RESUMEN

One of the most common chief complaints in the emergency department (ED) is altered mental status (AMS). Imaging plays a critical role in triaging patients and identifying the etiology of AMS. Toxic and metabolic etiologies are one of the primary differential categories for AMS, leading to toxic leukoencephalopathies. Toxic leukoencephalopathies are white matter disorders that result from either exogenous or endogenous sources. Common exogeneous causes of toxic leukoencephalopathy include drugs of abuse (heroin and cocaine), alcohol, inhaled gases (carbon monoxide), industrial agents (pesticides, toluene, ethylene glycol), and neurotoxic medications (methotrexate, metronidazole, vigabatrine, etc.); endogenous causes include hyper- and hypoglycemia, hyperammonemia, hyponatremia, and uremia. The imaging findings of toxic leukoencephalopathies manifest through a combination of vasogenic and cytotoxic edema, resulting in white matter patterns. These white matter patterns have been found to be pathognomonic. In the ED setting, it is imperative to develop a diagnosis based off of the imaging due to the lack of history and context that is typically provided with a chief complaint of altered mental status (AMS). To offer expeditious and accurate diagnosis, we present the classic imaging features of toxic leukoencephalopathies and correlate these imaging findings with pathophysiology.

Asunto(s)

Leucoencefalopatías , Servicio de Urgencia en Hospital , Heroína , Humanos , Leucoencefalopatías/inducido químicamente , Leucoencefalopatías/diagnóstico por imagen , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Radiólogos

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Cervical dilation is indicated prior to performing various gynecological procedures. However, gynecologists are at times confronted with a stenotic or tight cervix, resistant to dilation. This can be problematic particularly when cervical ripening has not been attempted hours before the start of the procedure. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the efficacy of administration of hyoscine butylbromide for cervical dilation for immediate dilation of the tight or stenotic cervix. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this clinical trial study, a population of 40 women, aged 20-70 yr with stenotic cervix, evidenced by resistance to pass dilator #2 through their cervical canal were compared. Cervical patency was assessed 10 min following intra-cervical canal instillation of hyoscine butylbromide. RESULTS: Cervical width of 57.5% of patients became wider, as evidenced by passage of the number 4 Hegar dilator through the cervical canal without resistance. Independent T-tests did not reveal any statistically significant difference between the two groups based on their age. Fisher Exact test revealed a statistically significant difference between the two groups based on the prior route of delivery, with a more statistically significant response in patients who had vaginal deliveries. CONCLUSION: Intra-cervical canal instillation of hyoscine butylbromide is effective in immediate dilation of the tight or stenotic cervix during intra-uterine procedures.

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Difficulty in cervical dilatation is a hard situation during the procedure of diagnostic dilatation and curettage in some cases. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of vaginal misoprostol for cervical priming before diagnostic dilatation and curettage. METHODS: In this study 56 women were selected as the candidates for dilatation and curettage. The study was double blind and was performed for two parallel groups. One misoprostol tablet (200 µg) was administered in posterior fornix of vagina 2-4 hr before operation in 28 patients whereas in other 28 patients, placebo (VitB6) was used. Then, the two groups were compared according to the patency of the cervix measured by No. 5 Hegar dilators and the duration of dilatation and curettage procedure as well. Chi-square test, t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used for comparing two groups, and a p-value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: Before the procedure of dilatation and curettage, the patency of the cervix was measured by passing Hegar dilator number 5 through the cervical canal in fifteen (53.6%) patients in the misoprostol group and 8 patients (28.6%) in the placebo group (p=0.05) which their difference was statistically significant. The effect of misoprostol was not significant in nulliparous women and postmenopausal period either. CONCLUSION: Vaginal misoprostol is a useful drug for ripening and dilating the cervix. It also facilitates the procedure of dilatation and curettage in premenopausal and multiparous women. Misoprostol was less effective in nulliparous women and in postmenopausal period.

RESUMEN

Familial recurrent molar pregnancy is an exceedingly rare condition, in which complete hydatidiform moles are mostly diploid but biparental in origin and the outcome of subsequent pregnancies is likely to be a hydatidiform mole or other type of reproductive loss. We previously reported a case of familial molar pregnancy (family K) comprising five affected members (four sisters and one of their cousins) each with at least one hydatidiform mole (HM). In addition to the molar pregnancies, these patients have a total of three miscarriages and 8 normal pregnancies leading to healthy children; but the youngest member of this family has given birth to a boy with Down syndrome. Our second family (case S) includes two sisters with diploid biparental complete moles. They have a total of six molar pregnancies with no living child. Recently the younger sister had a partial molar pregnancy with apparently normal XX fetus accompanying diffuse molar changes of the placenta that led to preeclampsia and preterm delivery. Overall, these families have had 26 pregnancies including 12 molar pregnancies (complete or partial) and three abortions. We concluded that these families are predisposed to various genetic mutations, chromosomal abnormalities and clinical manifestations, which affect their offspring. Further studies of patients are needed to determine any relationship between a history of familial molar pregnancy and trisomy or other chromosomal abnormalities in offspring and genetic mutations in the products of conception to complete the puzzle and manage familial molar pregnancy.