[Twin pregnancy with single fetal death: etiology, management and outcome]. / Grossesse gémellaire avec mort foetale in utero d'un jumeau : étiologies, prise en charge et pronostic.

INTRODUCTION: Intra-uterine fetal death (IUFD) of one twin is a relatively frequent complication of twin pregnancy. Prognosis of the surviving twin seems to be the main problem. Management is not consensual and suffers from the lack of guidelines. OBJECTIVES: To report the main involved etiologies, assess the surviving co-twin outcome and discuss strategies of management. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study of 33 twin pregnancies complicated by single intrauterine fetal death after 26 weeks of gestation, admitted in the department "A" of obstetrics and gynecology of the Tunisian center of maternity and neonatalogy from January 2000 to October 2008. RESULTS: Prevalence was 2.98%. Chorionicity was precised for 28 GG; 67.9% (n=19) were bichorionic (BC) and 32.1% (n=9) monochorionic (MC). The mean gestational age at the time of fetal death diagnosis was 31 weeks+2 days. Main involved pathologies in case of BC pregnancy were: intrauterine growth restriction (36.8%), pre-eclampsia (21%) and gestational diabetes (15.8%) and in case of MC pregnancy: twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (44.4%). Prematurity rate was 85.2%. IUFD of the second twin occurred in one case and neonatal death in six cases. Tranfontanellar ultrasound on the seventh day of life found cerebral abnormalities in six liveborns. CONCLUSION: Surviving co-twin prognosis was mainly compromised by prematurity and its consequences.

[Management of breast cancer detected by a mammography program in the Ariana area of Tunisia]. / Prise en charge des cancers du sein issus du programme mammographique du gouvernorat de l'Ariana en Tunisie.

OBJECTIVE: To report the epidemiological and anatomoclinical features of breast cancers referred to a department of gynecology from the screening program of l'Ariana state in Tunisia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A longitudinal retrospective Study was done over a period of 4 years (2004-2006 ) at the unit "A" gynecology department of the maternity of Tunis. We collected all the cases with histologically confirmed breast cancer diagnosed within the mammography screening program of l'Ariana state, referred to our unit for treatment. RESULTS: 10 patients with histologically confirmed breast cancer were collected during the study period, treated at our unit. Mean age of patients was of 48.8 years. Clinical examination was initially negative in 50% of cases. Mean clinical tumor size was 18 mm, while invasive ductual carcinoma represents the most frequent histological type. One patient (10%) had histological axillary involvement. Conservative surgery was performed for 8 (80%) of the 10 patients. CONCLUSION: This pilot study of mammography screening confined to a Tunisian state, precludes to the future profile of BC In Tunisia, showing that an early diagnosis can lead to a dramatic reduction of mean clinical tumor size, less histological poor prognostic features, more conservative surgery and a slight improvement of survival. A structured extended screening program must be installed to achieve these goals but requires an important financial and human investment.

[Surgical treatment of breast lesions: preliminary results of the screening program of the Ariana area]. / Traitement chirurgical des lésions mammaires infracliniques: résultats préliminaires du programme de dépistage de l'Ariana.

OBJECTIVE: To report clinical, radiological and histological characteristics of the infraclinical breast lesions patients recruited via the large scale mammography breast cancer screening of l'Ariana state in Tunisia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study over a period of 2 years. The recruitment of patients made on the occasion of the program of breast cancer screening. RESULTS: During this period, 22 patients in our unity had had a surgical excision after wire localization. Ten patients were recruited by means of systematic breast cancer screening. In these cases, the mammographic findings were classified B.I.R.A.D.S 4 in 7 cases and BIRADS type 5 in 3 cases. Definitive histology concluded to benign disease in 4 cases and malignancy 6 cases. This collaboration enables the diagnosis an invasive ductal carcinoma in three cases. CONCLUSION: The surgical excision after wire localization for non palpable breast lesions allows diagnosis of high-risk benign lesions and low-stage breast cancer. It is a reliable technique which indications have to be based on clinical and radiological strict criteria. This procedure is at present, and in developed countries, widely outstripped with the stereotactic core needle biopsy.

[Fetal audition. Myth or reality]. / Audition foetale. Mythe ou réalité ?

Fetal sensory abilities have been considered for a long time as a philosophical question. The aim of this review is to investigate the scientifically proven knowledge about fetal audition. Fetal audition seems to depend on gestational age and sound characteristics. The onset of human fetal hearing is observed at about 26-28 weeks gestational age. Noises from the placenta, the maternal organs and the maternal voice play a major role as current in utero auditory stimuli. Many studies demonstrate that the fetus forms memories of his hearing experiences allowing some authors to use the term "fetal learning". The fetus can memorize not only his mother's voice but also more complex acoustic external sounds with a big ability of discrimination. Moreover, most studies strengthen the hypothesis of an implicit musical ability of the human brain.

[Imaging of gestational trophoblastic disease]. / Imagerie des maladies trophoblastiques gestationnelles.

INTRODUCTION: Trophoblastic diseases correspond to a very heterogeneous group. OBJECTIVE: To establish the importance of imaging in the management of trophoblastic diseases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study from 1995 to 2008, including all patients with a gestational throphoblastic disease in our department. RESULTS: Seventy-four cases were identified with 58 molar pregnancies, 14 trophoblastic tumors and two cases of hydatiform mole coexistent with a twin live fetus. Ultrasound's sensibility in case of hydatiform moles was 75.86%. It was sharply more important in case of a complete mole with a detection rate of 96.15% against 28% in case of partial mole. In trophoblastic tumors, ultrasound coupled with Doppler had shown signs of invasion in half of the cases. Four patients presented with lung metastases. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed in two cases. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Ultrasound is of high-performance in the positive diagnosis of complete moles. Furthermore, it shows signs of invasion in case of trophoblastic tumors. In those cases, a radiological assessment guides the management even in the absence of histological proofs.

[Fertiloscopy: Tunisian experiment]. / Fertiloscopie: expérience tunisienne.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to estimate the place and the results of fertiloscopy in the management of female infertility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study over a period of eight years including the patients presenting infertility without pathology raising of an evident surgical indication. We analyzed the perioperative data, the results as well as the complications of this intervention. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-eight fertiloscopic procedures succeeded (84%). For 84 patients (37.6%) we realized a coelioscopy. In 44% for failure of the exam and in 66% for lesions found in the fertiloscopy and requiring surgery. Two complications without major consequence will be deplored: two rectal injuries. CONCLUSION: Fertiloscopy is a safe and reliable procedure. It can be substituted to laparoscopy in the routine assessment of infertile women management in case of not obvious surgical indication.

[Hypogastric artery ligation for post-partum hemorrhage]. / Ligature bilatérale des artères hypogastriques dans la prise en charge des hémorragies du post-partum.

UNLABELLED: Post-partum hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal mortality in Tunisia as in many other countries. In case of failure of medical measures, bilateral ligation of hypogastric arteries (BLHA) represents an interesting alternative to the hemostatic hysterectomy to preserve patients fertility. OBJECTIVE: Report our BLHA experience in the post-partum hemorrhage management. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study conducted between January 2001 and December 2008. We collected all the patients who had undergone a BLHA in case of post-partum haemorrhage. RESULTS: Fifty-seven BLHA were carried out during the study period. The success rate was 82.45%. The procedure failed in 10 patients. Most cases were uterine atony and placenta accreta. We reported one complication: a case of perioperative ligation of the primitive iliac artery. Surgical management was successful. Magnetic resonance imaging performed on average two months after surgery had shown a complete repermeabilization in seven cases among eight. CONCLUSION: BLHA is an interesting and effective option in the management of severe post-partum hemorrhage. Technique learning is recommended especially in case of non availability of uterine artery embolization.

[Evolution of maternal mortality in a level 3 Tunisian maternity from 1998 to 2007]. / Evolution de la mortalité maternelle dans une maternité tunisienne de niveau 3 entre 1998 et 2007.

INTRODUCTION: The action plan for the maternal mortality is generally based on research studies' results carried out within hospital structure. OBJECTIVES: Determination and follow-up of the evolution of maternal mortality from 1998 to 2007 in a level 3 Tunisian maternity and identification of its main causes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: It is a retrospective study carried out between January 1998 and December 2007. In our service, since 1984, maternal deaths are systematically recorded. Information about deaths are collected from the following sources: childbirth folder, folder of hospitalization in reanimation, after the autopsy, through information collected beside the family, or by the National System of Maternal Death Surveillance, only since 1999. RESULTS: Thirty-one mother deaths were colligated during the study. The average age of patients was around 33 years. The global maternal mortality rate during the study was about 56 deaths for 100,000 live births. The trend was characterized by a net decrease to this rate to 2003, and stagnation after that or even an increase in 2007. Deaths were due, in 81% of cases, to a direct obstetric reason. Hemorrhage was the principal etiology, which was implicated in 35.48% of the total cases. Complications of preeclampsia were incriminated in 19.35% of the total number of cases. In this set, transfer rate was about 48.38%. CONCLUSION: The evolution over the years shows a net regression of maternal mortality. However, the trend was characterized by a recent stagnation. However most of cases were avoidable. Much progress has to be carried out in the cases of peripartum hemorrhages and preeclampsia, since they represent the main death causes.