Albert Altchek | PubMed Health

PubMed2006

Mesenteric fibromatosis masquerading as an ovarian neoplasm twenty years after Chernobyl radiation exposure.

BACKGROUND: Since their initial description in 1832, desmoid tumors have been reported to occur in virtually every part of the body. Intra-abdominal desmoid tumors, or mesenteric fibromatosis, are often associated with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis mutation in a syndrome known as Gardner's Syndrome. Although sporadic cases of desmoid tumors do occur, unlike Gardner's Syndrome, they predominantly occur extra-abdominally. CASE: Case report of a 61-year-old female who presented with two months of abdominal pain, progressive lower abdominal distension and a 10-15 pound weight gain accompanied by one week of urinary hesitancy and frequency. Patient underwent a diagnostic workup for an ovarian neoplasm, but was found at surgery to have mesentric fibromatosis. CONCLUSION: Although uncommon, mesentric fibromatosis must be considered in the differential diagnosis when evaluating a patient with an abdominal mass of unknown origin.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

PubMed2003

Uterus transplantation.

Until recently, only life and death situations warranted organ transplantation. Nonvital transplantation, to further a patient s wishes and goals, was not considered justified. It can be argued, however, that this distinction is not morally significant. Patients with kidney failure, for example, can be kept alive by dialysis. But their quality of life would be greatly enhanced by kidney transplant, which is thus considered a justified procedure. So a spectrum of rationales may justify transplantation. Transplantation of the uterus would relieve the anguish of women who greatly desire to conceive a child. Some women do not have a uterus. In some cases this is due to a congenital absence (Rokitansky s syndrome). In other cases, surgical removal of the uterus was required to repair an obstetrical rupture. With a transplanted uterus, many of these women could have the opportunity to become pregnant as a result of nonvital organ transplant. While other organ transplant donations most often come from cadavers and less often from living donors (kidney or partial liver), the donor source for a uterus may be an otherwise healthy living patient who requires uterus removal as a standard care procedure. Furthermore, it should be possible to remove the transplanted uterus from the recipient after successful pregnancies, so the patient would not be subjected to lifelong antirejection medications. Since animal uterus transplantation has been done successfully, human uterus transplantation might be considered for select cases. One such case has been reported.

Animals↗