The endometrial biopsy; its technique and interpretation

SELECTED

684

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sexuaf) and showed other symptoms of the ‘“Atalanta given psychotherapy in an out-patient department. In turned to normal and has remained so at the last follow-up. but abnormal bleeding recurred again when they were causing stress for which they were not prepa.red. The amount in 2 patients, and in one the bleeding ceased are briefly summarized, either in the text of the

syndrome.‘) ;ill pat,ients were ‘i patients, menstrual function. reIn 2, the symptoms improved, confronted with a new situation abnormal bleeding was reduced in with the menopause. These cases article or in the appendix. HARVEY

Boeella

Llusia, tion: Acta

.F., and Marin, ginec., Madrid

is a comprehensive and interpretation

This

dications,

E.: The ~~~o~et~ia~ 2: 257, 1951. of

exposition results.

Biopsy;

Its

B,

MATTHEWE~

Technique

of the technique of endometrial The article is well illustrated

and

with

Interpreta-

biopsy, its inphotomicro-

grtLph8.

The optimum time for endometrial biopsy in the majority of cases is, according to the authors, just before the onset of menstruation, provided the woman has abstained from sexual intercourse from the eighth day of her cycle in order to be fairly certain that she is not pregnant. An early pregnancy, however, will not necessarily be interrupted by the procedure, and the authors quote Jackson as having described 36 cases in which endometrial biopsy was performed when an early pregnancy already existed (unknown to the operator but subsequently diagnosed). Only 5 of these women aborted. Intramenstrual biopsy has the advantage of eliminating the chance of pregnancy and is a little easier to perform due to the slight cervical dilatation which occurs during menstruation, but has the disadvantage that the tissue obtained may be necrotic and histologic interpretation may be difficult. The indications for endometrial biopsy are listed by the authors as follows: 1. Diagnosis of the anovulatory cycle, especially in sterility cases. 3. Diagnosis of ovarian endocrine abnormalities: (a) hyperestrinism; (b) hypoestrinism; (c) irregularities of the endometrial cycle; such as irregular maturation and irregular shedding of the endometrium. 3. Diagnosis of inflammatory conditions of the endometrium: (a) simple endome(c) tuberculous endometritis, which accounts for 8 trrtis; (b) postabortal endometritis; per cent of all cases of sterility. The authors emphasis that 4. Diagnosis of tumors, espeeially endometrial carcinoma. while a positive biopsy is diagnostic of endometrial carcinoma, a negative one has no value, as the site of the lesion may have been missed by the endometrial curette. 5. Diagnosis of processes related to gestation (abortive rests, eetopic pregnancy). While :he suspicion of abortion is not an indication for endometrial biopsy, often the endometrial biopsy reveals an unsuspected abortion. Also, the finding of a decidual endometrium may point to a diagnosis of ectopie gestation. MAam

Nogales,

Y,:

Uterine

Tuberculosis

and

Associated.

Lesions,

Acta

ginee.,

SAGARRA

Madrid

2:

3107~

1951. The author has made a study of the association of uterine myomas and tuberculosm, He reports an interesting case of a showing that their coexistence is pure coincidence. myoma infected with tuberculosis, and another case in which the uterine tuberculosis inHe also reports a case of fundal vaded the capsule of a myoma but not the tumor itself. polyp infected with tuberculosis. IMAGIN

Ribeiro, pital, The discusses

Luis A.:

Hemoperitoneum

vol.

1, July,

author the

13, No.

in this paper etiology, incidence,

Caused by

R~@me

of

SAGARRA

Cyst of Corpus Luteum,

0 Has

1952. relates the historical macroscopic and

aspects microscopic

of

this anatomy:

condition, as u?ell symptomatology-,

aa