El potencial maligno de los pólipos endometriales

Objectives

To determine the pre-malignant and malignant potential of endometrial polyps, and to asses whether different clinical parameters are associated with malignancy in the polyps.

Material and methods

452 hysteroscopic resections of endometrial polyps were reviewed. Histological diagnosis and clinical characteristics (presence of abnormal uterine bleeding and polyp size) were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed.

Results

The study included 203 pre-menopausal and 249 post-menopausal women. The mean age of pre-menopausal women was 44.3 ± 0,4 years, and 59.1 ± 0.5 years for postmenopausal women. The diagnosis of polyps was by ultrasound with or without hysterosonography, or by hysteroscopy. The main indication of hysteroscopy was abnormal uterine bleeding, which was 65.1% in the pre-menopausal group and 74.7% in the post-menopausal group. There were 23 cases (11.3%) of hyperplasia without atypia in the pre-menopausal group, and 8 cases (3.2%) in the post-menopausal group. Hyperplasia with atypia was found in 2 cases (0.9%) in the pre-menopausal group, and in 9 cases (3.6%) in the post-menopausal group. There were 16 cases of endometrial carcinoma (6.4%), all of them in post-menopausal women. In 1 of these 16 patients there was no abnormal bleeding, but an endometrial polyp was suspected in the ultrasound. Menopause status was significantly associated with pre-malignant or malignant changes. No significant association was found between the presence of abnormal uterine bleeding and polyp size with pre-malignancy or malignancy in the polyp.

Conclusions

Post-menopausal women with endometrial polyp, whether symptomatic or not, should be evaluated by hysteroscopic resection. Asymptomatic pre-menopausal patients, without any risk factor, should be followed up.     

Physical Deletion of the p53 Gene in Bladder Cancer: Detection by Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization

To understand better the role of physical p53 deletion in bladder cancer, 106 formalin-fixed and 45 unfixed bladder tumors were examined using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Probes for centromere 17 and the p53 locus were hybridized simultaneously to interphase tumor cells to analyze p53 and chromosome 17 copy number on a cell by cell basis. 17p deletion was found in four of 43 pTa tumors, 18 of 43 pT1 tumors and 29 of 58 pT2-4 tumors (P = 0.0001). 17p deletion was also highly correlated with grade (P = 0.0001) and with p53 immunostaining (P = 0.0005). Chromosome 17 polysomy was associated with stage, grade, 17p deletions, and p53 immunostaining (P = 0.0001). The strong difference in centromere 17 copy number and 17p deletions between pTa and pT1 tumors supports a relevant biological distinction between pTa and pT1 tumors.     

Cirugía oncológica ginecológica mediante puerto único y endoscopia operatoria por orificios naturales empleando equipamiento convencional

Objective

To describe and assess the feasibility of combining natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) and laparoendoscopic single-site surgery in gynaecological cancer using only conventional laparoscopic equipment.

Sclerosing peritonitis after intestinal transplantation in children

Long-term graft dysfunction and/or graft loss after intestinal transplantation (ITx) is a significant concern. Sclerosing peritonitis (SP) is a manifestation of chronic allograft failure and its presence may also include classic arterial obliterative arteriopathy (OA) as in chronic rejection. We describe the clinical presentation and management of SP occurring after ITx in children. Case records of 121 children undergoing ITx from 1990 to 2003 were reviewed. Three children (2.4%) presented with SP of the intestine allograft at a mean time of 6.6 yr following ITx as follows: age at Tx (yr) 8.2, and 3.7, with indication for ITx being gastroschisis in two and midgut volvulus in one patient. Type of ITx was isolated intestine in one and liver/intestine in two patients. Gross findings of SP included fibrosis/strictures; microscopically SP showed fibrosis/serositis, and fibrous adhesions; one patient had evidence of chronic allograft vasculopathy. All patients presented with clinical signs and symptoms of bowel obstruction and gastrointestinal contrast studies confirmed distal ileal obstruction (DIO). Operative findings confirmed SP and DIO in all patients; all patients were initially treated with distal segmental intestine allograft resection and lysis of the fibrous peel. All three patients recovered, although two required repeat laparotomy, there is only one long-term survival. SP after ITx may be a different manifestation of long-term intestine allograft degeneration. Surgical resection appears to offer palliation.     

Outcome of ICSI using zona pellucida-bound spermatozoa and conventionally selected spermatozoa

This study aimed to investigate whether the spermatozoa–zona pellucida binding test is able to select spermatozoa with higher fertilization potential and higher rate of successful embryo development. This prospective study was performed with metaphase II (MII) oocytes retrieved from couples undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. For each patient, half of the MII oocytes were injected using a routine ICSI method (control group, n = 194) while the other half were injected with previously zona pellucida-bound spermatozoa (ZP-binding group, n = 194). Fertilization rate, high-quality embryo rate, and embryo transfer rate were compared between the groups. No significant difference was observed among the groups in the fertilization rate (76.8% versus 77.3% for control and ZP-binding groups, respectively). However, an increased percentage of high-quality embryos was observed when zona pellucida-bound spermatozoa were injected (70.0% versus 83.3% for control and ZP-binding groups, respectively, P = 0.003). Moreover, when embryo selection was performed while ignoring experimental group origin, embryos from the ZP-binding group were more commonly selected for transfer (43.6% versus 54.6% for control and ZP-binding groups, respectively, P = 0.004). These findings suggest that the spermatozoa–zona pellucida binding test may be an efficient method to identify the most competent spermatozoa for ICSI.     

Idiopathic purpura fulminans with transient protein S deficiency

Idiopathic purpura fulminans produces rapidly progressive hemorrhagic necrosis of the skin with disseminated intravascular coagulation in individuals without known abnormalities of the protein C pathway or acute infections. The disease mainly affects children and in 90 % of cases is preceded by a benign infection. Its pathogenesis involves a temporary autoimmune protein S deficiency that provokes a state of hypercoagulability. We present the case of a previously healthy 2-year-old boy with hemorrhagic skin lesions characteristic of purpura fulminans and disseminated intravascular coagulation without sepsis. Severe, temporary protein S deficiency was confirmed. The patient received daily replacement therapy with fresh frozen plasma for 12 days and anticoagulation with heparin for 3 months. Evolution was favorable. Although the other parameters returned to normal, protein S remained low for 50 days despite treatment. The patient has made a complete recovery.