OBJECTIVE: We present a simple 2D big ultrasound measurement of the fetal adrenal glands and their biometrical growth analysis highlighted as a potential preterm birth marker. METHODS: This was a prospective observational case-control study. Sixty-four patients were included in the study (32 with the diagnosis of imminent preterm birth before 37 and 32 controls) from January 2018 to May 2020. Anteroposterior dimensions and circumferences of the whole adrenal glands and their central zones were measured by simple B-mode ultrasound imaging. For the statistical analysis, StatsDirect 3.0 and ROC curves were used. As a studied descriptor, routine standard ultrasound cervical measurements were added (cervical length, funneling, sludge, cervical dilatation, and cervical glandular area). RESULTS: In biometrics of gestational age-related changes, a signifi cant analysis of the overall growth of the adrenal gland was observed (circumference p < 0.001, anteroposterior diameter p = 0.02). The growth of the central zone was observed independently of gestational age. The growth of the central zone of the fetal adrenal glands revealed signifi cant changes between the group of patients who delivered prematurely and control groups (p < 0.01). The ideal cut-off value of the proportion of enlargement of the fetal zone as a predictor of preterm delivery before week 37 was 45.1 %, with the sensitivity of 87.5 % and specifi city of 85.4 %. CONCLUSIONS: A simple 2D B-mode measurement of the fetal adrenal glands´ central zone growth can be applied as an additional marker in the prediction of true preterm delivery. The natural biometrical overall growth of the adrenal glands seems to be dependent on gestational age, whereas that of the central adrenal gland zone seems to be independent on gestational age (Tab.

The objective of this study was to gain our initial experience in one-step nucleic acid amplifi cation (OSNA) for detecting sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis as compared to standard pathological staging in patients with breast cancer. Fifteen patients with preoperatively confi rmed early breast cancer eligible for breast-saving therapy and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) were enrolled in the study. Lymphatic mapping and SLNs detection were performed through the magnetic method. Excised SLNs were intraoperatively examined through OSNA and frozen-section methods. All lymph nodes were postoperatively examined through histopathology and immunohistochemistry. The results of latter methods were correlated. Our initial experience proved OSNA to be a sensitive and effi cient alternative to intraoperative assessment of metastases in SLN in breast cancer patients. Moreover, the information obtained by the OSNA method provides the surgeon with the possibility of assessing a more accurate prognosis during the initial surgery

OBJECTIVES: To characterize the perinatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by spontaneous previable premature rupture of membranes with a therapeutic intervention in the form of amniopatch (AP) at the 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2008-2019). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The retrospective analysis of perinatal markers and early neonatal morbidity of pregnancies treated with amniopatch. Discussion comparison with the published papers of cases of spontaneous previable rupture of membranes managed expectantly. RESULTS: Out of the total number of pregnancies, 53 met the exclusion criteria, of which 35 were terminated by delivering a live newborn, 3 newborns died during the hospitalization. The following incidence of early complications has been reported in live births: 1) Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (10/35 -28.57 %), 2) Newborn respiratory distress syndrome (25/35 -71.42 %), 3) Neonatal sepsis (15/35 -42.85 %), 4) Intraventricular hemorrhage (14/35-40 %), 5) Periventricular leukomalacia (3/35 -8.57 %), 6). Necrotizing enterocolitis (2/35-5.71 %), 7) Retinopathy of prematurity (7/35 -20 %) and 8) Foetal compression syndrome (16/35 -45.71 %). In a discussion comparison with available publications of expectantly managed pregnancies, we observed a statistically signifi cantly lower incidence of respiratory distress syndrome, retinopathy, and chorioamnionitis in our cohort along with a higher incidence of foetal compression defects. CONCLUSION: Amniopatch can be a therapeutic method for reducing the neonatal mortality associated with RDS, maternal infectious morbidity, and an alternative in patients, who require an active approach to such a compromised pregnancy (Tab. 12, Fig. 1, Ref. 50). Text in PDF www.elis.sk K EY WORDS: spontaneous previable rupture of membranes, amniopatch, expectant management, perinatal morbidity, perinatal mortality.