MRI plays an essential role in patients before treatment for uterine mesenchymal malignancies. Although MRI includes methods such as diffusion-weighted imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, the differentiation between uterine myoma and sarcoma always becomes problematic. The present paper discusses important findings to ensure that sarcomas are not overlooked in magnetic resonance (MR) images, and we describe the update in the differentiation between uterine leiomyoma and sarcoma with recent reports.

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Background: Because reports on the management of recurrent granulosa cell tumor have been sparse, a consensus as to which patients should undergo surgical resection and which patients should be considered for chemotherapy has not been established. Methods: A total of 21 tumor recurrences in eight patients with granulosa cell tumor were reviewed. Results: Surgery was performed as the main treatment for 13 recurrences, while chemotherapy was chosen as the main treatment for eight recurrences. Complete tumor resection could be accomplished in 13 of 16 surgeries (81.3%), which include all the ten recurrences without involvement of liver or diaphragm and without ascites. The number of recurrent masses was significantly higher in the early recurrence group (progression free survival < 2 years) than in the late recurrence (progression free survival > 2 years). All cases with a solitary recurrent tumor at an extra-peritoneal site presented a significantly longer progression free survival. Conclusions: For patients with recurrent granulosa cell tumor, surgery may provide the best disease control. In cases with complete resection, the number of recurrent masses was the predictive factor for the next recurrence, and adjuvant chemotherapy might be considered in such cases.

Aims: To analyze the detailed clinical course of infertile patients with uterine fibroids and to identify optimal and personalized treatment based on the patient or fibroid characteristics. Methods: Retrospective analysis of a case series was performed on 176 infertile patients with fibroids. The patients were classified into different groups according to different treatments (conservative infertility treatment, myomectomy and non-myomectomy surgery). Patient or fibroid characteristics for different groups were analyzed for a possible correlation with the reproductive outcome. Results: The cumulative pregnancy rates by conservative treatment plateaued in 1 year. Myomectomy improved the reproductive outcome in patients who did not conceive with conservative infertility treatments. The most important determinant of the reproductive outcome in patients by conservative treatment prior to surgery was a past patient history of pregnancy. The most important determinant of the reproductive outcome after myomectomy was patient age. Conclusion: Myomectomy should be considered when infertile patients with fibroids do not conceive within 1 year of conservative infertility treatments. The most important determinant of reproductive outcome after myomectomy is patient age. Therefore, for patients younger than 40, the treatment schedule should be carefully considered so that the patients can sufficiently benefit from myomectomy and assisted reproductive technology.

Laparoscopic surgery is increasing in popularity due to its minimal invasiveness; however, procedure-specific complications are inevitable. We report a case in which a rivet from the hinge of a grasping forceps was successfully retrieved, although initially lost in the abdominal cavity during laparoscopic myomectomy (LM). The patient was a 41-year-old nulliparous woman with a large myoma located on the uterine fundus. The size of the myoma reached 20 cm in diameter. After 5 courses of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist therapy, she was scheduled for LM. During the LM, a rivet unexpectedly dropped into the abdominal cavity. Abdominal radiographs were taken immediately, and we began to laparoscopically search for the rivet, primarily in radio-opaque areas. After 30 minutes of searching, a 2-mm rivet was found and retrieved. Complications are bound to occur during laparoscopy; however, not only preventive maintenance but also appropriate strategies to deal with this type of complication are necessary.