Surgery and out-patient data collection and reporting using Filemaker Pro.

OBJECTIVE: The application of an electronic database in clinical practice is used widespread in every field of medicine. The aim of the present study is to illustrate our experience to use a database software for documentation of two of our clinical activities, outpatient hysteroscopy and inpatient gynaecological surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 2004, we designed two databases, the first one to document surgical procedures in the operating theatre, the second to document outpatient hysteroscopy procedures using FileMaker v.8.5. The data entry interface contains free text fields for patient demographic data and the description of the surgical procedure, supplemented by drop-down lists for items such as clinical findings, procedures, instrumentation, technique, and complications. Copies were filed in the main hospital notes, sent to General Practitioners, and also given to our patients. RESULTS: Since August 2004, we have used our two databases to document 2766 gynaecological operations and 3777 outpatient hysteroscopies. All users particularly liked the dropdown lists as their use greatly reduced the time taken to enter each patient's data. The databases were regularly used to select patients for audit projects and research data collection for prospective studies. CONCLUSIONS: FileMaker is an user-friendly and easily configured software, extremely valuable in everyday clinical work.

Ultrasonic diagnosis of gynecologic disorders in children.

During the last five years we have applied diagnostic ultrasound to more than 350 girls under the age of 15 for suspected obstetric and gynecologic disorders. More than 60% of these patients were pregnant and were studied before elective abortion. Many other children were studied for amenorrhea or for the evaluation of a pelvic mass. Sonography has allowed us to successfully distinguish pelvic masses of ovarian origin from those of uterine origin. We have also been able to rule out functioning endocrine tumors in children with precocious puberty. In cases of intersex, sonography has been useful in the older child prior to reconstructive surgery but has played an ancillary role to more invasive procedures in the infant.

The complementary role of sonography and arteriography in the evaluation of the atheromatous abdominal aorta.

Sonography was performed on 41 patients, 24 of whom were suspected of having abdominal aortic aneurysms and 17 of whom had symptomatic peripheral vascular disease. The accuracy of sonography in the diagnosis of aneurysms of the abdominal aorta was evaluated, and the instances in which angioggraphy contributed to the management of these patients was defined. Sonography is adequate for the diagnosis and management of many aneurysms of the abdominal aorta. Aortography is necessary when: (1) an inadequate study has been obtained, (2) the iliac arteries are not visualized, (3) renal or mesenteric artery involvement is suspected, (4) multiple or lobulated aneurysms are found, or (5) the aorta is very tortuous.

Ultrasonography in pediatric gynecology and obstetrics.

Sonograms were performed on 144 pediatric patients ranging in age from 2 months to 15 years during a recent 26 month period. The main indications for pelvic sonography were to confirm pregnancy prior to elective abortion; to exclude pregnancy in girls with pelvic masses and/or secondary amenorrhea prior to extensive radiographic studies; to confirm or rule out the presence of pelvic masses; to delineate the extent and internal structure of pelvic tumors; and to exclude ovarian tumors in girls with precocious sexual maturation. Normal sonograms in girls with suspected pelvic tumors usually eliminated the need for additional radiographic studies. Because of technical problems and inherent limitations of present imaging techniques, sonography has an ancillary role in the investigation of patients with abnormal or ambiguous genitalia.

Sonographic-radiographic correlations of renal and perirenal infections.

Sonograms of 43 patients with intrinsic and perirenal infectious processes are reviewed. Fourteen had acute pyelonephritis; three, suppurative pyelonephritis; two, focal pyelonephritis; six, renal abscesses; three, infected cysts; six, perinephric abscesses; six, pyonephrosis; and three, chronic pyelonephritis. Sonography had little diagnostic value except for the patients with perinephric abscess. However, it proved valuable as a guide for a percutaneous approach to obtain cells for histologic diagnosis, to obtain fluid to determine chemotherapy, and to perform antegrade pyelography and percutaneous nephrostomy.

Prenatal detection of anencephaly.

Fetal anomalies were suspected clinically in 3 patients, during the second trimester of pregnancy, due to advanced maternal age, hydramnios and abnormal vaginal bleeding respectively. Sonography revealed anencephaly in all of them, confirmed by roentgenograms and also by high amniotic fluid leveal alpha-fetoprotein in 1 of them. The antenatal diagnosis was confirmed in the 3 abortuses. Early screening of all pregnancies at risk for neural tube malformations is strongly recommended.

Complementary role of sonography and arteriography in management of uterine choriocarcinoma.

Uterine choriocarcinoma develops fairly frequently after passage of a hydatidiform mole and very rarely after normal pregnancy or abortion. The disease is highly curable by chemotherapy, especially if detected early. Histologic examination of uterine curettings is unreliable and the principal indicator of active primary or metastatic disease is the HCG titer. The ability to visualize the tumor is helpful for a variety of reasons. In the past, this has been achieved primarily through arteriography. Our experience with 6 patients suggests that sonography is as sensitive a detector as arteriography and perhaps somewhat more specific. These facts, plus its convenience and repeatability, make ultrasound the method of choice for visualization of intrauterine malignant trophoblastic disease. Arteriography will continue to play an important role where the sonographic findings are equivocal and where local invasion or distant metastases are suspected.