Obstetrics and gynecology

BACKGROUND: We wanted to establish a technique of laparoscopically assisted radical vaginal surgery for deep endometriosis of the rectovaginal septum with extensive rectal involvement. TECHNIQUE: The procedure is started by vaginally excis…

OBJECTIVE: To present current data pertaining to angiogenesis of the endometrium throughout the normal menstrual cycle and in benign and neoplastic diseases of the endometrium. SOURCES: We conducted a computerized search of MEDLINE, Curren…

OBJECTIVE: To examine biologic and proliferative properties of adenomyotic lesions and to determine whether adenomyotic lesions originate in the basal layer of the eutopic endometrium. METHODS: We examined eutopic and ectopic endometria fr…

Pelvic Pain Center, 2006 Brookwood Medical Center Drive, Suite 402, Women's Medical Center, Birmingham, AL 35209; E-mail: [email protected]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the safety and efficacy of leuprolide versus placebo in managing chronic pelvic pain in women with clinically suspected endometriosis. METHODS: Women 18-45 years of age with moderate to severe pelvic pain…

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the presence of nerve fibers and histopathology of endometriosis-related adhesions, postsurgical adhesions, and postinfectious adhesions in women with and without pelvic pain. METHODS: We evaluated the presence of ne…

Chronic pelvic pain and endometriosis remain two of the most perplexing problems in gynecology. In some women with both conditions, endometriosis might not be the cause of their pain. The problem is determining when the pain is caused by en…

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of disease on peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemotactic index and natural killer cell cytotoxicity and to provide additional information concerning the cell-mediated immune function in end…

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a GnRH agonist, leuprolide acetate depot, alone and in combination with three hormonal add-back regimens in the management of endometriosis-associated pelvic pain. METHODS: Two hundred and …

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term pain reduction achieved by laparoscopic presacral neurectomy. METHODS: One hundred seventy-six women with median (range) age 30 (18-45) years underwent presacral neurectomy combined with excision and va…

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and predictors of risk for operative complications, conversions to laparotomy, and postoperative admissions after laparoscopic procedures. METHODS: We obtained demographic information on and medical hi…

BACKGROUND: The survival rate of patients with advanced stage primary squamous cell carcinoma of the ovary is dismal and the best treatment is unknown. We describe the response of this tumor to systemic chemotherapy employing paclitaxel and…

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the immediate initiation of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) in the postoperative period increases the incidence of symptom recurrence following total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) with bilateral salpingo-oo…

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the validity of transrectal ultrasonography in the assessment of rectovaginal endometriosis. METHODS: We compared the findings of transrectal ultrasonographic examination performed before surgery with the operative a…

BACKGROUND: Intrinsic ureteral endometriosis is rare. Early detection and treatment is extremely important to preserve renal function. CASE: A 37-year-old woman with right flank pain was diagnosed with a polypoid lesion at excretory urogra…

In minilaparotomy-assisted vaginal hysterectomy, the operation begins vaginally by opening the peritoneal folds and ligating the uterine vessels and uterosacral ligaments. Minilaparotomy is then performed for myomectomy, cutting the fallopi…

OBJECTIVE: To assess the changes in the subpopulations of lymphocytes and in lymphocyte mitogenic activity in women with endometriosis receiving GnRH-agonist treatment. METHODS: Twenty-six women with advanced endometriosis from the Nationa…

OBJECTIVE: To assess menstrual blood loss and other menstrual characteristics prospectively in women with and without endometriosis. METHODS: Three hundred fifteen premenopausal women undergoing laparoscopy for various reasons were asked t…

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and complications of laparoscopic presacral neurectomy in pelvic pain. METHODS: We reviewed records of 655 patients receiving laparoscopic conservative surgery and laparoscopic presacral neurectomy for d…

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the long-term probability of hysterectomy after sterilization according to demographic and clinical characteristics before the procedure. METHODS: We used a prospective, multi-center cohort study of 10,698 women unde…