[Use of antibiotics in prevention and therapy in obstetrics and gynaecologic surgery]. / Impiego in profilassi e terapia di farmaci ad azione antibiotica in chirurgia ostetrica e ginecologica.

BACKGROUND: The antibiotic treatments employed in 1999 in cases of gynaecologic and obstetric surgery in the first clinic of the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department of the University of Turin have been evaluated. METHODS: 1131 gynaecological operations (major interventions, minor interventions, laparoscopies) and 492 laparotomic operations in obstetrics (mostly Cesareans) were assessed. Modalities of administration of chemoantibiotics (CAB) both at the prophylaxis stage and during the therapy stage were evaluated. RESULTS: A great application of chemoantibiotic prophylaxis (CABP) was noted as regards the gynaecological interventions (57.4% of cases) and low resort to chemoantibiotic therapy (CABT) (9%), thus highlighting the effectiveness of prophylaxis in reducing the incidence of infectious complications in the postoperative course in gynaecological surgery. As for obstetrics, the low percentage resort to CABP (36%) and the high resort to CABT (26%) were noted. It is proposed to obviate this fact by increasing the number of cases of CABP for obstetrics so as to reduce the massive recourse to CABT. CONCLUSIONS: Finally, some pharmacoeconomic remarks are offered regarding the rationalisation of the use of CABs in hospital surgical obstetrics and gynaecology.

[Correlation of positivity for serum anti-chlamydia antibodies and tubal damage as a cause of infertility. Preliminary study]. / Correlazioni tra positività per anticorpi anti-chlamydia sierici e fattore tubarico come causa di infertilità. Studio preliminare.

Chlamydia Trachomatis is one of the most frequently bound aetiological agents in acute salpingitis. Chlamydia infection often runs asymptomatically or with slight symptomatology, so patients do not call in their doctor. This hypothesis is backed by the observation that serum antibody positivity for Chlamydia and tubal infertility are often found together. The purpose of the present study was to determine the positivity of serum antibodies for Chlamydia in infertile women observed at this Centre and compare it with a control group of non-sterile patients. Further, in those patients in whom antibody positivity exists, it was also proposed to seek tubal lesions at hysterosalpingography or coelioscopy. The antibody titre in infertile women is compared with that of the control group. The study was carried out in 30 sterile women and in 30 patients in the definitely fertile control group. The "Ipazyme" (Sorin) immunoperoxidase test was used to seek IgG and IgA anti-Chlamydia antibodies. The geometric mean of the antibody titre was calculated in those women with a titre equal to or greater than 64 for IgG antibodies and equal to or greater than 16 for IgA antibodies. It is now intended to study whether the titre is higher in infertile women compared to the control group and if positivity is more significant in these patients.

Effects of an antiprostaglandin drug on human fallopian tubes in vivo.

The Authors studied 17 patients with patent tubes, normal ovulation and Rubin's test results. In the following cycle, this test was repeated divided into two phases. The first followed the normal procedure; the second started 10' after the e.v. administration of 50 mg of an antiprostaglandin drug (Ketoprophen). The results highlighted the capability of this drug to alter the activity of human tubes. A general increase was observed in the amplitude and frequency of tubal contractions. The Authors finally analyse the possible clinical use of this drug in the treatment of the tubal pathology.