Current opinion in obstetrics & gynecology
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Curr. Opin. Obstet. Gynecol. · Aug 2005
Review Comparative StudyAn economic evaluation of laparoscopic ovarian diathermy versus gonadotrophin therapy for women with clomiphene citrate-resistant polycystic ovarian syndrome.
Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome are typically anovulatory and require ovulation induction. Ovarian wedge resection was the first treatment for anovulation but was eventually abandoned because of the increased risk of postsurgical adhesions and as medical ovulation induction with clomiphene and gonadotrophins was introduced. However, with the advent of laparoscopy, there has been a return to surgical approaches. The potential advantages of laparoscopic surgery include avoidance of hyperstimulation and the lowered costs make ovarian surgery an attractive alternative to gonadotrophins. ⋯ Treating women with clomiphene-resistant polycystic ovarian syndrome with laparoscopic ovarian diathermy results in reduced direct and indirect costs. The reduction in multiple pregnancies makes the alternative of surgery particularly attractive.
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Curr. Opin. Obstet. Gynecol. · Feb 2005
ReviewLobular carcinoma in situ and invasive lobular cancer of the breast.
The incidence of lobular carcinoma in situ and invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast is increasing. Recent data suggest that lobular carcinoma in situ is an indolent precursor for breast cancer, rather than a pure risk factor. This could imply free surgical margins become important. The risk of contralateral carcinoma and of multifocality of invasive lobular carcinoma is higher than for invasive ductal carcinoma. Therefore, the need for mastectomy, or even for preventative contralateral mastectomy is questioned. Conventional mammography or ultrasonography cannot always give useful preoperative information about the extent of lobular cancers. The value of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging needs to be established for these patients. ⋯ Lobular carcinoma in situ and invasive lobular carcinoma are different entities from ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive lobular carcinoma. Their biological profile should be studied further in order to make the fine tuning of treatment possible.
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Curr. Opin. Obstet. Gynecol. · Aug 2004
ReviewLaparoscopic adhesiolysis in patients with chronic abdominal pain.
The purpose of this review was to evaluate the indications, safety, and efficacy of laparoscopic adhesiolysis and its prevention in patients with chronic abdominal pain. ⋯ Older patients with a greater number of previous abdominal operations are more prone to complications in laparoscopic surgery. The introduction of a Veress needle into the ninth intercostal space, the use of an optic trocar and ultrasonic dissection can reduce the incidence of iatrogenic bowel perforations. For chronic pain, diagnostic laparoscopy is encouraged, but laparoscopic adhesiolysis is no longer recommended; its benefit being no greater than that of diagnostic laparoscopy alone.
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Curr. Opin. Obstet. Gynecol. · Apr 2004
ReviewCurrent strategies for the prevention of postpartum haemorrhage in the third stage of labour.
Despite evidence that active management of the third stage of labour reduces the incidence of postpartum haemorrhage, expectant management is still widely practised. Factors accounting for this situation include the desire for a more natural experience of childbirth, the philosophy that active management is unnecessary in low-risk women, and avoidance of the adverse effects of conventional uterotonic agents. This review will evaluate the various strategies currently used for the prevention of primary postpartum haemorrhage. ⋯ Active management of the third stage of labour is superior to expectant management in terms of blood loss, postpartum haemorrhage and other serious complications, but is associated with unpleasant side effects and hypertension when ergometrine is included. Intramuscular oxytocin results in fewer side effects. Oral and rectal misoprostol has been extensively assessed and found to be less effective than conventional oxytocics with more side effects. Until alternative regimes of misoprostol are studied in large controlled trials, misoprostol is not recommended for routine use in the third stage of labour. Of the remaining uterotonic agents evaluated, intramuscular carbetocin appears the most promising.
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Neurological disorders are common in women of childbearing age and can lead to maternal death, as evident from previous reports of the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths in England and Wales. In the last report (1997-1999) alone, there were 34 deaths indirectly caused by neurological disorders. ⋯ This paper reviews the current concepts and outlines appropriate management of conditions such as epilepsy, headache, benign intracranial hypertension, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, Bell's palsy and cerebrovascular disorders.