Georgios Decavalas

Percutaneous minimally invasive management of iatrogenic ureteral injuries.

PURPOSE To present experience with the percutaneous management of iatrogenic ureteral injuries. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eighteen women and six men with a mean age of 59.3 years (range 33-80 years) received a diagnosis of ureteral injury sustained during gynecologic, urologic, and general surgical procedures. In a total of 25 injured ureters, 12 had interruption of continuity of their lumen, 10 were associated with contrast extravasation, and 3 were related to both. A standard percutaneous nephrostomy tract was established on the side of the afflicted kidney. Combined use of hydrophilic guidewires and balloon dilations were performed to achieve antegrade recanalization of the ureteral lesion. Then, a ureteral stent was inserted to assure patency. RESULTS Average stricture length was 1.21 (range 0.5-1.9 cm). Success of the aforementioned technique was possible in 18 ureters. Successful management in one session took place in 14 ureters. Average hospitalization time was 1.8 days (range 0-5 d). The follow-up period ranged between 12 and 18 months, with mean follow-up time of 12.9 months. Ureteral patency was evident at 1 week follow-up in six patients with obstructed ureters. In the remaining patients, balloon dilation of the stricture was repeated, and another stent was placed. Extravasation of contrast was observed in two patients with extravasating ureters in the same period. Nephrostomy tubes were removed after a mean indwelling period of 5.9 weeks (range 1-12 wks). Two patients treated by the described method died during their hospitalization in the intensive care unit because of sepsis from peritonitis that was related to colon injury and multiple concomitant injuries. Major complications were not observed in the remaining 22 patients during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION The minimally invasive management of ureteral injuries is a safe and efficient method for both ureteral obstruction and/or laceration in a wide range of iatrogenic ureteral injuries.

Inheritance and perinatal consequences of inherited thrombophilia in Greece

To investigate the impact of inherited thrombophilic factors on the gestational outcome of unselected pregnant women.

MID-TRIMESTER MATERNAL SERUM HCG AND ALPHA FETAL PROTEIN LEVELS: CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND PREDICTION OF ADVERSE PREGNANCY OUTCOME

Context Maternal serum human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) and Alpha Fetal Protein (AFP) were originally introduced to detect trisomy 21 and neural tube defects. However, in the absence of aneuploidy or neural tube defects, mid-trimester maternal serum hCG and/or maternal serum AFP associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Pregnancies with unexplained mid-trimester elevation in maternal serum hCG and/or maternal serum AFP, are at increased risk for pregnancy complications resulting from placental insufficiency. Evidence Acquisition Mid-trimester maternal serum hCG>2.5 MoM associated with an increased risk for pregnancy complications including: late fetal loss, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), preterm delivery and intrauterine fetal death(IUFD). Mid-trimester maternal serum AFP levels >2.5 MoM are thought to reflect a defect in placentation and associated with an increased risk for pregnancy complications including: late fetal loss, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, IUGR, preterm delivery and IUFD. Results Combined mid-trimester elevation in maternal serum hCG and AFP levels suggest a more complex type of placental pathology. They have stronger association with pregnancy complications including: late fetal loss, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, IUGR, preterm delivery and IUFD. Conclusions Mid-trimester maternal serum hCG or AFP levels alone cannot detect all pregnant women with increased risk to develop pregnancy complications. Multiparameter testing of placental function in mid-trimester (maternal serum hCG and AFP screening, uterine artery Doppler and placental morphology) may allow us to identify women with increased risk to develop severe placental insufficiency and pregnancy complications. However, future prospective studies are needed to confirm the prognostic significance of multiparameter testing of placental function in mid-trimester.

Expression and potential role of ErbB receptors in type II endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE Endometrial cancer is the most common malignancy of the female genital tract. Based on clinical and pathological features, endometrial cancer is classified into two types. The aim of our study was to describe the expression and the potential clinical role of ErbB receptors in Greek patients with type II endometrial cancer. STUDY DESIGN Between 1991 and 2008, 10 women with histologically confirmed type II endometrial cancer were referred to the Department of Gynecologic Oncology of the University of Patras Medical School. Tissue specimens from endometrial lesions were immunostained for EGFR, ErbB-2, ErbB-3 and ErbB-4. RESULTS For EGFR, 5 cases were positive (50%) and 5 cases were negative. For ErbB-2, 9 cases were positive (90%) and 1 case was negative. For ErbB-3, all cases were positive. For ErbB-4, 7 cases were positive (70%) and 3 cases were negative. Also for all ErbB receptors, 5 cases were positive (50%). During follow up, 3 patients died from their disease. All of them had papillary serous endometrial cancer and 2 of them were positive for all ErbB receptors. CONCLUSION Although our study was based on a small number of cases, it is obvious that we had high expression levels of ErbB receptors in patients with type II endometrial cancer. Also the majority of patients with dismal outcome were positive for all ErbB receptors. This is very important, as ErbB-targeted therapies may be clinically active as adjuvant therapy in well-defined subgroups of type II EC patients with EGFR and ErbB-2 overexpression.

Vaginal Primary Malignant Melanoma: A Rare and Aggressive Tumor

Vaginal primary malignant melanoma is a rare and very aggressive tumor. It most commonly occurs in postmenopausal women, with a mean age of 57 years. Our patient is an 80-year-old, postmenopausal Greek woman presented with a complaint of abnormal vaginal bleeding. On gynecologic examination there was a pigmented, raised, ulcerated, and irregular lesion 5 × 4.5 cm in the upper third of anterior vaginal wall. She underwent a wide local excision of the lesion. The histopathology revealed vaginal primary malignant melanoma with ulceration and no clear surgical margins. She denied any additional surgical interventions and underwent to postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy. Follow up 5 months after initial diagnosis revealed no evidence of local recurrence or distant metastasis. The prognosis of vaginal primary malignant melanoma is very poor despite treatment modality, because most of the cases are diagnosed at advanced stage. Particularly patients with no clear surgical margins and tumor size >3 cm needed postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy.

Transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration of benign ovarian cysts

Abstract In our study, we evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy of transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration of benign ovarian cysts in selected patients. A total of 46 women with benign ovarian cysts were referred to our outpatient clinic. The aspirated fluid was collected and sent for cytological analysis. All women were re-evaluated at 1, 3 and 6 months after the procedure. The cytological analysis was negative for malignancy in all cases. Our study showed an overall recurrence rate for ovarian cysts of 39.1%. Women with endometriotic ovarian cysts have an increased incidence of recurrence, 62.5% (n = 5), in comparison with serous cysts, 35.2% (n = 12) and serous-haemorrhagic cysts, 15% (n = 1), χ2 = 9.913, df = 2, p = 0.007. The results of our study reveal that transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration of benign ovarian cysts is a simple, safe and effective procedure.

Necrotizing Fasciitis Complicating Pregnancy: A Case Report and Literature Review

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare, life-threatening surgical infection in pregnancy with high rates of morbidity and mortality. A 15-year-old primigravid woman, at 28 weeks of gestation with no significant previous medical history, was admitted to our hospital complaining of severe left lower extremity pain and high fever the last 72 hours. During clinical examination, she had a swollen, erythematous and tender to palpation inflamed skin over the medial aspect of the upper thigh without any evidence of injury. Incision drainage was performed immediately and she received broad spectrum antibiotics. During initial laboratory examinations, diabetes mellitus was diagnosed. There was no clinical improvement over the following days. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed subcutaneous tissue inflammation and edema of infected tissues confirming the disease entity. Multidisciplinary therapy with immediate aggressive surgical debridement of necrotic tissues, multiple antibiotics, and intensive care monitoring was performed successfully. The patients postoperative course was uncomplicated and skin defect was closed with split thickness skin grafting. Our case emphasized the potential immunosuppressive role of pregnancy state in conjunction with diabetes mellitus in the development of severe necrotizing soft tissue infections.

Synchronous Primary Endometrial and Ovarian Cancers: A Critical Update

Synchronous primary cancers are relatively uncommon in general population. Only 0.5-1.7% of women with gynecological malignancies, have synchronous primary cancers of the female genital tract. In those patients, the most common combination is synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian cancers.

Systemic Sclerosis and Multiple Cancers of the Female Genital Tract: Prolonged Survival following Current Treatment Strategies

Background. Systemic sclerosis is a rare, chronic, multisystem, and autoimmune disease. There is an overall increased risk of malignancy in patients with systemic sclerosis. However, multiple cancers of the female genital tract in patients with SSc are a very rare event. Our aim is to present a case of SSc and multiple cancers of the female genital tract, with prolonged survival following current treatment strategies. Case. The patient, a 43-year-old nulliparous premenopausal Greek woman suffering from systemic sclerosis, presented with a history of abdominal pain and abnormal uterine bleeding. She underwent total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, total omentectomy, appendectomy, and pelvic lymph node dissection. The histopathology revealed synchronous primary cancers of the endometrium and left ovary. The final diagnosis was stage Ib endometrial cancer endometrioid type and stage IIIc ovarian cancer endometrioid type. She underwent postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and remains well without evidence of disease 89 months after initial surgery. Conclusion. Although our patient was diagnosed at advanced stage disease, prolonged survival may be related with radical surgery and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy according to current treatment strategies.

Thalassemia intermedia, inherited thrombophilia, and intrauterine growth restriction

A 26-year-old splenectomised, nulliparous woman with betathalassemia intermedia presented after a spontaneous pregnancy. Her personal and family history of thrombosis was negative. She was started on folic acid and calcium supplements, prophylactic anticoagulation, and given regular transfusions. At 16 weeks of gestation she developed superficial vein thrombosis in her left leg and was given a therapeutic dose of subcutaneous low molecular weight herapin (LMWH). Further investigations showed homozygosity for C677T 5,10-methylenetetrahydrolfolate reductase (MTHFR) mutation. In the third trimester an ultrasonographic scan revealed intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). At 35 weeks of gestation she gave birth to a healthy neonate weighing 1915 g (below the 5th percentile for this gestational age). Subcutaneous LMWH was reintroduced after delivery. Beta-thalassemia is a congenital anemia characterized by either partial (intermedia, TI) or complete (major, TM) deficiency in the production of beta-globin chains, which determines the clinical outcome [1]. Thromboembolism occurs in 3.9% of patients with TI and 0.9% of patients with TM [1]. The procoagulant state of TI patients has been mainly attributed to the effect of circulating abnormal red blood cells that interact with endothelial cells and activate them [1]. This hypothesis may explain the recent clinical observation that patients with TI who underwent regular transfusions had a much lower incidence of thrombotic events compared to those without transfusions. Risk factors for developing thrombosis in patients with TI are age (N20 years), previous thromboembolic events, family history, and splenectomy [1]. TI is also associated with gestational complications that are mainly attributed to maternal anemia [1,2]. There is no agreement on the overall management of thromboembolic disease, as well as gestational complications of women with TI [1,2]. Prophylactic anticoagulation did not protect the patient from venous thrombosis, while therapeutic anticoagulation and regular transfusions did not prevent the development of IUGR. It is unclear whether homozygosity for C677T MTHFR mutation contributed to IUGR development. It is likely that administration of a standard dose of folate, in a patient with increased requirements due to chronic anemia, was inadequate to overcome the genetic defect resulting in hyperhomocysteinemia. Hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for placental abruption and pre-eclampsia, due to placental vasculopathy [3]. Although hyperhomocysteinemia does not increase the risk of IUGR, in the presence of other thrombophilic factors it may contribute to its development. Pregnant women with TI should have a thorough assessment in order to determine additional thrombophilic factors and to individualize their treatment accordingly.