming that the DNA had the same origin and that these were cases of metaplasia. CONCLUSION: In all of the eight cases, bone formation was caused by osseous metaplasia, because the DNA in the bone fragment and in the patient's blood was identical. Although all of the women had histories of previous abortion, no difference in DNA was detected in the bone tissue in any of the cases, as would be expected if abortion had occurred. This result was completely unexpected, differing greatly from what the literature suggests. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Prevençäo do câncer do colo uterino na gravidez: estudo comparativo entre colposcopia, citologia e histologia / Prevention of uterine cervix cancer during pregnancy: a comparative study of colposcopy, cytology and histology

É analisado o exame preventivo do câncer de colo uterino em 571 gestantes. Em todas as pacientes foram utilizadas a colposcopia e a citologia. Quando havia suspeita de malignidade, a paciente era submetida a biópsia do colo uterino, dirigida pela colposcopia. De cada método e seu estudo correlato é feita análise isolada, para concluir-se que a associaçäo dos métodos aumenta a eficácia na detecçäo da patologia cervical uterina