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Biomedical subjects

B Caspi

Publications and source records attributed to B Caspi.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

The accuracy of the assessment of normal fetal intestinal echogenicity--electro-optical densitometry versus the ultrasonographer's eye.

Ten plates of normal fetal ultrasonography (at 16-20 weeks' gestation) showing fluid, liver, lung, bone and intestine were submitted to electro-optical transmission surface densitometry. A distinct echogenic gradient has been found and used as an 'internal standard' to evaluate intestinal echogenicity. Intestine had significantly different echogenic properties from bone, liver and fluid but similar to that of lung. Using this echogenicity scale for fetal bowel, observers were correct in 46%, overscored in 32.6% and underscored in 21.4%. These poor results may be due to the significant inconsistency in the interpretation of each plate compared to other plates (about 65%). Although the densitometry-derived grading scale seems valid at these gestational ages, interobserver variation is too large and precludes a simple ultrasonic diagnosis of the hyperechogenic fetal intestine. Densitometric evaluation may be indicated in suspected cases when fetal bowel seems to have increased echogenicity.

Amniotic Fluid↗

Trisomy 9 confined to the placenta: prenatal diagnosis and neonatal follow-up.

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS), performed on a woman in the 23rd menstrual week because of bilateral fetal hydronephrosis and suspected intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), documented trisomy 9 in all cells examined. Chromosomes of amniocytes and fetal blood lymphocytes were normal. The ongoing pregnancy was monitored closely, and at 37 weeks, a phenotypic normal male infant was delivered. Multiple placental biopsies showed 47,XY,+9, while a repeat chromosome analysis of the infant and biopsies from the amniotic membrane were normal (46,XY). This case further emphasizes the association between placental aneuploidy and IUGR. To our knowledge, nonmosaic trisomy 9 in CVS confined to the chorionic villi and later confirmed in the placenta has not been reported previously.

Amnion↗

Chorionic villus sampling for fetal karyotyping in missed abortions.

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) was performed in 12 pregnant women (9-25 gestational weeks) with ultrasonographic evidence of missed abortion. An ultrasonographically guided transabdominal (eight cases) or transcervical (four cases) approach was used. Fetal karyotyping was successful in all cases; in five, chromosomal aberrations were found and in seven, chromosome analyses revealed normal karyotypes. Tissue culture for fetal karyotyping was successful in only 72.5 per cent of 40 live pregnancies which were electively interrupted because of abnormal ultrasonographic findings or an abnormal fetal karyotype, and in 57 per cent of seven missed abortions. CVS is suggested as a feasible and effective method for fetal karyotyping in missed abortions and it seems to be superior to post-abortion tissue culture.

Abortion, Missed↗

Safe epidural anesthesia performed during labor by an obstetrician.

One thousand seven hundred eighty-seven epidural anesthesias during labor were performed by obstetricians well trained in the technique by the anesthesiology department. The course of labor was accelerated compared to control group. Vacuum extraction rate was 11.9%. Fetal outcome was favorable. Incidence of major complications was 0.16%. We conclude that in countries where an anesthetist is not routinely available at delivery wards, a safe and efficient epidural anaesthesia could be performed by an obstetrician well trained in administration of epidural anesthesia.

Anesthesia, Epidural↗

[Ultrasonically-guided aspiration of clear pelvic cysts].

In 33 women aged 13-80, clear pelvic cysts were aspirated. The diameter of the cysts was between 4-11 cm and the aspiration, by either the vaginal or abdominal routes, was ultrasonically guided. In 25 cases (76%) there was no recurrence of a cyst during continuing follow-up. In 8 cases in which a cyst recurred, 4 were operated on and benign tumors were found. Ultrasonically guided aspiration is appropriate treatment for clear pelvic cysts.

Adolescent↗

Unilateral congenital short femur: a case report.

A case of congenital short femur in an otherwise healthy infant is described. Antenatal sonographic diagnosis was made at 26 weeks of gestation. The left femur was shorter than the right (ratio 0.82-0.85). In this case, the occurrence of congenital short femur was sporadic. The diagnosis was confirmed after delivery. This case illustrates the importance of ultrasound as an early detector of certain congenital anomalies and as a useful tool in their follow-up.

Adult↗

The dilemma of chromosomal mosaicism in chorionic villus sampling--'direct' versus long-term cultures.

Chromosomal mosaicism is one of several unanswered dilemmas in first-trimester prenatal diagnosis. We report the course of a pregnancy in which a normal karyotype was detected on direct CVS preparation and fetal blood, 100 per cent trisomy 21 in one long-term CVS culture, and low-rate trisomy 21 mosaicism in a second long-term CVS culture and amniocentesis. The phenotypically normal infant had a 6 per cent mosaicism of trisomy 21. It appears that a persistent low-rate mosaicism in different tissues may be indicative of the true status of the fetus.

Adult↗

Ultrasonic prediction of growth discordancy by intertwin difference in abdominal circumference.

Intertwin abdominal circumference (AC) and femur length (FL) differences were studied in 24 growth-discordant (greater than or equal to 15% birth weight difference) and in 32-growth concordant twin pairs delivered within 2 weeks of the last ultrasonic examination. Both groups were of similar gestational age but differed significantly in the mean twin birth weight and intertwin AC difference (P = 0.01 and P = 0.00009, respectively). A cutoff value (greater than or equal to 18 mm) for AC difference was found to discriminate significantly (P less than 0.0009) between concordant and discordant pairs with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 66.7%, 78%, 69.5% and 75.7%, respectively. These data may suggest that an intertwin difference of 18 mm or more in AC effectively screens for the diagnosis of 15% or more birth weight difference in twin pregnancies.

Abdomen↗

Prenatal diagnosis of cystic fibrosis: ultrasonographic appearance of meconium ileus in the fetus.

Four of ten fetuses carrying a risk of 1:4 for cystic fibrosis were found to have low levels of microvillar enzymes in the amniotic fluid obtained between 17 and 18 weeks' gestational age. On sonography performed prior to the amniocentesis, three fetuses showed enlarged bowel loops. At autopsy, meconium ileus was detected. Enlarged bowel loops are a sign which has not been described previously so early in pregnancies.

Cystic Fibrosis↗

Iniencephaly: prenatal ultrasonographic diagnosis--a case report.

A case of iniencephaly, diagnosed prenatally at 19 weeks of gestation, is presented. The main findings of the ultrasound examination were anencephaly, almost complete absence of cervical structures and cervical and thoracic rachischisis. Amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein was markedly elevated. The diagnosis of iniencephaly was confirmed after termination of pregnancy. This case demonstrate the feasibility of the prenatal diagnosis of this rare neural tube defect.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Pathological confirmation of cystic fibrosis in the fetus following prenatal diagnosis.

Prenatal diagnosis of cystic fibrosis is presently based on the determination of microvillar enzyme activities in the amniotic fluid. However, there seems to be no accurate means for confirming the diagnosis of the aborted fetus. During the past year we performed pathological and histopathological examinations on 7 fetuses diagnosed in the second trimester of pregnancy to be affected by cystic fibrosis and compared them with 4 control age-matched fetuses. Glycol-methacrylate-embedded 2-3-mu thick sections of the pancreas, lungs, bronchial tree, and GI tract were stained with toluidine blue, H&E, PAS, and AB-PAS, and examined microscopically. In the controls, PAS-positive granules were dispersed throughout the cytoplasm of most pancreatic acinar and tracheal submucosal glandular cells. In the affected fetuses 2 distinct groups were identified. In one group of 4 fetuses, the pancreatic and tracheal submucosal glands were dilated and contained a weak PAS-positive material. The glandular epithelial cells had very little PAS-positive granules. In this group, the tracheal epithelium was either atrophic or metaplastic and devoid of microvilli. In the second group of 3 fetuses there was less dilation of the glands, and both pancreatic acinar cells and tracheal submucosal glandular epithelial cells contained few PAS-positive granules, which were confined mainly to a perinuclear location. The tracheal epithelial cells contained few microvilli which, when present, appeared thicker and shorter as compared to controls. We feel that histochemical evaluation of pancreatic and bronchial tissue may be of help in the pathological confirmation of cystic fibrosis in human fetuses where the results of the biochemical studies are suggestive of the disease.

Cystic Fibrosis↗

Non-aggressive management of post-date pregnancies.

A non-aggressive approach to the management of post-date pregnancies was tested in a clinical trial involving 156 patients who had reached 294 days of amenorrhea and had a pelvic score of 4 or less. Dates had been established with certainty in each case. In half of the patients (the study group) no time limit was imposed on the pregnancy, but the women were checked at frequent intervals for any increase in pelvic score and for changes in any of the following: fetal movement count recorded daily by the mother, an oxytocin challenge test, and amnioscopy. The pregnancy ended either through spontaneous contractions or through surgical induction carried out because of a change in any one of the parameters or an increase above 4 in the pelvic score. In the 78 control patients labor was induced surgically on day 294, even if the pelvic score was low. In the study group, labor started spontaneously in 52 patients; labor was induced in 17 women after they showed an elevated pelvic score, in 7 because of a pathologic parameter and in one because a mild pre-eclampsia developed. There were 7 cesarean sections in the study group compared with 16 in the control group (P less than 0.05). The average duration of labor was 6.7 h in the study group, compared with 9.4 h in the control (P less than 0.01). There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to meconium staining during labor, pathologic fetal heart rate, or the 5 min Apgar score. In the study group there was one neonatal death as a result of severe congenital heart disease, and in the control group one infant died due to asphyxia. It is concluded that conservative management of prolonged pregnancies, with close supervision, gives better results than routine induction of labor at 42 wk. The importance of the pelvic score as an indication for induction is stressed. A protocol has been developed which can be used in cases of uncertain dates as well.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

Bromocriptine treatment of hyperprolactinemic infertility with ovulatory disturbances.

We studied 77 women with hyperprolactinemic infertility and possible ovulatory disturbances. Galactorrhea was present in 27. Ovulation was normal in 15, 21 were anovulatory and 41 had luteal phase deficiency. All patients received bromocriptine for three months, resulting in normal serum prolactin levels. After that time, if no pregnancy occurred, clomiphene (with or without human chorionic gonadotropin) or human menopausal gonadotropin and human chorionic gonadotropin were added to the treatment. The overall pregnancy rate was 65%. The incidence of hyperprolactinemia in infertile patients is higher than expected, and patients with luteal phase deficiency can benefit from treatment with bromocriptine and ovulatory agents.

Adult↗

Sinusoidal pattern of uterine contractions in abruptio placentae.

Three cases of vaginal bleeding during labor associated with high-frequency uterine contractions (HFUC) in the third trimester of pregnancy are reported. Abruptio placentae was confirmed in all three cases. As HFUC was unrecognized as a sign of abruptio placentae, labor was allowed to continue in the first two cases and fetal demise ensued. The appearance of HFUC with vaginal bleeding in the third trimester of pregnancy should make the obstetrician highly suspicious of abruptio placentae. Labor should be terminated by cesarean section to prevent fetal death in utero.

Abruptio Placentae↗