Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) is an ART procedure in which the egg and sperm (gametes) are placed together within the fallopian tubes. Like IVF, GIFT requires prior, hormone-induced "super stimulation" of the woman's ovaries to produce mature eggs. The eggs then are retrieved from the woman by laparotomy, a surgical incision through the abdomen. After a number of mature eggs have been collected, they are combined with sperm, which, as in IVF, has been treated to concentrate the most healthy and active cells. Finally, the gametes are transferred back into the fallopian tubes, where fertilization should take place. Any embryos that result from this procedure will naturally descend into the uterus for implantation.
Is a transvaginal technique that does not require an incision. Instead, a small puncture is made above the pubic fat pad. A suture is then transferred by a needle through the rectus (muscle of the pubic crest) and down toward the vaginal wall, where it is looped and drawn back and out through the puncture. A second pass is made through the same incision (1 or 2 cm beside the first pass) to create a strong support for the suspension. The process is repeated through another puncture hole, which is made 1.5 to 2.0 cm away from the first site. Both suspending sutures are tied down within their respective puncture sites. Bone anchors are new additions to the techniques for needle suspension of the bladder neck. When needle suspension was first developed, surgeons questioned the amount of tension that was suitable for the suspension sutures. They wanted to avoid the complications of bladder outlet obstruction and suture breakdown that could because by too much tension or sutures pulling out of the anchoring tissue.
Once the presence of a cancerous tumor has been confirmed by biopsy, the pathologist will evaluate its relative malignancy and potential for metastasizing (spreading). He or she will examine the biopsy sample(s) under a microscope while looking for cells or groups of cells that are markedly different from healthy tissue. The greater the disparity between the healthy cells and those that are malignant, the more likely the tumor is aggressive and will spread. The usual method for expressing the results of this analysis is the Gleason Grading System. Under the Gleason System, the pathologist examines biopsy samples from two different parts of the tumor and assigns them a grade of 1 to 5 based on
their degree of differentiation (the amount by which they differ from healthy tissue). The more abnormal the tissue, the higher the score. The results of these two samples are added together to produce a Gleason Score of from 2 to 10. Gleason Scores of 2 to 4 are considered well-differentiated, meaning the tissue is not too different from normal; 5 to 7 are moderately differentiated; 8 to 10 are poorly differentiated. Higher scores indicate aggressive tumors that are likely to require aggressive treatment.
