Background: Perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas) are rare mesenchymal tumors. One of the most frequent localizations of PEComas is the female genitourinary tract, and the uterus is the most involved site after the kidney. Correct preoperative diagnosis is rarely achieved due to the presence of nonspecific imaging features. We report a case of a uterine PEComa with particular reference to ultrasound’s role in characterizing this rare occurrence. Case presentation: a 45-year-old White woman came to our observation for cyclic abdominopelvic pain and chronic constipation. The pre-surgical ultrasound examination showed a heterogeneous tumor that was 4 cm in size, localized on the right anterolateral uterine wall. The mass had well-delimited borders and a central hypoechoic portion. The use of color Doppler showed a rich, irregular vasculature in the center with low impedance. The preoperative diagnostic hypothesis was of a smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential. After careful counseling, a surgical approach was decided upon, including a total laparoscopic hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy. The histological and phenotypical features were consistent with a uterine PEComa. At the last follow-up, two years after surgery, the patient is alive and well. Conclusions: Uterine PEComa is a rare occurrence that should be included in the differential diagnosis of uterine wall tumors. It can appear as a small uterine mass with heterogeneous echogenicity and a rich vascular pattern during an ultrasound evaluation. This diagnostic suspicion may assist in better surgical planning.
T-shaped uterus is a congenital uterine malformation (CUM), only recently defined by the ESGE ESHRE classification as Class U1a. The uterus is characterised by a narrow uterine cavity due to thickened lateral walls with a correlation 2/3 uterine corpus and 1/3 cervix (Grimbizis et al, 2013). Although the significance of this dysmorphic malformation on reproductive performance has been questioned, recent studies reported significant improvement of life birth rates after surgical correction in patients with failed in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) or recurrent miscarriage (Ferro et al, 2018; Di Spiezio Sardo et al, 2020; Alonso Pacheco et al. 2019). The classical surgical technique to treat a T-shaped uterus is by performing a sidewall incision with the micro scissor or bipolar needle, resulting in a triangular cavity. In this video article, we describe a new surgical technique with a step-by-step method combining three-dimensional ultrasound (3D-US) and hysteroscopic metroplasty in an office setting, using a 15 Fr office resectoscope (Karl Storz, Tuttlingen, Germany), to treat a T-shaped uterus by resecting the lateral fibromuscular tissue of the uterine walls. No complications occurred and the postoperative hysteroscopy showed a triangular and symmetrical uterine cavity without any adhesions.
Objective The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between colposcopic features, age, menopausal status, and overtreatment in women subjected to “see-and-treat” approach, to identify subgroups of patients in which this approach could be more appropriate. Materials and Methods Retrospective multicentric cohort study conducted on women older than 25 years, with a high-grade squamous cytological report and a visible squamocolumnar junction, in which colposcopy and the excisional procedure were performed at the same time without a previous cervical biopsy (see and treat). Overtreatment was defined as histopathological finding of cervical intraepithelial lesion grade 1 or normal tissue. Results Among the 254 included patients, the overall overtreatment rate was 12.6%, whereas in women with a grade 2 colposcopy, it was 3.2% and, in women with grade 1 colposcopy, it was 22.0%. Among the considered factors (age, menopause, and grade 1 colposcopy), only a positive association with overtreatment and grade 1 colposcopy emerged (odds ratio = 8.70, 95% CI = 2.95–25.62, p < .001). Conclusions See and treat may be appropriate in women older than 25 years with a visible squamocolumnar junction and a high-grade squamous cervical cytology. Patients need to be informed about the higher risk of overtreatment in case of a grade 1 colposcopic impression, which however may still be considered acceptable. Patient's age and menopausal status should not influence the decision to propose a see-and-treat approach.
Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the attitude of obstetricians/gynecologists toward indicating an elective cesarean delivery in pregnant patients with a previous myomectomy. Materials and Methods Web-based multiple-choice questions survey evaluating the attitude to indicate a cesarean with a composite summated score (range 56–280) from a 56-item Likert scale: score 56–112: weak attitude, 113–168: moderate, 169–224: strong, and 225–280: very strong. The reliability of the score (internal consistency) was evaluated with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The association between the score and participants’ characteristics was determined with a bivariate analysis followed by linear regression analysis. The “global importance” of each risk factor was defined as the prevalence of the answers: “moderately important”, “very important”, and “extremely important” on the Likert scale. Factors with a “global importance” >75% were considered “crucial” in influencing the choice to indicate a cesarean. Results One-hundred-twenty obstetricians/gynecologists responded (response rate 70.6%). The mean ± SD composite summated score was 137 ± 31; 30 (25.0%) participants presented a "weak attitude to cesarean", 68 (56.7%) a "moderate attitude", 22 (18.3%) a "strong attitude", and none a "very strong attitude". The Cronbach’s alpha was 0.934 (high internal consistency). A self-reported number of myomectomies performed per year >50 was associated with a lower score (-25 points, 95% CI −50 to −1, p = 0.04). Eight criteria resulted “crucial” in indicating a cesarean: opening of the endometrial cavity, monopolar electrosurgery, time surgery-pregnancy <6 months, 2+ previous myomectomies, hematoma formation in the surgical wound, 3+ removed fibroids, and a FIGO4 or FIGO3 removed fibroid. Conclusions Obstetricians/gynecologists are cautious to indicate a cesarean in pregnant patients with a previous myomectomy, except for cases at hypothetic high-risk for uterine rupture, mainly supported by weak evidence. Information to patients and among clinicians is crucial to avoid inappropriate cesarean indications. KEY MESSAGES Obstetricians/gynecologists are cautious to indicate a cesarean in pregnant patients with a previous myomectomy. Information to patients and among clinicians is crucial to avoid inappropriate cesarean indications in pregnant patients with a previous myomectomy.
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