Week 1 Flashcards
Describe the follicular phase of menstruation
FSH stimulates ovarian follicle to develop and the granulosa cells produce oestrogen. Rising oestrogen levels then subsequently inhibit FSH production.
Declining FSH levels cause atresia in all but one dominant follicle.
Describe ovulation
Luteinising hormone surge just before ovulation.
Dominant follicle ruptures releasing oocyte.
Describe the luteal phase of menstruation
Formation of corpus luteum
Progesterone production
Describe the endometrial lining in the proliferative phase of menstruation?
Oestrogen induced growth of endometrial glands and stroma.
Describe the endometrial lining in the luteal phase of menstruation?
Progesterone induced glandular secretory activity.
Decidualisation (changes in the endometrial lining in preparation for pregnancy).
Endometrial apoptosis and subsequent menstruation
Describe the endometrium during menstruation?
Arteriolar construction and shredding of the functional endometrial layer.
Fibrinolysis inhibits scar tissue formation.
At what day in the cycle does 1- ovulation and 2-menstruation occur?
1- 14 days
2- day 1-6.
How long is a normal menstrual cycle?
28 days +/- 7 days
Menorrhagia
Heavy periods (prolonged and increased menstrual flow)
Metrorrhagia
Regular intermenstrual bleeding
Polymenorrhoea
Periods occur at less than a 21 day interval
Polymenorrhagia
Increased bleeding and frequent cycle
Menometrorrhagia
Prolonged periods and intermenstrual bleeding
Amenorrhoea
Absence of menstruation >6 months.
Oligomenorrhoea
Periods at intervals of greater than 35 days.
What are the causes of menorrhagia?
Can be organic- caused by pathology
Or non-organic- absence of pathology
What is non-organic menorrhagia also known as?
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding.
What local disorders can cause organic menorrhagia?
Fibroids Adenomyosis Endocervical or endometrial polyp Cervical eversion Intrauterine contraceptive device Pelvic inflammatory disease Endometriosis Malignancy of the cervix or uterus Hormone producing tumours Trauma
What are fibroids?
Why are they associated with heavy periods?
Do they cause symptoms?
Benign tumour of the myometrium. Usually results in the uterus being much larger than normal.
Associated with heavy periods because the surface endometrium is also enlarged.
Non- painful unless they are so enlarged they cause pressure symptoms.
What is adenomyosis?
Does it cause symptoms?
Lining of the uterus (endometrium) is present in the myometrium (muscle layer). Meaning blood can’t escape.
Can be quite painful.
What is cervical eversion?
Why does it cause bleeding?
Cervical epithelium of the cervical canal is pouched out into the uterus. The columnar epithelium tends to be more vascular so causes more bleeding.
Why do intrauterine contraceptive devices cause menorrhagia?
If its copper it causes bleeding.
What systemic disorders can cause menorrhagia?
Endocrine disorders- hyper/hypothyroidism
Diabetes
Adrenal disease
Prolactin disorders
Disorders of haemostasis- Von willebrands disease ITP Liver disorders Renal disease Drugs- anticoagulants.
How would you diagnose dysfunctional uterine bleeding?
Diagnosis made by exclusion.
How can dysfunctional uterine bleeding be subdivided? Describe each.
Anovolutary- 85%. Occurs at the extremes of reproductive life. Irregular cycle. More common in obese women
Ovulatory -15%. Regular heavy periods. Due to inadequate progesterone productive by corpus luteum. More common in women age 35-45.
What investigations would you do into dysfunctional uterine bleeding?
FBC- measure haemoglobin to exclude anaemia Cervical smear TSH Coagulation screen Renal/liver function tests
Important ones
- Transvaginal ultrasound- measure endometrial thickness. The thicker the endometrium the more likely you are to have endometrial carcinoma.
- Endometrial sampling-pipelle biopsies. Uses a hysteroscope- an endoscope through the cervix however needs general aneasthetic
What is the general rule for treatment of DUB?
If irregular cycle- treat with hormonal manipulation e.g. progestogens and combined OCP
If regular cycle- treat with drugs.
Combination of heavy periods and shortened cycle- use both.
What medical options are there for treatment of DUB?
Progestogens Combined oral contraceptive pill Danazol- dated now GnRH analogues NSAIDs Anti-fibrinolytics Capillary wall stabilisers
Also-
Mirena coil
What surgical management can be offered for DUB?
Endometrial resection/ablation
Hysterectomy
Describe the pro’s and cons of treatment of DUB using surgical and medical management
Medical treatment
- cheaper
- No waiting list
- No anaesthetic risks
- Side effects temporary
- Fertility retained
- may not be effective
Surgical treatment
- more expensive
- Waiting list
- Anaesthetic risks
- Fertility lost
- completely effective.
Compare endometrial ablation and hysterectomy for treatment of DUB
Endometrial ablation-
- day case
- shorter operating time
- shorter recovery
- fewer complications
- requires cervical smears and HRT therapy
Hysterectomy
- Major operation
- longer operating time
- longer recovery time
- more complications
- No cervical smears
- Oestrogen only HRT
What are the roles of the ovary?
Produce gametes
Produce steroids- mainly oestrogen and progesterone
Describe the structure of the ovary?
Has a medulla and cortex.
Describe the medulla of the ovary?
Forms the core of the organ. Contains loose connective tissue, contorted arteries, veins and lymphatics. Its continuous with the hilum of the organ.
Describe the cortex of the ovary?
Has scattered ovarian follicles in a highly cellular connective tissue stroma. The outer layer of the cortex is a dense connective tissue layer called the tunica albuginea, which is covered by a single layer of cuboidal cells called the germinal epithelium.
Which layer of the ovary forms the white outer layer?
The tunica albuginea
Describe the maturation of the ovary from the primordial follicle to where it is released from the ovary?
Primordial follicle
Primary follicle
Secondary follicle
Mature graafian follicle
What is oogenesis?
Development of oocytes from oogonia.
What is folliculogenesis?
Growth of the follicle, which consists of the oocyte and any associated support cells.
Women lose oogonia and oocytes via what process?
Atresia.
Describe the development of follicles before birth
Before birth, the oocytes undergo meiosis but halt in prophase 1. They will then undergo further meiosis at puberty and will complete meiosis II if they are fertilised.
What will happen if an oocyte fails to associate itself with pregranulosa cells?
It dies.
What happens to the pregranulosa cells if the primary follicle enters the growth phase?
They are squamous before the growth phase, but become cuboidal after.
How can you distinguish between primary follicles and oocytes?
The presence of cuboidal granulosa cells- termed the zona granulosa.
Describe the cell arrangement around the primary follicle?
Squamous cells have proliferated to form a single layer of cuboidal cells. The cells adjacent to cuboidal cells, particularly closest to the follicle have started to develop. You can start to see the zona pellucida.
What is the theca interna and externa and how is it formed?
What is its function?
The theca interna is formed by differentiation of inner layers of stromal cells.
Goes on to secrete oestrogen precursors which are then converted to oestrogen by granulosa cells.
The theca externa remains fibroblast like.
What is the Antrum? What is it filled with? What layer does it form in?
As the follicle enlarges, a space called the Antrum develops.
Filled with Antrum fluid.
The granulosa layer.
When is it classed a Graafian follicle?
The largest of follicles has a large Antrum,
When does the oocyte complete meiosis I? What occurs after this?
One day before ovulation, the oocyte in the largest Graafian follicle will complete meiosis I. It doesn’t form two identical cells, it forms one large secondary follicle and one polar body.
The secondary oocyte then goes onto the second phase of meiosis but stops at metaphase II.
When will the secondary follicle complete meiosis II? What else is produced in this?
Only completes it if fertilised
A secondary polar body.
What is the follicular stigma?
The place where the follicle bulges against the side of the ovary.
What happens after ovulation in the ovary?
The follicle becomes the corpus luteum. It releases oestrogen and progesterone which help prepare the uterus for implantation.
What happens to the corpus luteum if no implantation occurs?
The corpus luteum becomes the corpus albicans.
What happens to the corpus luteum if implantation occurs?
The placenta secretes HCG which prevents degeneration of the corpus luteum for some time so progesterone levels can be maintained.
What are the projections of the Fallopian tubes called?
Fimbrae.
How does the egg get from the ovary to the uterus?
Ejected from the ovary. Collected by the fimbrae of the Fallopian tubes. Moves down the Fallopian tubes by gentle peristaltic movements and currents created by the ciliated epithelium.
Where does fertilisation usually occur?
In the ampulla of the Fallopian tubes.
What type of epithelium is present in the ampulla of the Fallopian tube?
Simple columnar epithelium with ciliated cells and secretory cells. This is surrounded by smooth muscle.
Describe the structure of the isthmus of the Fallopian tube?
Secretory epithelium with few ciliated cells. 3 layers of smooth muscle.
Describe the structure of the uterus?
Endometrium- inner secretory mucosal layer. Made up of tubular secretory glands embedded in a connective tissue stroma.
Myometrium- 3 layers of smooth muscle combined with collagen and elastic tissue.
Perimetrium- outer visceral layer of loose connective tissue covered by mesothelium.
How can the endometrium be divided? Describe each.
Stratum functionalis- undergoes monthly growth, degeneration and loss
Stratum basalis-reserve tissue that regenerates the functionalis.
What happens to the stratum basalis during the proliferative layer of menstruation?
The stratum basalis proliferates and glands, stroma and vasculature grow- increasing the thickness of the endometrium by reconstituting the stratum functionalis.
What happens to the layers of endometrium during the secretory phase of menstruation?
The glands become coiled with a corkscrew appearance and secrete glycogen.
What happens to the layers of the endometrium during the menstruation phase?
Arterioles in the stratum functionalis undergo constriction, depriving the tissue of blood and causing ischaemia, with resultant tissue breakdown and leakage of blood.
What tissues make up the cervix?
Mostly fibrous connective tissue covered with stratified squamous epithelium on its vaginal surface, transitioning to mucous secreting simple columnar epithelium.
What is the significance of the transition zone in the cervix?
Common site of dysplagia and neoplastic changes leading to cervical carcinoma being commonest in this area.
Describe the structure of the mucous secreting epithelium of the cervix?
Deeply furrowed so looks to form glands.
How are the majority of infections in the genital tract transmitted?
Through sex.
What are the common bacterial STI’s?
Chlamydia- chlamydia trachomitis
Gonorrhoea -Neisseria gonorrhoea
Syphilis- Treponema pallidum
What are the common viral STI’s?
HPV- genital warts
Herpes simplex- genital herpes
Hepatitis and HIV
What are the common parasitic STIs?
Trichomonas vaginalis
Phthirus pubis- pubic lice
Scabies
What sign will you see if gonococci infect the male urethra and explain why?
How would chlamydia differ?
Purulent discharge will occur- due to the high neutrophil infiltration. Also have pain on urination.
Chlamydia affects the same tissue but is likely to produce a watery discharge, mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.
What determines the efficacy of an STI?
Concentration and phenotype of the organism in the genital tract.
Susceptibility of the sexual partner
Resistance of the host.
Can you have a candida infection without symptoms?
Yes- 30% of woman have this.
Name some predisposing factors for candida infection?
Recent antibiotic therapy
High oestrogen levels e.g. pregnancy, certain types of contraceptive.
Poorly controlled diabetes.
Immunocompromised patients
How does symptomatic candida infection present?
Intensely itchy, white vaginal discharge.
How would you diagnose candida infection?
Clinical diagnosis
Can do a high vaginal swab for culture.
What is the most common cause of candida infection?
C. albicans
How would you treat candida infection?
Topical co-trimazole pessary or cream
Oral fluconazole
How would a gram film of candida infection look?
Budding yeasts and hyphae
How can prostatitis be classified?
Acute bacterial prostatitis
Chronic bacterial prostatitis
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome
How does acute bacterial prostatitis present?
Symptoms of a UTI- pain on urination, may also have lower abdominal pain/back/perineal/penile pain and a tender prostate on examination
What are the likely causative organisms of acute bacterial prostatitis?
Check for UTI organisms e.g. E coli, coliforms etc
In men under 35- check for STI- gonorrhoea and chlamydia
Treatment of acute bacterial prostatitis?
Trimethoprim is the preferred treatment (28 days). Also used in high C diff risk. However if resistant give ciprofloxacin (28 days).
What is positive predictive value?
When a screening test comes back positive for the disease and the person actually is positive for the disease.
What is negative predictive value?
Subjects with a negative screening test actually are negative for the disease.
You are likely to be infected by a singular STI. True or false?
False- they tend to come in ‘packs’.
What test can be used to test for both gonorrhoea and chlamydia in the same sample?
Nucleic acid amplification tests.
Or PCR
On NAAT, how does gonorrhoea appear?
Gram negative intracellular diplococci.
What organisms are present on the normal vaginal flora?
Lactobacillus predominate
Strep viridans
Group B- beta haemolytic streptococci
Candida spp- in small numbers.
What do lactobacillus produce? What is their function?
Lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide
They suppress growth of other bacteria.