Summary
Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 1998;20(2):77-81
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031998000200004
Electronic fetal heart rate monitoring (EFM) is the most widely used method of direct fetal surveillance especially during labor. In an attempt to elucidate the effect of EFM on cesarean section (CS) rates, a retrospective study was performed at the University Hospital of Santa Maria (HUSM). We studied two groups of patients, consisting of 2114 pregnant women: EFM group (n=517) and intermittent auscultation (IA) group (n=1597). In the EFM group we observed 38.0% of CS vs. 27.2% in the IA group. For all patients, the CS rate was 29.9%. Fetal distress was the most common indication for CS in the EFM group (40.6%), while previous CS was the third cause (10.1%). On the IA group, fetal distress was the third cause in CS (14.3%), while previous CS was the most common cause (32.4%). On the basis of this study, we believe that EFM has no effect in itself on cesarean section rates considering overall deliveries at HUSM. With proper education of the clinician and correct interpretation of the findings, EFM would not increase cesarean section rates, but rather should allow for a more accurate description of intrapartum fetal well-being.
Summary
Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 1998;20(2):83-89
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031998000200005
Results on investigation and immune treatment for recurrent abortion are presented. Up to 60% of patients who are free of any clinical identifiable cause for abortion are believed to have alloimmune abnormalities. One of the suggested therapies for this condition is paternal lymphocyte immunization. We present the result of 116 pregnancies followed at the Departamento de Tocoginecologia UNICAMP. Patients were thoroughly evaluated for causes of recurrent abortion mentioned in the literature (genetics, hormones, uterine abnormalities and infections), for autoimmune (antiphospholipid syndrome, abnormal autoantibodies) and for alloimmune causes (crossmatch by microlymphocytotoxicity and mixed lymphocyte culture). Patients who presented negative crossmatch and lower than 50% inhibition in mixed lymphocyte culture were treated with two concentrated intradermal paternal lymphocyte immunizations. Women were stimulated to attempt pregnancy with a positive crossmatch and higher than 50% inhibition in mixed lymphocyte culture. Women whose immune status did not change with this treatment were immunized again with paternal lymphocytes associated or not to a third party donor. We report that 81% of the women treated with this protocol had good pregnancy outcome.
Summary
Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 1998;20(2):91-95
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031998000200006
Predicting pregnancy outcome from one or more maternal serum factors has been the subject of numerous investigations with controversial results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of CA-125, CA-19.9, CA-15.3, beta-hCG, estradiol, progesterone, alpha-fetoprotein and CEA in women with abortion (n=18) and with pregnancy complicated by bleeding (n=6), in comparison to the serum levels of the control group (n=7). The results showed that the serum levels of CA-125 were significantly increased in the abortion group (153.9 ± 43.3 IU/ml), but no difference was detected in pregnancy complicated by bleeding (17.4 ± 2.6 IU/ml), as compared to control (24.7 ± 13.4 IU/ml). However, high serum levels of CA-19.9 were found in the group with pregnancy complicated by bleeding in comparison with the abortion group (20.2 ± 11.4 IU/ml versus 6.6 ± 1.4 IU/ml, respectively). In relation to hormone serum levels, both, the abortion (17.38 ± 9.4 ng/ml) and bleeding (18.3 ± 8.9 ng/ml) groups showed lower serum levels of progesterone, as compared to control (60.4 ± 26.8 ng/ml). Besides, women with abortion had additional low estradiol serum levels, when compared to controls (1,327 ± 1,015 ng/ml versus 10,774 ± 9,244 ng/ml). It was concluded that the serum levels of progesterone, CA-19.9 and beta-hCG seem to add valuable information to the evaluation of a pregnancy complicated by bleeding.
Summary
Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 1998;20(2):97-104
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031998000200007
The purpose of the present study was to compare postoperative complications and recurrence rates in 132 women with invasive vulvar carcinoma treated by radical vulvectomy and bilateral groin lymphadenectomy performed with one or three incisions. It was a nonrandomized retrospective clinical study, including 65 women operated using a single incision and 67 with three incisions, between 1986 and 1996. Fischer's, chi-square, Student's t tests followed by logistic regression were used for statistical analysis as well as survival curves by the Kaplan-Meyer method, compared using Wilcoxon test, followed by Cox regression, with the statistical significance limit of 5%. The groups were similar regarding age, smoking, presence of other diseases, histologic type and grade. Pathologic stage III was significantly more frequent in the single incision group, while free lymph nodes were more frequent in the three-incision group. The patients treated with triple incision showed statistically less frequent immediate complications (76% vs 92%, p<0.05), less dehiscence (72% vs 92%, p<0.01), and shorter mean hospital stay (19.4 days vs 38.7 days, p<0.001) and secondary procedures were less necessary (76% vs 94%, p<0.01). Seven postoperative deaths were observed: five with single incision and two with triple incision. Recurrence rate was statistically lower in patients treated with triple incision (19% vs 35%, p<0.01) and with negative lymph nodes (6% vs 15%, p<0.01). After Cox regression, only positive lymph nodes had negative influence on disease-free survival. We concluded that vulvectomy using three incisions shows less complications than single incision, without compromising therapeutic efficacy, independently of the stage of the disease.