A case of uterine fatty tumour of 2 cm studied by transvaginal ultrasound in a 67-year-old woman undergone totally laparoscopic hysterectomy is here presented along with an updated review of this kind of tumours. A total of 226 cases from 75 publications could be found. Traditional definitions of these tumours are here critically reconsidered. The terminology used to define these tumours is confusing and reflects main radiological and pathological points of view (uterine fatty tumours [UFT] vs. lipoma/ lipoleiomyoma). It is here stressed that these tumours by occurring in aged and overweight women are not so uncommon as generally believed, can be very well recognized, as far as they are small (< 4 cm), by transvaginal ultrasound while CT and MR become more specific for decision making in case of larger size tumours. Symptoms largely vary from none to sudden lump enlargement or bleeding or pain. An association with malignancy has been found in 10% suggesting a radical treatment (hysterectomy) in most cases.

In our experience the method was reliable in about 80% of the cases. The unsatisfactory reliability in the remaining 20% was partly due to the electrode instability. This problem was solved by using the new type of electrode. It proved suitable for getting stable tracings for longer periods in all the cases we examined. We are unable to give an answer to the other problem regarding the absence of correlation in some cases between the tissue and the blood pH values, got through blood samples taken according to the Saling technique. In these cases, however, the tracing can be used for the recording of pH variations regardless of its absolute values. From our experience the main clinical indication of the method has been found to be in the variable decelerations with normal values of the blood pH. Using this method the frequent repetition of separate blood samplings would be avoided.