Ketamine, a phencyclidine derivative and N -methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, is widely used as an anesthetic, analgesic, and sedative agent in daily pediatric practice. Experimental studies have suggested that early prenatal or postnatal exposure to ketamine can induce neuroapoptosis, and establish neurobehavioral deficits that are evident in adulthood. However, most of the currently available clinical evidence is derived from retrospective and observational clinical studies. We, herein, attempt a brief review of the cellular and molecular mechanisms suggested to mediate ketamine-induced developmental neurotoxicity, utilizing a selected number of recent in vivo experimental evidence.

<p><strong>Objective</strong>. The aim of this article is to support intracaesarian myomectomy as an alternative method of treatment.</p><p><strong>Case Report</strong>. This article presents a case of myomectomy during a caesarean section at 38+1 weeks’ gestation, with a subserosal myoma on the left wall of the uterus.</p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong>. The postoperative period was free of complications, lending credit to the possibility that intracaesarean myomectomy can have a favourable outcome.</p>

<p>This narrative review aims to summarize all the latest studies published between 2015-2021 concerning the management protocols adopted for poor ovarian response (POR) cases. Patients defined as “poor responders” show minimal response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, although there is no standard definition for POR. Although infertility specialists are endeavoring to improve cycle outcomes in poor responders by adopting multiple management strategies, still the estimated risk of cycle cancellation is about 20%. All the studies performed during this study period were evaluated and their results were recorded. The latest published protocols to improve oocyte retrieval in poor responders include: anti-Mϋllerian hormone, clomiphene citrate, co-enzyme Q10, corifollitropin, dehydroepiandrosterone, double stimulation, Follicle Stimulation Hormone, Growth Hormone, Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists, letrozole, human chorionic gonadotropin, Luteinizing Hormone, progesterone and testosterone.</p><p><strong> Conclusion</strong>. Although many strategies have been suggested to manage POR, none has been proven superior to the others. Further large-scale randomized studies are needed to validate experimental techniques leading towards successful individualized treatment regimens.</p>

Parasitic fibroids are a rare type of extrauterine benign tumors that may be spontaneous or iatrogenic in origin and often difficult to diagnose due to their various presentations. We report an unusual case of a parasitic leiomyoma in a 33-year-old nulliparous woman with remote pelvic history who presented to our institution with sudden-onset lower abdominal pain. We performed an exploratory laparotomy, which revealed a 6.3x4.6 cm mass in the space of the adnexa of the right parametrium. Histopathological examination revealed features compatible with a leiomyoma. It is clear that physicians need to assess clinical findings and imaging techniques in order to establish a correct diagnosis of parasitic myomas, even when a history of myomectomy or a laparoscopic morcellation is absent.

We describe the anesthetic management of a spontaneous vaginal delivery at 38 weeks' gestation in a 36-year-old patient with Gitelman syndrome (GS). GS is a rare autosomal recessive renal tubulopathy characterized by hypomagnesemia, hypocalciuria, and secondary aldosteronism, which results in hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis. To minimize any increase in catecholamine levels and consequent risk of ventricular arrhythmias, a labor epidural analgesia was administered using ropivacaine and fentanyl, along with intravenous magnesium and potassium supplementation. Ropivacaine was substituted for routine bupivacaine to decrease the risk of drug-induced cardiotoxicity. In the event of a cesarean section, the anesthetic plan was to continue with top-up epidural anesthesia and in case of failure, to convert to general anesthesia using propofol and rocuronium for induction. Delivery outcome was successful and uneventful.