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Introduction: Being associated with a systemic infection, SARS-CoV-2 affects multiple organs, including the placenta. SARS-CoV-2 placentitis is a new condition that shows the destructive effects of fibrin deposition in the perivillous area, chronic histiocytic intervillositis and trophoblast necrosis after the placenta is infected with SARS-CoV-2. Until now, there have been no published reports regarding the ultrasound signs of massive perivillous fibrin deposition and the recommended monitoring for these cases. Aim: Our aim was to analyze the sonographic appearance of the placenta in a series of SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women during their third trimester. Material and method: In all cases included in the present study, we performed serial obstetrical ultrasounds every seven days until delivery, followed by histopathological examination of the placenta postpartum. Results: In women with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), sonographic images of the placentas revealed that they matured faster within three weeks of receiving a COVID-19 diagnosis and reached a more rapid senescence. In all cases, there was a gradual increase in placental calcification from week to week, but only in pregnant women with a grade 3 placenta at the moment of inclusion in the study the deterioration was severe, leading to placental insufficiency and subsequently to IUGR. Conclusion: The cases who had an increased placental degree at the time of infection were associated with abnormally rapid placental aging. These aspects can be evaluated sonographically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preterm delivery represents an important public health problem due to its neonatal outcomes. There are numerous complications that occur due to prematurity, but the most significant one is represented by neonatal death. Even if the certain mechanism of prematurity is elusive, there are various risk factors known to be involved in the etiology of preterm birth, among which one is young age. Objectives: The present study aims to find whether preterm delivery has a higher rate in adolescent patients and if neonatal outcomes are different in adolescent and adult patients. Patients and methods: We performed an observational retrospective study about preterm infants from adolescent and adult patients. Thus, we analyzed 96 patients aged between 13 and 38 years who delivered in our unit between October 1st 2018 and December 31st 2021. Patients were divided into two groups: a study group (n=59), which included adolescents who delivered preterm, and a control group (n=37), which comprised adult patients who delivered preterm. We evaluated the rate of prematurity of all births and among patients enrolled in the present study and the neonatal outcome by newborn's weight, one-minute newborn's Apgar score and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admission. Results: In our study, the rate of prematurity was higher in adolescent patients, with a rate of 61.46%. The newborns' outcomes, analyzed by newborn's weight and one-minute Apgar score, were better in adolescent patients compared to adult ones. Therefore, newborns from adult patients needed neonatal intensive care more often, with a rate of 62.16%, while in the study group the percentage was 38.98%. The rate of antenatal care was higher in adult patients compared to adolescent ones (32.43% versus 27.12%). Conclusion: Adolescents have a higher risk of preterm delivery; however, their newborns have better outcomes than those of adult patients. The lack of antenatal care represents a risk factor for preterm delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cord blood collection for stem cell storage remains a popular procedure due to the advantages associated to it. In the last ten years, the therapeutic potential of umbilical cord stem cells was demonstrated in the treatment of bone pathologies, neuropsychiatry, metabolic and genetic diseases. There are several factors with direct influence on the quality and quantity of cord blood collection for stem cell storage. The collection principles should be individualized according to the maternal and fetal characteristics. Furthermore, in the context of COVID-19 pandemic, additional information can be obtained through this procedure. We present a specific case-adapted strategy for the collection of umbilical cord blood and its application in analyzing the transplacental transfer of maternal COVID-19 antibodies after vaccination. We suggest that the informed consent offered to the future parents prior to the procedure should include the history of COVID-19 during pregnancy, the vaccination status of the mother and the gestational age at the time when this event occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located under the cerebral hemispheres and draining the anterior and central regions of the brain into the sinus of the posterior cerebral fossa, the vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation is considered to be a rare cause of hydrocephaly. The presence of this condition in the neonatal period typically includes intractable heart failure and a poor prognosis. We report a case of aneurysm of the vein of Galen diagnosed prenatally at 28 weeks of gestation, with the delivery at term by caesarean section of a female infant. Sonographically, the vein of Galen appeared in the mid-sagittal plane, large, supratentorial, non-pulsatile; on color Doppler, the structure filled with bright color, reflecting a turbulent venous flow. A low grade of ventriculomegaly was present during the evolution of pregnancy; regarding the cardiovascular function, an intrauterine right cardiac insufficiency overlapped a tricuspid regurgitation and right atrial dilatation. A multidisciplinary committee decided a neonatal embolization of the aneurysm as an emergency requirement due to increased pulmonary hypertension developed in the next 24 hours after birth. After the embolization of the two main drainage vessels, the cardiac dysfunction persists. Two days later the evolution became unfavorable, leading to the necessity of the second embolization, which resulted in a 48 hours' coma and death, due to a cerebral hemorrhage secondary to thrombosis and fissure of the embolized aneurysm. The prognosis for the neonate with malformation of the Galen vein depends upon the severity of the cardiovascular status. Embolization represents actually the treatment of choice with the best results of these cases, but the mortality remains as high as 50 percent even in the most specialized centers of the world. As far as we know this is the only case of Galen aneurysmal malformation in Romania which beneficiated of embolization by interventional treatment in neonatal period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Negative-pressure wound therapy is a therapeutic technique that uses a vacuum dressing in order to promote healing in acute or chronic wounds. The continued vacuum draws out fluid from the wound and increases blood flow to the area. The aim of this study was to establish the effectiveness of negative pressure therapy increasing this way the chances of rehabilitation after knee prosthesis infections. Material and method: 11 patients with septic complications after total knee joint replacement were involved into this study, from the Department of Orthopaedic and Traumatology of Bucharest Emergency University Hospital. In all of the cases negative pressure wound treatment was applied. The surgical approach was chosen according to the surgeon's preferences or along the pre-existing surgical approach. Results and discussions: Time from the knee arthroplasty to the clinical and biological manifestation of septic complications was about 35 days with limits between 21 and 42 days. In most cases we managed to keep the implant, the outcome obviously being conditioned by using the negative pressure. Knee infections are still a hazardous problem in orthopedic surgery. Negative-pressure system increased the granulation tissue formation and the local blood flow and enhanced the bacterial clearance function. Conclusions: The clinical outcome in our cases indicates that the Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy can be a valuable contribution to the treatment of knee joint infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]