PURPOSE The present study was designed to clarify the direct effects of the volatile anesthetics halothane, isoflurane and sevoflurane on oxytocin-induced uterine smooth muscle contraction from pregnant rats. METHODS Longitudinal smooth muscle layers were obtained from pregnant rats. Intracellular concentration of free Ca++ ([Ca++](i)) was measured, using a fluorescence technique, simultaneou...

Study background: The world prevalence of post-partum haemorrhage is approx. 10.5% of pregnancies, and it is the leading mortality cause among young women, accounting for approx. 25% of fatalities. Post-partum haemorrhage is defined as over 500 ml blood loss from genitals, occurring within the first 24 hours post partum. The presented case is an example of efficacy of the embolisation procedure...

BACKGROUND Cotyledonoid dissecting leiomyoma is a rare variant of uterine smooth muscle tumor with an unusual growth pattern that shows intramural dissection within uterine myometrium and often a placenta-like appearance in its extrauterine components. CASE PRESENTATION We present a unique case of cotyledonoid dissecting leiomyoma with adenomyosis. A 40-year-old Japanese female presented with...

BACKGROUND The practice of traditional medicine for the control of fertility in most parts of Ethiopia is based on the uses of plant medicines for many years. Rumex steudelii Hochst (Polygonaceae), locally known as "Tult" or "Yeberemelas" is one of the traditionally used antifertility plants in Ethiopia. In our previous study, the methanolic extract of R. steudelii root was found to show antife...

The MIT Faculty has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters. License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS) develops more often in the muscle tissue layer of the uterine body than in the uterine cervix. The development of gy...

The purpose of this review article was to analyze the literature on the prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of the congenital uterine anomalies and to discuss current dilemmas on their influence on reproductive outcome. Congenital uterine anomalies are commonly associated with repeated pregnancy failure, in particular an increased risk of first- and second-trimester miscarriages and preterm del...

Elevated levels of DDT and other organochlorine pesticides have been associated with spontaneous abortion and preterm birth in several species, including humans (Delong et al. 1973; Hart et alo 1971; O'Leary et alo 1970; Saxena et al. 1980, 1981; Wassermann et al. 1982). Despite the prevalence of organochlorine pesticides in our environment, a mechanistic basis for this association has not been...

BACKGROUND Uterine smooth muscle cells exhibit ionic currents that appear to be important in the control of uterine contractility, but how these currents might produce the changes in contractile activity seen in pregnant myometrium has not been established. There are conflicting reports concerning the role of voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels and large-conductance, calcium-activated potassi...