Infertility

Mrs. Blumenthal*, a 40-year-old G1P1, had young twins at home and was also a full-time student. She delivered her twins in 1992 by C-section after conceiving through IVF. The patient had long-standing endometriosis, treated previously by three abdominal procedures (one laparotomy and two laparoscopies).

In late 1996 Mrs. Martin contacted our office and reported concern over the fact that her periods were occurring every 2 weeks. During the office visit, she stated that she was experiencing heavy bleeding with the passage of clots that lasted approximately 7 days, requiring the use of 10 or more pads per day. The problem was very upsetting to her and was interfering with daily life at home and at work.

Fibroids are non-cancerous (benign) growths of the muscle wall of the uterus. They are probably responsible for more unnecessary gynecologic surgery than any other condition. Every year a staggering 600,000 American women have a hysterectomy. And about 30 percent of those hysterectomies, 180,000 in all, are performed because of fibroids.

Hysterectomy is no longer the only treatment for uterine fibroids. Now, GnRH agonists and laparoscopic coagulation with lasers and bipolar needles are treatment options.

Reproductive endocrinology, a relatively new subspecialty of obstetrics and Gynecology, came of age during the 1980s. The discipline has benefited greatly from substantial recent advances in reproductive biology and allied fields and technologic improvements in computers, ultrasonography, and surgical instrumentation. All of these developments have been applied to clinical practice at an unprecedented rate.

Uterine myomas irrespective of whether they are small and asymptomatic (as in the postmenopausal women) or large and symptomatic (as in premenopausal women) considerably affect uterine artery blood flow velocity. Benign uterine leiomyomas are usually easily recognized with gray-scale ultrasonography, but may sometimes be difficult to differentiate from solid ovarian tumours.

Instillation of sterile saline, air, or other contrast medium through a catheter into the uterus under real-time vaginal transducer observation for enhancement and assessment of endometrial cavity. This procedure is done on day 3 - day 7, near end of menstrual bleeding, when endometrium is thin (Day 6 is generally the "ideal day.")

This overview describes and illustrates the clinical applications of three-dimensional transvaginal sonography in reproductive medicine. Its main applications include assessment of uterine anomalies, intrauterine pathology, tubal patency, polycystic ovaries, ovarian follicular monitoring and endometrial receptivity. It is also useful for detailed evaluation of failed and/or ectopic pregnancy. Three-dimensional color Doppler sonography provides enhanced depiction of uterine, endometrial, and ovarian vascularity.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of TV-SH in the assessment of tubal patency and to compare these results with those obtained using HSG and laparoscopy.

Bilateral Uterine Artery Ligation (BUAL) Operation as a Conservative Treatment of Refractory Menorrhagia

The problems relating to searching the Internet for medical information are well known; too many sites are identified and there is no easy way to filter out the good from the bad. Consequently, if search engines are not the best place to start your exploration of the Web for information relating to gynaecology and reproductive medicine, where is? In my opinion the best place to start is at the OBGYN.net site .

Laparoscopic Hysterectomy and Health Care in America -Finding the Balance Between Costs and Outcomes

The diagnosis of uterine and/or tubal pathology as causes of female infertility represents a fundamental step in the evaluation of the infertile couple. Apart from the invasive diagnostic procedures, several others diagnostic techniques useful to the clinical evaluation of the uterine cavity and tubal anatomy are: transvaginal sonography (TVS), hysterosalpingography (HSG), hysteroscopy and hydrosonography (HDS) and laparoscopy.

The role of reproductive surgery has been questioned in the current environment of improving techniques and success rates with in vitro fertilization (IVF). Another emerging obstacle is the declining number of these types of surgeries being performed in response to the increasing numbers of patients opting for IVF.

Since the first laparoscopy was performed in humans by Jacobaeus in 1910, great strides have been made by surgeons in utilizing this valuable tool.1 Unfortunately, the expense of performing even diagnostic laparoscopy has become prohibitive. With the high cost of medical care, measures must be taken to decrease this monumental problem. For years, laparoscopy has been performed under local anesthesia with minimal reported complications.

Uterine myomas are the most common tumors of the female genital tract. = Hysterectomy has been a very common therapy in patients who have completed reproduction. In fact, uterine myomas = account for 20% of the 650,000 hysterectomies performed annually in the United States. Interest in uterine = preservation and organ preserving surgery through techniques of minimally invasive surgery has increased since the first = reports of laparoscopic myomectomy in 1980.

Laparoscopic urinary bladder surgery primarily involves retropubic bladder neck suspension procedures. Because variations of the laparoscopic Burch procedure (Tanagho, Hodgkinson) are most frequently performed, this chapter will focus on the complications of the laparoscopic Burch procedure - avoidance, recognition, and treatment.

Over the past decade, a technique has been developed that can reduce or stop your periods without a hysterectomy. This surgery can be done in women who have flooding either with or without fibroid tumors. Dr. Dott was one of the surgeons who introduced this minimally invasive procedure in Atlanta. He has performed this procedure many times and is certified by the Accreditation Council for Gynecological Endoscopy in Advanced Hysteroscopic Surgery. He has taught this procedure in training institutions both in the United States and Russia.

Laparoscopic hysterectomy was first described in 1989 (Reich) and rapidly thereafter in 1991 laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy was also described (Querleu). During the 1990s the role of pelvic and latterly para aortic lymphadenectomy has been extended and is now an integral part of best practice Gynaecological Oncology Departments.

Dr. J. B. Dubuisson began the great debated entitled Laparoscopic Myomectomy is a Safe Procedure by outlining the conditions under which laparoscopic myomectomy is a safe procedure.

Endometriosis is a gynecological disease affecting women in their reproductive years. The reported incidence of endometriosis among infertile women is 20-50%, and 39-59% among those with pelvic pain. This is in contrast to 15-18% incidental findings of endometriosis among women undergoing tubal sterilization. The question of whether endometriosis causes infertility has been a subject of debate for many years. In this review, the association between infertility and endometriosis and the treatment are discussed.

Transvaginal hydro laparoscopy (THL) is a new approach to pelvic anatomic evaluation in the infertile woman. In this procedure a dilating trocar is inserted through the osterior vaginal wall for endoscopic pelvic examination. Normal saline is used to float the bowel out of the pelvis so that one can evaluate the distal Fallopian tubes, ovarian surfaces, pelvic sidewalls, and the cul-de-sac. The THL procedure makes in-office pelvic endoscopy, hysteroscopy, and dye hydrotubation a reality.

Hysteroscopy performed with liquid media at a sufficient pressure, usually between 70 mm and 90 mm Hg of true intrauterine pressure, will bring about satisfactory uterine distention, but not necessarily adequate visualization. Depending on the amount of intraoperative bleeding, an adequate flow rate of the media with separate channels of entry and egress is necessary to have a clear operative field.

The first use of hysteroscopy as a diagnostic tool occurred in 1869 by Pantaleoni who used a tube with an external light source to detect “vegetations in the uterine cavity.”[1] Since that time, improvements in optics, light sources and video cameras have made office hysteroscopy an invaluable tool in the diagnosis of abnormal uterine bleeding. Additionally, the office hysteroscope has the potential for use in treatment of certain disorders of the uterine cavity.

For the gynecologist, the introduction of the resectoscope revolutionized the management of submucous myomata that cause uncontrollable uterine bleeding, infertility and pregnancy wastage, and the con-servative control of persistent and excessive uterine bleeding unrelated to uterine filling defects.

Laparoscopy has revolutionized the practice of modern operative gynecology and has progressed from simple diagnostic work to advanced operative procedures.[

Diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis is the most frequent reason for gynecologic operative laparoscopy in the United States (Peterson et al,1990). Therefore, the laparoscopist must be thoroughly familiar with the current standards of diagnosis and management of this complex disease.

Introduction: Intestinal endometriosis is a disabling disease present in 6% to 30% of deep endometriosis cases. It can be the cause of abdominal bloating, constipation, intestinal cramping and painful bowel movements, defecation pain and intestinal stenosis up to intestinal occlusion. Colorectal endometriosis requires surgical treatment that can be performed by abdominal route or by laparoscopy. The present study describes the total laparoscopic rectosigmoid resection in case of deep endometriosis with bowel involvement.