No abstract

SummaryChanges in platelets in 48 patients with uterine myoma before and after hysterectomy with and without ovariectomy were examined. Bilateral ovariectomy in 25 cases (ovariec-tomized group) and unilateral or non-ovariectomy in 23 cases (control group) were performed at the hysterectomy. Platelet count and an appearance rate of secondary aggregation decreased at one day after and increased at one week after the operation, similarly in both the ovariectomized and the control group. The appearance rate of secondary aggregation was reflected in an intensity of aggregation at 5 min after the addition of reagent to PRP. At one month after the operation, the appearance rate of secondary aggregation induced by 3 μM ADP showed a statistically significant decrease in comparison with the preoperation value (P <0.05) and the enhancement of 5-min aggregation was still observed in the control group, while ceased in the ovariectomized group. The difference between the two groups was significant (P < 0.05). There was almost no change in the speed and intensity of primary and secondary aggregation during the observation period. No significant differences in collagen-induced aggregation were noted between the two groups. The results suggest that ovarian hormones, mainly estrogen, facilitate platelet activation which is mediated by the so-called secondary aggregation.

SummaryA fully automatic instrument for the determination of electrophoretic mobility of colloidal particles was applied to human platelets. A significant increase in platelet electrophoretic mobility was observed one day after a laparotomy. This suggests that a selective consumption of platelets with smaller surface negative charge may occur during postoperative hemostatic plug formation or under surgical stress. In addition, the difference in electrophoretic mobility observed between males and females suggests an effect of estrogen on platelets.

No abstract

An autopsy case of so‐called congenital goiter of a female newborn is presented. It was an adult‐fist sized, horse‐shoe like goiter surrounding her fore‐neck, and caused air passage obstruction which most probably was the immediate cause of her death. Histologically, the mass consisted of hyperplastic follicles occasionally containing eosinophilic, colloid‐like substance. Clinically, the mother had had two episodes with possible relation to this change; (1) administration of potassium iodide (0.5 g/day) for the past 4 years including this pregnancy, (2) suspicious existence of latent hypothyroidism lasting for many years. Thus a possibility can be pointed out that the goiter was caused by administration of excess iodide and/or hypothyroidism of the mother during the pregnancy. A short discussion is also made on the relationship between histological findings of goiters and goitrogenic factors.