Enhancement of Levator Ani Muscle Strength in Postpartum Women: The Impact of Pelvic Floor Muscle Training.

BACKGROUND Levator ani muscle injuries during vaginal childbirth can lead to pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is an effective conservative approach to alleviate these symptoms. This study aimed to compare outcomes with and without 3 months of PFMT in 34 women with levator ani muscle injury following vaginal delivery. MATERIAL AND METHODS In a quasi-experimental study, 34 postpartum women were divided into 2 groups: one received PFMT along with home-based materials and regular follow-ups, while the other served as the control. We measured basal tone and maximal levator ani muscle contraction using the Peritron perineometer and assessed changes after 3 months. RESULTS The basal tone and maximal contraction of the levator ani muscle significantly increased following a 3-month intervention period both in PFMT and control group (P=0.0001). The maximal contraction of the levator ani muscle after a 3-month intervention period was significantly higher in PFMT group compared with control group (36.59±1.45 vs 27.76±13.35, P=0.0001), respectively. A significant positive correlation was found between basal tone and maximal contraction (r=0.806, P=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS A 3-month PFMT program effectively increased levator ani muscle strength in postpartum women compared to those who did not undergo PFMT.

Clinical and Management Dilemmas Concerning Early-Stage Cervical Cancer in Pregnancy - A Case Report.

Background: Cervical cancer in pregnancy is rare and its management remains a formidable challenge. Clinical upstaging is a serious concern. Presentation may mimic pregnancy-related conditions, thus delaying diagnosis and leading to an advanced stage at presentation. In addition, concerns regarding chemotherapy safety in pregnancy may hinder its administration. Definitive therapy may also be delayed due to pregnancy. Case Report: A 37-year-old G3P2A0 10-11 weeks pregnant woman was diagnosed with stage IB2 cervical cancer. We originally planned to perform neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel 175mg/m2 and carboplatin 6 AUC every 21 days followed by caesarean section and radical hysterectomy. However, preoperatively, the tumor had grown further and progressed to stage IIB. Postpartum radiotherapy was thus indicated. Lower segmental caesarean section along with bilateral salpingectomy and ovarian transposition were performed. Radiotherapy was administered through external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy. The patient delivered a small for gestational age male baby with no abnormalities. At 2-month follow-up, the infant appeared generally healthy. Conclusion: Cancer diagnosis during pregnancy adversely impacts women's physical and psychological states. Symptoms may mimic pregnancy-related conditions, thus delaying diagnosis. Its management involves a multidisciplinary team to protect both maternal and fetal health.

Partial hydatidiform mole and coexistent live fetus with placenta previa: a case report.

Partial molar pregnancy with a coexistent live fetus is very rare. This type of mole mostly ends in the early termination of pregnancy due to an abnormally developed fetus. Case presentation: Here, we report a case of a 24-year-old Indonesian woman with an ultrasonographic appearance of partial hydatidiform mole with initial placenta covering the internal uterine ostium in the late first trimester which then became marginal placenta previa in the third trimester. The woman decided to continue the pregnancy after considering the risks and benefits. The normal anatomy of the premature infant was vaginally delivered alive with a large and hydropic placenta. Clinical discussion: Proper diagnosis, management, and monitoring remain challenging as this case is still rarely reported. Although embryos from partial mole forms generally do not survive since the first trimester, our case reported the singleton pregnancy with the coexistent normal fetus and the partial mole characteristic of the placenta. Diploid karyotype, few and focal extent of hydatidiform tissue of placenta, low rate of molar degeneration, and the absence of fetal anemia hypothesized as the factors that influenced survival of the fetus. There were two maternal complications such as hyperthyroidism and frequent vaginal bleeding without subsequent anemia in this patient. Conclusions: A rare case of partial hydatidiform mole coexistent with a live fetus with placenta previa was reported in this study. There were also maternal complications. Thus, prompt and regular monitoring of maternal and fetal condition holds an important role.

Giant hydronephrosis masquerading as ovarian tumor: a case report.

Giant hydronephrosis is defined as the accumulation of more than 1 l of fluid in the kidney's collecting system. Its presentation can mimic other conditions including ovarian tumor. Herein, the authors report a case of giant hydronephrosis caused by urolithiasis that mimics the presentation of an ovarian tumor. The authors also highlight the challenges in diagnosing this rare entity and the management options available. Case presentation: The authors present a case of a 65-year-old P5A0 woman with an abdominal tumor of 1-year duration that progressively increased in size. She also complained of mild left flank pain since a year ago. Ultrasonography revealed a large cystic mass in the lower to middle abdomen. Ovarian tumor was suspected and laparotomy was performed. Surgical exploration revealed a left giant hydronephrosis with normal gynecological organs. The postoperative course was uneventful, and she was discharged in satisfactory condition. Clinical discussion: Giant hydronephrosis should always be considered as a differential diagnosis when presented with a large abdominal cystic lesion. Conclusion: Routine screening for bilateral kidneys during gynecological ultrasonography will help detect giant hydronephrosis and prevent unplanned surgical interventions.

Effect of Vitamin D analog supplementation on levator ani strength and plasma Vitamin D receptor expression in uterine prolapse patients.

Uterine prolapse is a pathological condition that can negatively impact women's quality of life. It is caused by weakening of the pelvic floor muscles. Function of levator ani muscle and other striated muscles is thought to be influenced by Vitamin D levels. Vitamin D exerts its biological effects by adhering to Vitamin D receptors (VDRs) present in striated muscles. We aim to analyze the effect of Vitamin D analog supplementation on levator ani muscle strength in uterine prolapse patients. This was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-post design on 24 postmenopausal women diagnosed with grade III and IV uterine prolapse. Vitamin D levels, VDR, levator ani muscle, and hand grip muscle strength were measured before and after three months of Vitamin D analog supplementation. We found that Vitamin D level, VDR serum level, levator ani muscle strength, and hand grip muscle strength all significantly increase (p < 0.001) following Vitamin D analog supplementation. The correlation coefficient between levator ani muscle and handgrip muscle strength was 0.616 and with p value of 0.001. To conclude, Vitamin D analog supplementation can significantly increase levator ani muscle strength in uterine prolapse patients. We propose that determining Vitamin D level in postmenopausal women and replenishing its deficiency with Vitamin D analog supplementation might aid in preventing POP progression.

A Rare Case of Ruptured Malignant Ovarian Brenner Tumor.

BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death in women with gynecological cancers. Ovarian Brenner tumor (BT) is an extremely rare type of epithelial ovarian cancer that accounts for about 1-3% of all ovarian cancers. Herein, we report a rare case of ruptured malignant ovarian Brenner tumor. CASE REPORT A 39-year-old P0A0 woman came to the Emergency Department (ED) with abdominal pain and tenderness. Perforated appendicitis was initially suspected and an emergency laparotomy was performed by the General Surgery Department. Then, a 25×20×15 cm grayish cystic mass originating from the right adnexa was found. We consulted intraoperatively with the Gynecology Oncology Department and decided to perform complete surgical staging. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of malignant Brenner tumor (MBT). The patient was then given adjuvant chemotherapy with a paclitaxel carboplatin regimen. In this case report, we present our case along with a review of the current literature regarding the diagnosis and therapy of malignant Brenner tumor. CONCLUSIONS Ovarian MBT is an extremely rare ovarian cancer. Diagnosing MBT can be challenging as there are no clinical, laboratory, or imaging features typical for it. Surgery is the mainstay treatment in MBT cases. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy in MBT is still being debated.

Predicting Chemotherapy Resistance in Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia: Ratio of Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Monocytes, and Platelets.

BACKGROUND Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have recently been used as inflammatory biomarkers for cancer patients. This study aims to determine the role of pretreatment NLR, LMR, and PLR in predicting chemoresistance in gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 129 low-risk and high-risk GTN patients who had received first-line chemotherapy were enrolled in this historical cohort study. The pretreatment NLR, LMR, and PLR values were analyzed to predict the resistance to first-line chemotherapy in low-risk and high-risk GTN patients. RESULTS Chemoresistant patients had significantly higher NLR than chemosensitive patients in low-risk and high-risk GTN patients (P<0.05). In high-risk GTN, patients with lower LMR and higher PLR tended to have chemoresistance to first-line chemotherapy (P=0.008, P=0.001). Univariate analysis revealed that the NLR, LMR, and PLR cut-off points of 2.654, 3.8, and 192.174, respectively, were associated with chemoresistance in high-risk GTN (P=0.0001, P=0.011, P=0.0001). The combination of NLR, PLR, and FIGO score in high-risk GTN was the best combination among other combinations with cut-off value >17 (P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS Higher NLR, lower LMR, and higher PLR were associated with chemoresistance for high-risk GTN patients. Furthermore, NLR, LMR, and PLR can improve the accuracy of predicting resistance to first-line chemotherapy in high-risk GTN.

Multiple Vulvar Giant Fibroepithelial Polyps: A Rare Case Occurrence.

Fibroepithelial polyps or acrochordons are benign skin tumors of mesenchymal and ectodermal origin. They are seen in 25% of the population, and their frequency increases with age. They are often found in areas with skin folds, such as the neck, axilla, submandibular, or inguinal region. However, they can also be located in the genital tract. Hormone imbalances may facilitate the development of fibroepithelial polyp s (e.g., high levels of estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy). Larger lesions are likely to arise from the proliferation of mesenchymal cells within the hormonally sensitive subepithelial stromal layer of the lower. Generally, their size does not exceed 5 millimeters. We present a 28-year-old patient with multiple giant fibroepithelial polyps with size of 20 × 12 × 8 cm and 9 × 4 × 2 cm, located on both sides of her vulva. Herein, we presented our patient along with the review of current literature pertaining to the diagnosis and the treatment of fibroepithelial polyps (FEPs) and the factors leading to excessive growth.

Role of Radiotherapy in Recurrent Intra-Abdominal Yolk Sac Tumor.

Yolk sac tumor (YST) is a rare malignant germ cell tumor with no appropriate treatment strategy to date. However, patients are treated on a case-to-case basis as per various case reports that have been published. Here, we present a case of 27-year-old female patient who presented to us with chief complaints of severe abdominal pain associated with leucorrhea. She previously had a similar pain episode, which was then evaluated by a multidisciplinary team. She was diagnosed with YST. After that, she underwent 6 cycles of chemotherapy, but there was no improvement. Then the medical oncologist referred her to performed radiotherapy. Then, the radiation oncologist decided to give her curative radiotherapy of 3D-CRT. After completing her sessions, she felt better and clinically improving. After that, she was discharged and scheduled a follow-up visit for first evaluation. At her follow-up visit, she was feeling well, and we decided to have an abdominal MRI.

A Rare Case of Early Transformation of Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia Following Molar Pregnancy.

BACKGROUND Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) encompasses a group of disorders that arise from abnormal growth of trophoblastic tissue. The spectrum of GTD includes 2 major groups: benign and malignant. The benign form is a hydatidiform mole, either complete or partial; the malignant forms, referred to as gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN), consist of invasive moles, choriocarcinomas, placental site trophoblastic tumors, and epithelioid trophoblastic tumors. Most patients who undergo evacuation of a hydatidiform mole by curettage have a disease-free period before a new tumor develops that can be considered malignant. In rare cases, metastasis occurs rapidly and manifests coincidentally before the hydatidiform mole can be evacuated. CASE REPORT A 19-year-old woman in Bandung City, West Java, Indonesia, was diagnosed with a molar pregnancy with early evidence of a mass in her vagina that was suspicious for stage II GTN. The early emergence of a vaginal mass was a rare case of early transformation of a molar pregnancy into GTN. CONCLUSIONS Careful evaluation is warranted of patients with characteristics typical of an intrauterine molar pregnancy who have an early presentation of a vaginal mass because of the possibility that the diagnosis could be GTN.