BACKGROUND: Hydrops fetalis is defined as abnormal accumulation of serous fluid in two or more fetal compartments, and this malady is known to be associated with various pathologic conditions. METHODS: We collected 149 cases of hydrops fetalis out of 2,312 autopsies, and we tried to elaborate the underlying causes of hydrops fetalis. The diagnosis was based on the material from either antenatal termination or intrauterine death. RESULTS: The relative incidence of hydrops fetalis was 6.44% of all the pediatric autopsies we performed. The gestational age was evenly distributed from 18 to 33 weeks, except for 30 to 31 weeks. There was no sex difference in the incidence of hydrops fetalis. The main causes were cardiovascular diseases (30.9%), cystic hygroma (13.4%), chromosomal anomaly (8.05%), thoracic conditions (7.38%), followed by urinary tract malformation (4.03%), infection (4.03%) and anemia (3.36%). The most common chromosomal anomaly was Turner syndrome and the second one was Down syndrome. CONCLUSION: Since various conditions can be the cause of hydrops fetalis, pathologists should pay attention to elaborate the underlying causes in every single autopsy.
Anemia ; Autopsy* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Down Syndrome ; Edema* ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Hydrops Fetalis* ; Incidence ; Lymphangioma, Cystic ; Sex Characteristics ; Turner Syndrome ; Urinary Tract

No abstract available.
Brain* ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 10* ; Molecular Biology*

Glassy cell carcinoma (GCC) of the uterine cervix is a rare and highly malignant tumor, accounting for only 1%~2% of all cervical carcinomas. It is typically composed of malignant cells having a moderate amount of cytoplasm with "ground glass" appearance, distinct cell membranes that stain with eosin or periodic acid-Schiff, and large nuclei with prominent nucleoli. Since its original description in 1956 by Glucletmann and Cherry, 200 - 250 cases of GCC of the uterine cervix have been listed in the literature. We report here the clinicopathological study of one case of glassy cell carcinoma with brief review of the literature.
Cell Membrane ; Cervix Uteri* ; Cytoplasm ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Female ; Prunus

OBJECTIVE: Flow cytometric deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content analysis has been shown to be of prognostic importance in some cancers. In this study, DNA patterns obtained by flow cytometry in patients with cervical cancer have been shown to be related to a prognostic importance in cervical carcinoma. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We retrospectively reviewed 59 cervical cancer patients who admitted to the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Samsung Medical Center firom January 1995 to May 1997. RESULTS: A total of 59 archival paraffin-embedded blocks were proc 42.4 percent were found to be DNA content aneuploid (DNA-A) and 57.6 percent DNA content diploid (DNA-D). The S-phase fraction was significantly increased with stage. The incidences of aneuploid and relative DNA index were not significantly increased with the stage(P=0.280) and age of patients(P=0.088). The results had no significant differences between the squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, and no relationship between the groups with keratinizing cell type and nonkeratinizing type(P=0.409). The DNA ploidy patterns were not significantly correlated with metastasis to lymph node(P=0.179), tumor size(P=0.109), invasion depth(P=0.361) and recurrent group(P=0.285). High S-phase fraction had a tendency to correlate with the invasion depth(P=0,011), size(P=0.027), lymph node metastasis(P=0.039) and recurence(P=0.099) of cervical cancer. CONCLUSION: Flow cytometric DNA content analysis is being used more frequently in the management of different malignant tumors. Our study shows that DNA content analysis may not serve as an important biological indicator in determining the prognosis in cervical carcinoma, but High S-phase fraction has been connected with more aggressive tumors.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aneuploidy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervix Uteri* ; Diploidy ; DNA* ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Obstetrics ; Ploidies ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Alveolar soft-part sarcoma of the female genital tract are extremely rare. Fewer than 30 cases have been described in the literature. We experienced a case of alveolar soft-part sarcoma of the female genital tract which was diagnosed by routine light microscopic study using ultrastructural and immunohistochemical stain. We report this case with a brief review of the literature.
Female* ; Humans ; Sarcoma, Alveolar Soft Part*

No abstract available.
Female ; Mucins* ; Ovary*

Despite the technical limitations of minimally invasive surgery, laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (LTME) for rectal cancer has short-term advantages over open surgery, but the pathological outcomes reported in randomized clinical trials are still in controversy. Minimally invasive robotic total mesorectal excision (RTME) has recently been gaining popularity as robotic surgical systems potentially provide greater benefits than LTME. Compared to LTME, RTME is associated with lower conversion rates and similar or better genitourinary functions, but its long-term oncological outcomes have not been established. Although the operating time of RTME is longer than that of LTME, RTME has a shorter learning curve, is more convenient for surgeons, and is better for sphincter-preserving operations than LTME. The robotic surgical system is a good technical tool for minimally invasive surgery for rectal cancer, especially in male patients with narrow deep pelvises. Robotic systems and robotic surgical techniques are still improving, and the contribution of RTME to the treatment of rectal cancer will continue to increase in the future.

Primary lymphoma of uterine cervix is rare disease, which usually occurs in postmenopausal periods. The usual symptoms are vaginal bleeding, postcoital bleeding. The most common pathologic feature is a diffuse cell type, B-cell line. Pap smear is not helpful in diagnosis because it is stromal origin. Biopsy confirms the diagnosis. Treatment consists of radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. The prognosis of the disease is dependent upon Ann arbor stage and International index score rather than FIGO stage. We experienced one case of primary lymphoma of cervix and report it with a brief review of literature.
B-Lymphocytes ; Biopsy ; Cervix Uteri* ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Lymphoma* ; Postmenopause ; Prognosis ; Rare Diseases ; Uterine Hemorrhage

The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of color Doppler scoring system in characterization of ovarian masses. We performed transabdominal or transvaginal color Doppler sonopaphy on 82 women with ovarian masses and analyzed the sonographic findings. Ovarian lesions were assessed by means of morphological and color Doppler scoring system by Kurjak. Tumors were characterized by ultrasonographic findings as benign or suspected of being malignant. Then the results of each scoring systems were correlated with histopathological findings. The results were as follows; Of 82 ovarian masses, 64 were benign lesions(13 mucinous cystadenomas, 16 endometriomas, 20 teratomas, 8 serous cystadenomas, and 13 other abnormalities), and 18 were malignant(12 cancers and 6 borderline tumors). The color Doppler scoring system was useful in distinguishing malignant from benign masses, with a sensitivity of 88.2%, compared with the morphological scoring system of 86.7%. The specificity of color Doppler and morphological scoring system were 95.4% and 92.5%, respectively. The sensitivity of combination of both scoring systems was 88.9%, with a specificity of 96.9%. In conclusion, color Doppler scoring system is a useful tool in predicting the malignancy of ovarian lesions especially combined with morphological scoring system.
Cystadenoma, Mucinous ; Cystadenoma, Serous ; Diagnosis* ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Teratoma ; Ultrasonography

Extraperitoneal inguinal endometriosis often presents as an inguinal mass in women of reproductive age, Approximately 40 cases of inguinal endometriosis have been documented in the sutgical and gynecological literature. The overall incidence is in the range of 0.4% of patients with endometriosis. The right side is much more commonly involved than the left (almost 90% of the time in one series of 23 patients), and rarely is the condition bilateral. The most frequent complaint of patients with inguinal endometriosis is an inguinal mass, followed by pain and enlargement of the mass near menstruation. Authors have experienced two cases of endometriosis of the extraperitoneal portion of the round ligament of uterus and report with a brief literature review.
Endometriosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Menstruation ; Round Ligament of Uterus* ; Uterus