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Background: Our aim was to supplement the mostly individual case reports on the rarely occurring and life-threatening condition of ectopic pregnancy developing in a Caesarean section scar., Methods and Results: Eight of all the patients treated in our department between 1995 and 2002 had been diagnosed for ectopic pregnancy that developed in a Caesarean section scar. They comprised this case series group. Four of them underwent methotrexate treatment; one had expectant management, one transcervical aspiration of the gestational sac and two by open surgery. All the non-surgically treated women had an uneventful outcome. One underwent a term Caesarean hysterectomy and the other first trimester hysterotomy and excision of the pregnancy located in the scarred uterus. Analysis of all these women's obstetric history revealed that five of them (63%) had been previously operated because of breech presentation, one had a cervical pregnancy and one had placenta previa. Four of them (50%) had multiple (> or = 2) Caesarean sections., Conclusions: The women at risk for pregnancy in a Caesarean section scar appear to be those with a history of placental pathology, ectopic pregnancy, multiple Caesarean sections and Caesarean breech delivery. Heightened awareness of this possibility and early diagnosis by means of transvaginal sonography can improve outcome and minimize the need for emergency extended surgery.

We report a rare clinical case of recurrent isolated torsion of the Fallopian tube. An 18 year old woman presented with acute right lower quadrant pain, nausea and vomiting. Torsion of the Fallopian tube was detected by laparoscopy and detorsion was performed. Two years later, a second similar episode of pelvic pain recurred. Having in mind the first episode, diagnosis was facilitated and detorsion was performed in accordance with the patient's wishes. However, the dilemma of ideal management of recurrent cases of torsion of the same tube remains open for discussion. The possibility of torsion of the Fallopian tube and recurrent torsion of the tube, although rare, should be considered in any patient with acute onset of lower abdominal pain.

Splenosis is the heterotopic autotransplantation of splenic tissue that usually follows traumatic splenectomy. The clinical significance of these splenic implants and the need for surgical removal is debatable. A case of a 35 year old woman, with post-traumatic splenectomy presenting with low abdominal pain and pelvic mass is reported. Laparoscopic removal of the pelvic splenic implants dispelled all complaints.

The aim of this study was to develop a new male fertility diagnostic profile based on quantitative ultramorphology parameters and to determine the contribution of this profile to the enhancement of the routine semen analysis index reported previously. Semen samples from 208 males of known fertility and suspected infertility were evaluated for the ultrafine structure of the following sperm cell organelles: acrosome, post-acrosomal lamina, nucleus, neck, axonema, mitochondrial and fibrous sheaths. For each of these organelles, four pathological states (agenesis, incomplete genesis, malformation and degradation) and an intact state were defined. A quantitative ultramorphology index based on the incidence of intact nucleus, acrosome and fibrous sheath malformations enabled high accuracy in the classification (97% sensitivity and 90% specificity) of 74% of the cases. A combined semen quality index based on a proportional combination of the semen analysis and quantitative ultramorphology indices was found to increase the percentage of cases classified correctly to 80%. It was proposed that semen specimens of males whose fertility status cannot be predicted clearly using routine semen analysis should be fixed and sent for quantitative ultramorphology analysis to specialized laboratories so that their fertility potential can be determined more accurately using the semen quality index.

Between January 1984 and August 1991, 511 cases of extrauterine pregnancies were diagnosed by laparoscopy in our department. In 374 cases salpingectomy was performed: 184 by explorative laparotomy, and 190 by operative laparoscopy. Patients were scheduled for salpingectomy if one or more of the following criteria were fulfilled: (i) a ruptured tube which was surgically unsuitable for conservation; (ii) no interest in future fertility; (iii) tubes with ectopic gestation previously operated on; (iv) a previous tubal pregnancy on the same side, which was treated expectantly. Salpingectomy was performed via operative laparoscopy with bipolar diathermy forceps and laparoscopic scissors. Pregnancy rates, i.e. intra-uterine and repeat extra-uterine, were evaluated. The reproductive performance following salpingectomy did not differ significantly, whether by laparotomy or laparoscopy: the intra-uterine pregnancy rate was 78 and 64%, respectively and the repeat ectopic pregnancy rate was 12 and 6%, respectively. Salpingectomy via laparoscopy can be performed safely with a low incidence of complications, with subsequent reproductive performance comparable to laparotomy.

To determine whether pre-operative treatment with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue may have a beneficial effect on surgery outcome, 53 patients with symptomatic fibroid uteri awaiting myomectomy or transabdominal hysterectomy (TAH), were randomly divided into a study group (n = 29) and a control group (n = 24). The study group of patients were treated by an i.m. injection of D-Trp6 LHRH microcapsules at 2 months and 1 month prior to surgery. The control group had no pre-operative treatment. Haemoglobin concentration and oestradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone concentrations were measured at 2 months and 1 month prior to surgery, and at surgery. The duration of surgery was shorter in the study group (49 versus 70 min in the hysterectomy group) and intra-operative blood loss was less (208 versus 309 ml in the hysterectomies and 320 versus 476 ml in the myomectomies). Pre-operative treatment with GnRH-agonists which induces shrinkage of the uterus and fibroids is therefore efficient in shortening the duration of surgery, and diminishing the intra-operative blood loss in surgery for fibroid uteri. Such pre-operative treatment is therefore a useful addition to surgery in cases with symptomatic fibroid uteri.

The aim of this study was to evaluate diagnostic profiles for the assessment of semen analysis data with respect to male fertility potential. Semen samples taken from 208 patients of known fertility and suspected infertility were studied by conventional semen analysis methods. The data throw doubt upon the validity of an approach based on the number of deviations from the normal standard values defined by the World Health Organization. The alternative approach of a specific semen characteristic (particularly morphology) as the major predictor of fertility produced no beneficial results. However, the semen analysis index based on semen volume, sperm count, percentage motility and normal forms resulted in a high accuracy of classification but for only 44% of the cases, with 3% false negatives and 10% false positives using cut-off indices of > or = 0.6 and < or = -1.0 for defining 'fertile' and 'infertile' zones, respectively. In conclusion, it is emphasized that there are a number of specific semen analysis variables, each expressing a different aspect of male fertility potential which, when combined in correct proportion, do provide the optimal evaluation of the male fertility status. However, in order to increase the prognostic potential of the semen sample, new and meaningful parameters must be discovered.