Evaluation of Waiting Times and Sonographic Findings in Patients with First Trimester Vaginal Bleeding at the University Hospital of the West Indies. Can Emergency Department Ultrasound Make a Difference?

Background:

Pregnant female patients with vaginal bleeding in the first trimester are seen commonly in the Emergency Department (ED) at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), Kingston, Jamaica. The protocol for the management of these patients requires that they have a sonographic evaluation performed for the purpose of localizing the pregnancy where possible, to assist with determining the risk for an ectopic pregnancy. The ultrasound examinations are performed in the radiology department.

Objective:

This retrospective study was conducted to evaluate how long patients wait for a pelvic ultrasound. We also sought to establish how many patients had ultrasound findings that would have allowed safe discharge home.

Methods:

The records of 150 patients seen in the six-month period from January 1 to July 30, 2008 were examined. Data were extracted pertaining to age, time to see an emergency room doctor, time taken for ultrasound examination to be obtained from the radiology department and the ultrasound findings.

Result:

Fifty-four per cent presented to the Emergency Department with a complaint of vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain, 29% with bleeding only, 16% with abdominal pain only and one with syncope. One hundred and sixteen of the patients enrolled had an ultrasound performed at UHWI. The average waiting time for an ultrasound was 3.8 ± 2.5 hours. The majority (66/116) of the patients had an intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) demonstrated on ultrasound. Twenty-nine had no IUP, free fluid or adnexal mass. These 95 patients would likely have been discharged home. Ten patients had an adnexal mass with or without free fluid, and ten had free fluid only on ultrasound. One patient was found to have a definite ectopic pregnancy. These 21 patients would have been referred for evaluation by the obstetrician on call for further management.

Conclusion:

The majority of patients had sonographic findings that would have allowed safe and timely discharge from the Emergency Department had ultrasound been available at the point of care.     

经阴道与腹腔超声在妇科病变鉴别诊断中的应用价值比较

目的：对比分析经阴道和经腹超声在妇科手术患者的临床价值,选取简单、准确的超声检查方法。方法：选取我院463例妇科手术的患者,其中附件病变242例,子宫病变221例,手术前分别行经阴道和经腹部超声检查,比较两种超声检查方法的结果与临床病理的符合率。结果：经阴道超声检查有426例与临床病理结果一致,符合率92.00％,经腹部超声检查有334例与临床病理一致,符合率为72.14％,其中242例附件病变经阴道超声检查有211例与临床病理结果一致,符合率为87.19％,经腹部超声检查有147例与临床病理结果一致,符合率为60.74％;221例子宫病变经阴道超声检查有215例与临床病理结果一致,符合率为97.29％,经腹部超声检查有187例与临床病理结果一致,符合率为84.62％。结论：妇科手术患者用经阴道超声检查比经腹部超声检查结果更准确,特别是在附件病变中经阴道超声检查显著提高了疾病诊断率,临床可以在已婚女性中广泛使用。     

The cervix and prematurity: aetiology, prediction and prevention

Preventing preterm delivery remains a major challenge for the 21st century. The cervix plays a fundamental role in supporting a pregnancy and preventing ascending infection from the lower genital tract. Infection is associated with early preterm delivery in about half of cases. Whatever the aetiology of preterm delivery, dilation of the cervix is a common endpoint, and transvaginal scanning of the cervix now provides a good predictor of early preterm delivery in both high- and low-risk women. Changes in the cervix are related to the detection of fetal fibronectin in the vagina, which is also an accurate predictor of delivery. However, the role of intervention in at-risk women is unclear. Elective cerclage is only effective in a minority of women, and the evidence to support its use is limited. It is currently being evaluated whether indicated cerclage, dictated by ultrasound findings, is beneficial.     

644例非脱垂大子宫经阴道切除临床总结分析

目的 :探讨非脱垂大子宫经阴道切除的可行性与安全性。方法 :对 6 4 4例子宫超过 10周孕大小的患者施行经阴道子宫切除术。患者平均年龄 4 2 5岁 ,包括子宫肌瘤 4 74例 ,子宫腺肌病 170例。术前检查子宫 10～ 12周孕大小者 172例 ,>12～ 14周孕者 2 0 1例 ,>14～ 16周孕者 175例 ,超过 16周孕者 96例。结果 :6 4 4例中除 1例因术中发现肌瘤肉瘤样变而改开腹手术外 ,余 6 4 3例均成功行阴式子宫切除术 ,成功率达 99 8%。子宫平均重 370 7g(16 5～ 10 80g) ,平均手术时间 6 0 2分钟 (32～ 98分钟 ) ,术中平均出血量 15 0 4ml(5 0～ 30 5ml) ,术后肠道功能恢复时间平均 1 5天 (2～ 3天 ) ,留置尿管 2 4小时 ,阴道流液时间平均为 1 6天 ,体温恢复正常时间平均 3 6天 (1～ 5天 ) ,术后住院时间平均为 4 8天 (4～ 7天 )。结论 :适当的病例选择加上灵活的手术技巧 ,非脱垂大子宫经阴道切除是安全可行的。     

A proposal for a new scoring system to evaluate pelvic masses: Pelvic Masses Score (PMS)

Objectives

Ovarian cancer is the fourth leading cause of death among neoplastic diseases in women. In spite of constant improvement in surgical, chemotherapeutic and immunologic techniques, which can induce long remission periods, the five-year survival rate has not really changed over the past thirty years. We tried to create a sonographic scoring system, called PMS, that could be helpful in diagnosis of pelvic masses.

Study design

The three most commonly used and validated indexes - Sassone score, Ovarian Tumor Index (OTI), and Risk of Malignancy Index 3 (RMI3) - were applied to a population of 102 women with adnexal masses. We developed a new scoring system, named Pelvic Masses Score (PMS), that takes into account the ultrasound morphological pattern, the Doppler flowmetry of the pelvic mass, the CA125 serum level and the menopausal status. We then applied this scoring system to a population of 160 women for validation of the score.

Results

Statistical analysis of the data obtained from the new scoring system reveals that sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) are higher than in the case of data separately derived from the Sassone score, OTI index or RMI index.

Conclusions

Our preliminary data showed good results in term of sensivity, specify and predictive values compared to other old scoring systems. A larger prospective study is required to confirm these preliminary data. The number of cases will be expanded to permit a better evaluation of PMS.     

盆底悬吊术与传统经阴道子宫切除术用于治疗盆底功能障碍性疾病的临床疗效比较

目的:比较盆底悬吊术与传统的经阴道子宫切除术在治疗盆底障碍性疾病中的临床疗效。方法:将2007年1月至2008年10月我院收治的100例盆底功能障碍性疾病患者随机分成两组。重建组:开展盆底悬吊术,合并压力性尿失禁者同时实施改良的经闭孔无张力尿道中段悬吊术(TVT-O)。传统组:经阴道切除子宫加阴道前后壁修补术。比较两组术中情况及术后疗效。结果:重建组与传统组比较,手术时间短,术中出血少,排气时间短,保留导尿管时间短,住院时间短,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。术后2个月及术后6个月两组盆腔脏器脱垂复发率无明显差异(P>0.05),但术后1年重建组复发率低于传统组(P<0.05)。术后2个月、6个月及1年,重建组压力性尿失禁复发率及PFDI评分与传统组比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。两组术前PFDI评分较术后2个月、6个月、1年的差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:两组患者生活质量均有明显改善,重建组较传统组疗效更明显。     

Uterine myomas treated with microwave ablation: The agreement between ablation volumes obtained from contrast-enhanced sonography and enhanced MRI

Purpose: This study explores the agreement between ablated uterine myoma volumes obtained from contrast-enhanced sonography and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after microwave ablation therapy. Materials and methods: Twenty uterine myomas in 18 patients (average size: 5.56?±?1.26?cm) were successfully treated by microwave ablation. Contrast-enhanced sonography and enhanced MRI were performed within 7 days after the treatment. The ablation range of uterine myomas was observed and the ablation volume was calculated. By using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman regression analysis, the agreement between ablated uterine myoma volumes obtained from contrast-enhanced sonography and enhanced MRI after microwave ablation therapy was analysed. Results: The ablated volume ranged from 13.66 to 135.27?cm³ after ablation, and the mean volume was 66.59?±?35.71?cm³ by using contrast-enhanced sonography. Respectively, the ablated volume ranged from 10.88 to 137.83?cm³, and the mean volume was 66.81?±?35.45?cm³ by using enhanced MRI. The limits of agreement between the two methods were (?10.83?cm³, 8.39?cm³), ICC was 0.991 (F?=?209.61, P?Conclusions: Contrast-enhanced sonography and enhanced MRI can be used interchangeably in observing the ablation range of uterine myomas treated with microwave ablation. Contrast-enhanced sonography can be used as a preferred non-invasive examination and for follow-up. Meanwhile, enhanced MRI can be used to comprehensively determine the relationships among uterine myomas, the entire uterus, and surrounding tissues.     

经阴道彩超诊断特殊部位异位妊娠38例分析

目的探讨经阴道彩超在诊断特殊部位异位妊娠中的应用价值。方法回顾性分析38例特殊部位异位妊娠患者的超声声像图特征,将超声诊断与手术病理结果进行对照。结果 38例特殊部位异位妊娠患者经术前超声确诊30例,漏、误诊8例,总符合率为78.9%。剖宫产切口妊娠、输卵管间质部妊娠、宫角妊娠、卵巢妊娠的诊断率相对较高（分别为85.7%、87.5%、83.3%和66.7%）,阔韧带妊娠、输卵管残端妊娠、腹腔妊娠的诊断率较低（本组全部漏诊或误诊）,宫颈妊娠与残角子宫的诊断率最高（达100%）。结论不同类型的特殊部位异位妊娠有不同的声像图特点、诊断率、误诊率和漏诊率。经阴道彩色多普勒超声检查能及时提供有价值的声像图信息,为临床诊断与处理可提供重要参考,但存在一定的局限性,要同时结合患者病史、症状及体征、血或尿人绒毛膜促性腺素（HCG）等综合分析做出诊断。     

经阴道彩色多普勒超声对不同剂量甲氨蝶呤治疗瘢痕妊娠疗效的评价

目的利用经阴道彩色多普勒超声评价不同剂量甲氨蝶呤（MTX）经子宫动脉输液治疗剖宫产瘢痕妊娠的疗效。方法 48例剖宫产瘢痕妊娠患者,按MTX治疗剂量不同分60 mg、100 mg、150 mg和200 mg共4组,随访并分析各组治疗前后的灰阶超声声像图、胚囊周围的血流信号及胚囊周边肌层的血流阻力指数（RI）变化。结果 48例患者的经阴道彩色多普勒超声检查初诊符合率为100.0%,均表现为胚囊型;各组患者经MTX化疗后,灰阶声像图表现（孕囊大小、子宫切口瘢痕厚度）均较化疗前有明显改变;胚囊周围肌层血流RI值均增高,t=16.72～21.81,t_0.01=2.819,t>t_0.01（P<0.01）;60 mg组与2 00 mg组化疗前后超声表现的差异有统计学意义,χ²=4.8～5.4,χ²_0.05=3.84,χ²>χ²_0.05（P<0.05）。结论经阴道彩色多普勒超声可为不同剂量MTX经子宫动脉输液术的疗效评估提供可靠的依据。     

经颅多普勒超声评价大脑中动脉远端狭窄的方法及准确性分析

 目的 探讨经颅多普勒超声（TCD）评价大脑中动脉远段（M2段）狭窄的方法及可行性,为临床评价M2段狭窄提供重要的评价指标。方法 选择磁共振血管成像（MRA）证实单侧M2段狭窄＞50%的患者159例（病例组）,TCD检测大脑中动脉近段（M1段）及M2段平均血流速度（MFV）,计算M2段与M1段的MFV比率（M2/M1）及M2的非对称指数（AI）,并与162例无脑动脉畸形及狭窄者(对照组）进行比较。同时计算各指标评价M2狭窄的准确性。结果 病例组M2/M1显著大于对照组。ROC曲线显示M2/M1曲线下面积（0.957）最大,以0.97为截点值诊断M2段狭窄的敏感性和特异性分别为84.35%和86.22%,阳性预测值和阴性预测值分别为74.65%和91.24%。结论 作为TCD的新指标,M2/M1可准确评价M2狭窄,TCD在M2狭窄的诊断、治疗及随访中具有重要作用。