Alfredo Gei

Prenatal Diagnosis of a Fetus with Unbalanced Translocation (4;13)(p16;q32) with Overlapping Features of Patau and Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndromes

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) and Patau syndrome are two of the most severe conditions resulting from chromosome abnormalities. WHS is caused by a deletion of 4p16, while Patau syndrome is caused by trisomy for some or all regions of chromosome 13. Though the etiologies of these syndromes differ, they share several features including pre- and postnatal growth retardation, microcephaly, cleft lip and palate, and cardiac anomalies. We present here a female fetus with deletion of 4p16 → pter and duplication of 13q32 → qter due to unbalanced segregation of t(4;13)(p16;q32) in the father. She displayed overlapping features of both of these syndromes on ultrasound. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a fetus with both partial trisomy 13 and deletion of 4p16, the critical region for WHS.

The effects of pregnancy and smooth muscle contractility on cervical distensibility in the rat

OBJECTIVE We sought to compare distensibility of the isolated rat cervix from nonpregnant rats (n = 6), rats at midgestation (n = 5), and rats at term gestation (n = 4). STUDY DESIGN The cervix was excised, and one cervical channel was cannulated from both ends and positioned in the organ chamber for perfusion-superfusion by a peristaltic pump at an intraluminal pressure of 30 mm Hg for 30 minutes. After the equilibration period, perfusion was stopped, the outlet was closed, and the cervix was inflated with a syringe pump. The volume was increased at a rate of 3.33 microL/s until intraluminal pressure reached approximately 120 mm Hg. The outlet was then opened, and the cervix was perfused at 30 mm Hg of intraluminal pressure for another 30 minutes. The volume-pressure relationships were obtained 3 times without any agent present and in the presence of 60-mmol/L potassium chloride or 10(-4)-mol/L 3-morpholinosydnonimine hydrochloride (also known as SIN-1). RESULTS The volume-pressure relationship was shifted to the right during progression of pregnancy, demonstrating increased compliance of the cervix. The nonspecific depolarizing agent potassium chloride or the nitric oxide donor 3-morpholinosydnonimine did not affect volume-pressure relationships in cervices from nonpregnant rats, rats at midgestation, or rats at term gestation. CONCLUSION The volume-pressure relationship in the isolated cannulated rat cervix reflects the resistance of the organ to increased intraluminal pressure. The compliance of the cervix is increased as pregnancy progresses, demonstrating decreased resistance to stretch. Activation or inhibition of cervical smooth muscle does not contribute to the physical properties of the cervix, which controls compliance-resistance.

Contents Vol. 17, 2002

1 A.W. Liley Medal 2001 Awarded to Prof. Wolfgang Holzgreve Chervenak, F.A. (New York, N.Y.) 3 Prenatal and Perinatal Aspects of a Giant Fetal Cervicothoracal Lymphangioma Axt-Fliedner, R.; Hendrik, H.J.; Schwaiger, C.; Ertan, A.K.; Friedrich, M.; Schmidt, W. (Homburg/Saar) 8 Gelatin Sponge Embolization. A Method for the Management of Iatrogenic Preterm Premature Rupture of the Membranes O’Brien, J.M.; Milligan, D.A.; Barton, J.R. (Lexington, Ky.) 11 Diagnostic and Therapeutic Dilemma with Large Prenatally Detected Cystic Adrenal Masses de Luca, J.L.; Rousseau, T.; Durand, C.; Sagot, P.; Sapin, E. (Dijon) 17 The Influence of Smoking and Parity on Serum Markers for Down’s Syndrome Screening Tišlarić, D. (Zagreb); Brajenović-Milić, B.; Ristić, S. (Rijeka); Latin, V. (Zagreb); ZZ uvić-Butorac, M.; BacZ ić, J. (Rijeka); Petek, M. (Zagreb); Kapović, M. (Rijeka) 22 Erythropoietin as Treatment for Late Hyporegenerative Anemia in Neonates with Rh Hemolytic Disease after in utero Exchange Transfusion Nicaise, C.; Gire, C.; Casha, P.; d’Ercole, C.; Chau, C.; Palix, C. (Marseille) 25 Alpha-Fetoprotein Values in Amniotic Fluid Obtained during Early Amniocentesis (11–13 Weeks) Nwebube, N.I.; Lockitch, G.; Halstead, C. (Vancouver); Johnson, J. (Toronto); Wilson, R.D. (Vancouver) 29 Prenatal Diagnosis of Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita with Increased Nuchal Translucency but without Any Underlying Fetal Neurogenic or Myogenic Pathology Madazl}, R.; Tüysüz, B.; Aksoy, F.; Barbaros, M.; UludagE , S.; Ocak, V. (Istanbul) 34 Prenatal Diagnosis of Lissencephaly (Type II) by Ultrasound and Fast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Kojima, K.; Suzuki, Y.; Seki, K.; Yamamoto, T.; Sato, T.; Tanaka, T.; Suzumori, K. (Nagoya) 37 Expression of C-Type Natriuretic Peptide in Human Placenta and Myometrium in Normal Pregnancies and Pregnancies Complicated by Intrauterine Growth Retardation. Preliminary Results Stepan, H.; Faber, R.; Stegemann, S. (Leipzig); Schultheiss, H.-P.; Walther, T. (Berlin) 42 Early Transvaginal Biometry of Fetal Orbits: A Cross-Sectional Study Guariglia, L.; Rosati, P. (Rome) 48 Uterine Artery Doppler Velocimetry in Patients with Idiopathic Hydramnios Hershkovitz, R.; Sheiner, E.; Furman, B.; Smolin, A.; Hallak, M.; Mazor, M. (Beer-Sheva) 52 First-Trimester Ductus venosus Velocimetry in Relation to Nuchal Translucency Thickness and Fetal Karyotype Zoppi, M.A.; Putzolu, M.; Ibba, R.M.; Floris, M.; Monni, G. (Cagliari) 58 MR Autopsy in Fetuses Huisman, T.A.G.M.; Wisser, J.; Stallmach, T.; Krestin, G.P.; Huch, R.; Kubik-Huch, R.A. (Zürich) No. 2

Use of Mott compression garment in postoperative cesarean-delivery patients

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the use of an abdominal compression garment (Mott Binder) in postoperative cesarean patients. Methods: Seventy-seven pregnant subjects were prospectively studied using a newly designed abdominal binder as compared with a standard postoperative bandage, with the binder placed immediately postoperatively. Binder subjects used the device at least through the first postoperative day (POD1) and as desired afterward. Pain, wound complication, length of stay, and patient satisfaction were analyzed using the Student t test, ANOVA, and χ 2 , with P Results: Results are summarized in the table (± SD): Binder (n = 58) Control (n = 19) P Hospital stay (days) 3.9 ± 0.6 3.8 ± 0.7 NS PO medication doses 9.6 ± 4.8 10.4 ± 4.0 NS POD1 pain score 1.8 ± 1.3 2.3 ± 1.4 NS Wound infection 4 2 NS Two binder subjects had wound-site erythema. Two of the 19 controls and none of the 58 binder patients had superficial wound dehiscence. Subjective satisfaction with the binder was appreciable (control randomization was not possible after 19 controls were enrolled secondary to patient preference for the binders). Conclusion: Use of the Mott postoperative binder resulted in subjective satisfaction from its users despite absence of objective benefit. A nonsignificant reduction in superficial wound dehiscence through binder use warrants additional study.