Minerva ginecologica
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Endometriosis is a common gynecological condition, responsible for significant morbidity and social-economic impact. Although the condition has been recognized for many years, the underlying pathophysiology is poorly understood. In turn, this results in inadequate treatment and high recurrence rates. ⋯ Recent work has focused on identifying the role of vascularization in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, by allowing lesions to establish and grow. In this review the authors outline the basic mechanisms of angiogenesis and vasculogenesis in the human eutopic endometrium, and consider how this data can be applied to endometriotic implants. Furthermore, the authors discuss molecular mechanisms of angiogenesis and vasculogenesis, and how this may be used to therapeutic advantage in the treatment of endometriosis.
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Minerva ginecologica · Jun 2008
Case Reports[Subamniotic hematoma: 3D and color Doppler imaging in the differential diagnosis of placental masses and fetal outcome].
The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of 3D and color Doppler (CD) imaging in prenatal diagnosis and management of placental subamniotic hematoma and to speculate about the prenatal diagnosis of the solid and cystic placental masses protruding from the fetal surface of the placenta. Five pregnancies in which a large mass was seen protruding from the fetal surface of the placenta were studied in the period between January 2006 and January 2008. 3D and color flow imaging were settled in order to monitor the sonographic features of the mass during pregnancy, to evaluate the continuity of the solid portion of the mass with the fetal placental surface and to detect the blood flow signals within the mass. This study reports the clinical outcome and the histologic findings of five cases of subamniotic hematomas detected in the course of prenatal ultrasound examinations between January 2006 and January 2008. ⋯ The main differential diagnosis in the case of a cystic mass overlying the fetal plate of the placenta, covered by a thin membrane, during the ultrasound examination, is between a placental cyst and a large pseudocysts of the umbilical cord at the placental insertion. In the case of a pseudocyst, the transonic formation is clear and lacks of a solid mass within. The correct differential diagnosis between subamniotic hematoma and the pseudocysts of the umbilical cord is required because of the association between chromosomal anomalies and pseudocysts.