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Biomedical subjects

L C de Crespigny

Publications and source records attributed to L C de Crespigny.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Transabdominal chorion villus sampling: a safe and reliable procedure.

A complete follow-up of the first 578 patients undergoing transabdominal chorion villus sampling (TACVS) in our combined practices was undertaken to determine the pregnancy loss rate. Factors contributing to losses and the problems incurred in achieving a clinically relevant result were also examined. It was found that increasing experience led to fewer procedural difficulties but that there persisted a higher problem rate in those women with a retroverted uterus. In 98.1% of patients an adequate volume of tissue was obtained and in 95.5% a clinically relevant result was achieved. This second figure rose to 96.3% in the latter part of the study. There was a total fetal loss rate of 2%, with only 0.5% (3 patients) having a missed abortion within 4 weeks of the procedure. It is concluded that TACVS is a reliable procedure with a high level of safety.

Abdomen

The 'simple' ovarian cyst: aspirate or operate?

One hundred ultrasound-guided ovarian cyst punctures were performed in 88 patients. To minimize the risk of unexpected malignancy, only persistent or painful cysts less than 10 cm in diameter were aspirated, cysts with solid areas or multiple locules were excluded. Cytological diagnosis was not possible in 72 of the 100 fluids; of the others 20 contained cells suggestive of follicular or luteal cysts, four samples suggested endometriosis and four benign tumours of epithelial origin. Oestradiol levels were high in 54 cystic fluids, and a combination of oestradiol estimation and cytology facilitated the identification of a follicular origin. Most such patients would normally have undergone surgery, but this was eventually required in only 10 of 60 in whom the cyst fluid was clear or slightly blood-stained and in 16 of the 28 with heavily blood-stained fluid. Ultrasound-guided ovarian cyst puncture would appear to be a valid alternative to surgery for carefully selected benign ovarian cysts especially when the cyst is considered not to contain blood.

Adult

Monitoring early pregnancy with transvaginal ultrasound and choriogonadotrophin levels.

Serum human chorionic gonadotrophin levels were correlated with gestational sac size detected by transvaginal ultrasound in a series of 178 women undergoing in vitro fertilization. The improved resolution of transvaginal ultrasound enables pregnancy to be detected between 17 and 20 days post-ovum retrieval, when HCG levels were greater than an average threshold level of 1,300 IU/L. The lower HCG discriminatory zone enables improved evaluation of ectopic pregnancies. Also, higher HCG titres observed in multiple pregnancies enable estimation of implantation rates when more than one embryo is transferred.

Chorionic Gonadotropin

Plastic wrap for ultrasound transducers. Herpes simplex virus transmission.

Plastic wrap was investigated as an alternative cover for ultrasound transducers to ensure their sanitization or sterility. The wrap was found to have no gross defects, did not allow the passage of herpes simplex virus across it in vitro and made no difference to the quality of the ultrasound images. It is a simple, cheap, and safe alternative for use as a transducer cover and can be gas sterilized for sterile procedures.

Cells, Cultured

Early diagnosis of pregnancy failure with transvaginal ultrasound.

Vaginal ultrasound was used to assess a consecutive series of 353 patients to determine the minimum mean gestation sac diameter at which a failed pregnancy could be diagnosed. Fetal heart movements could be demonstrated in all pregnancies with living fetuses when the mean sac diameter exceeded 1.2 cm. Vaginal ultrasound is superior to both static and transabdominal real-time ultrasound in the diagnosis of early pregnancy failure.

Abortion, Spontaneous

Demonstration of ectopic pregnancy by transvaginal ultrasound.

Transvaginal ultrasound was used in the assessment of 148 patients clinically suspected of having an ectopic pregnancy. Transvaginal ultrasound allowed earlier demonstration of an intrauterine pregnancy without confusion with a pseudosac. Of the 36 patients with an ectopic pregnancy, this was strongly suspected in 29 (81%). A live extrauterine fetus was seen in 8 (22%), ectopic trophoblast or a gestation-sac-like structure in 19 (53%), and a pelvic haematoma in 2 (6%). Transvaginal ultrasound is advocated as the technique of choice in patients suspected of having an ectopic pregnancy.

Adnexal Diseases

Transabdominal chorionic villus sampling.

The first 100 patients undergoing first trimester transabdominal chorionic villus sampling (placental biopsy) in our hospital are reviewed. At the time of follow up 24 patients had delivered, 68 pregnancies were at 24 weeks or more and progressing normally, 7 pregnancies were terminated and there was only 1 spontaneous miscarriage. The advantages of the transabdominal approach are discussed.

Chorionic Villi Sampling

Early detection of intrauterine pregnancy with ultrasound.

Vaginal scanning is a relatively new technique for scanning early pregnancy. In a consecutive series of 27 patients on an in vitro fertilization program (and therefore certain dates of ovulation) we have demonstrated that pregnancies may be seen within the uterus even before 5 weeks amenorrhoea and have documented their size. Ultrasound examination at this early stage may be of clinical value, particularly in patients suspected of having an ectopic pregnancy.

Female

Amniocentesis: a comparison of 'monitored' versus 'blind' needle insertion technique.

The incidence of complications following 382 'blind' amniocenteses, in which ultrasound was used prior to but not during the procedures, was compared with those following 482 'continuously monitored' amniocenteses. The monitored technique was associated with a reduction in the incidence of blood-stained amniotic fluid, the number of attempts required to obtain fluid and with a fall in the number of spontaneous abortions from 9 (2.4%) to 4 (0.8%).

Abortion, Spontaneous

Fetal intravascular transfusion for severe erythroblastosis: effects on haematology and survival.

Since February 1984, 8 fetuses (including a set of hydropic twins) with severe erythroblasts in the second trimester have received intravascular transfusions guided by ultrasound. These transfusions were associated with a decreasing fetal reticulocytosis, a decreasing proportion of circulating fetal haemoglobin and a decreasing mean fetal red corpuscular volume. All infants were born alive at an average of 5.5 weeks after the first transfusion; 3 infants died, including the hydropic twins and another with lethal congenital anomalies. All 5 survivors required simple transfusions for up to 54 days after birth because of prolonged bone marrow suppression. In severe erythroblastosis in the second trimester, direct intravascular transfusion using ultrasound guidance promises to improve fetal outcome.

Blood Transfusion, Intrauterine

Gestation sac size in in-vitro fertilization pregnancies.

The gestation sac size in pregnancies resulting from in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer have been compared with those in spontaneous pregnancies. Small-for-dates gestational sac sizes were found in 36% of the IVF pregnancies. This proportion held for both singleton and multiple pregnancies. With increasing gestation beyond 8 weeks the gestation sac volume increasingly approached normal. In contrast to spontaneous conceptions, IVF pregnancies had a low rate of pregnancy loss once fetal heart movements were demonstrated, when the gestation sac size was small-for-dates. Small sac size in an IVF pregnancy may lead to the misdiagnosis of a failed pregnancy.

Abortion, Spontaneous

Vault haematoma after vaginal hysterectomy: an invariable sequel?

Fifty consecutive patients undergoing vaginal hysterectomy were studied prospectively by ultrasound to determine the incidence of vault haematoma and the relationship between its size and the development of postoperative pyrexia; 49 patients (98%) had a vault haematoma and 35 (70%) were febrile postoperatively. Large vault haematomas (mean diameter greater than 5 cm) were invariably associated with significant febrile morbidity, whilst 1 in 3 patients with a small haematoma was afebrile. Colporrhaphy did not influence the likelihood of haematoma formation.

Female