Multiple liver metastases of unknown origin:A case report

BACKGROUND The liver is the most common site of digestive system tumor metastasis,but not all liver metastases can be traced back to the primary lesions.Although it is unusual,syphilis can impact the liver,manifesting as syphilitic hepatitis with inflammatory nodules,which might be misdiagnosed as metastasis.CASE SUMMARY This case report involves a 46-year-old female who developed right upper abdominal pain and intermittent low fever that persisted for more than three months.No definitive diagnosis of a tumor had been made in the past decades,but signs of multiple liver metastases were recognized after a computed tomo-graphy scan without evidence of primary lesions.With positive serological tests for syphilis and a biopsy of the liver nodules,a diagnosis of hepatic syphilis was made and confirmed with follow-up nodule reduction after anti-syphilis therapy.CONCLUSION Clinicians must be aware of the possibility that syphilis can cause hepatic inflam-matory masses,especially when liver metastasis is suspected without evidence of primary lesions.A definitive diagnosis should be established in conjunction with a review of the patient’s medical history for accurate therapeutic intervention.

Cerebral fat embolism following autologous fat injection in facial reconstruction:A case report

BACKGROUND Autologous fat injection in facial reconstruction is a common cosmetic surgery.Although cerebral fat embolism(CFE)as a complication is rare,it carries serious health risks.CASE SUMMARY We present a case of a 29-year-old female patient who developed acute CFE following facial fat filling surgery.After the surgery,the patient experienced symptoms including headache,nausea,vomiting,and difficulty breathing,which was followed by neurological symptoms such as slurred speech and left-sided weakness.Comprehensive physical examination and auxiliary investigations,including blood tests,head and neck computed tomography angiography,and cranial magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging,were performed upon admission.The clinical diagnosis was acute cerebral embolism following facial fat filling surgery.Treatment included measures to improve cerebral circulation,dehydration for intracranial pressure reduction,nutritional support,and rehabilitation therapy for left limb function.The patient showed a significant improvement in symptoms after 2 weeks of treatment.She recovered left limb muscle strength to grade 5,had clear speech,and experienced complete relief of headache.CONCLUSION Our case highlights the potential occurrence of severe complications in patients undergoing fat injection in facial reconstruction.To prevent these complications,plastic surgeons should enhance their professional knowledge and skills.

Pulp health and calcific healing of a complicated crown–root fracture with additional root fracture in a maxillary incisor: A case report

BACKGROUND Complicated crown–root fracture (CRF) involves severe injury to the crown, root,and pulp, and may be accompanied by multiple root fractures. The loss of a toothhas lifelong consequences for children and teenagers, but the maintenance of pulphealth and the calcific healing of multiple root fractures are rarely reported in theliterature.CASE SUMMARY This case reports healing of a permanent tooth with complicated crown–root andadditional root fractures, in which pulp health was maintained. A 10-year-old girlfell and fractured the root of her maxillary left central incisor at the cervical level.After the coronal fragment was repositioned, the tooth was splinted until thetooth was no longer mobile, 2 years later. Eight years after treatment, the toothhas remained asymptomatic with vital pulp and localized gingival overgrowth.Cone-beam computed tomography revealed not only calcified healing of the CRFbut also spontaneous healing in an additional undiagnosed root fracture. Thefracture line on the enamel could not be healed by hard tissue and formed agroove in the cervical crown. It was speculated that the groove was related to thelocalized gingival overgrowth.CONCLUSION This case provides a clinical perspective of the treatment of a tooth with acomplicated CRF and an additional root fracture.

Pulmonary artery stent thrombosis and symptomatic pulmonary hypertension following COVID-19 infection in Alagille patient:A case report

BACKGROUND Alagille syndrome is a multisystem disease that results in various vascular anomalies,commonly involving the cardiac and pulmonary systems.To the best of our knowledge,there is no literature regarding the cardiovascular outcomes of these patients in association with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).CASE SUMMARY A 34-year-old woman with a history of Alagille syndrome who underwent successful atrial septal defect with partial anomalous pulmonary veins and patent ductus arteriosus repair,as well as left pulmonary artery catheterization and stenting in childhood due to pulmonary stenosis.The patient was without any respiratory symptoms and was a dancer prior to contracting COVID-19.Several weeks after her COVID-19 infection,she developed left pulmonary artery stent thrombosis and subsequent symptomatic pulmonary hypertension.A treatment strategy of anticoagulation alongside pharmacological agents for pulmonary hypertension for 3 months followed by balloon pulmonary artery angioplasty to reopen the stenosis was unsuccessful.CONCLUSION In the era of COVID-19,patients with pulmonary vascular malformations and endovascular stents are at an increased risk for chronic thromboembolic disease.Patients may benefit from prophylactic antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy.Stent thrombosis is a devastating phenomenon and should be treated urgently and aggressively with balloon pulmonary angioplasty,and/or a thrombolytic agent.

Discovery of primary lung cancer following resection of rectal cancer lung metastasis:A case report

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer(CRC)ranks high among the most common types of malignant tumors.The primary cause of cancer-related mortality is metastasis,with lung metastases accounting for 32.9%of all cases of metastatic CRC(MCRC).However,cases of MCRC in the lungs,which present concurrently with primary peripheral lung adenocarcinoma,are exceptionally rare.CASE SUMMARY This report describes the case of a 52-year-old female patient who,following a colonoscopy,was diagnosed with moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma based on rectal mucosal biopsy findings.A preoperative chest computed tomography scan revealed a ground-glass nodule in the right lung and a small nodule(approximately 0.6 cm in diameter)in the extramural basal segment of the left lower lobe,which suggested multiple lung metastases from rectal cancer.Subsequent treatment and follow-up led to a diagnosis of rectal cancer with left lung metastasis and peripheral adenocarcinoma of the lower lobe of the right lung.CONCLUSION This case report describes the therapeutic journey of a patient with lung metastasis from rectal cancer in addition to primary peripheral adenocarcinoma,thus underscoring the critical roles of multidisciplinary collaboration,personalized treatment strategies,and comprehensive patient rehabilitation guidance.

Success of intravenous immunoglobulin and steroids in managing severe COVID-19 following lung transplantation:A case report

BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pneumonia with severe septic shock and acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS)are critical illnesses for patients following transplant.Intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG)plays a role in both immune support and inflammation control,especially in immunocompromised patients.This case report describes the first successful experience using IVIG and pulse steroids to manage this critical condition following lung transplantation.CASE SUMMARY A 65-year-old male patient reported a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and poor lung function and received bilateral sequential lung transplantations.Postoperatively,he developed COVID-19 pneumonia,severe septic shock,and ARDS.He recovered from this critical condition after empirical antibiotics administration and veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation,in addition to IVIG and pulse steroids.CONCLUSION IVIG is a valuable adjunct in managing severe sepsis in lung transplant recipients after COVID-19 infection.We aim,for the first time,to report the success of such a management approach for COVID-19 ARDS and sepsis in the post-lung transplant setting.With further investigations,this is a starting point for wider analysis of such an approach in this setting and consequently helps guide clinical practice for such a challenging patient population moving forward.

Treatment of thymoma with low-dose glucocorticoids before surgery for significant tumor shrinkage: A case report

BACKGROUND Thymic epithelial neoplasms are rare malignant neoplasms originating in the thymus gland.There have been case reports of patients with advanced thymomas treated with a methylprednisolone pulse or with glucocorticoid(GCs)shock be-fore surgery,followed by surgical treatment,all of whom achieved good results.The effect of GCs on thymomas is related mainly to the action on GC receptors in thymic lymphocytes and epithelial cells.GC receptor expression has been asso-ciated with a better prognosis in patients with thymomas,including those with surgically removed thymomas.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of a patient with thymoma who had a significant response to preoperative low-dose GC therapy.A mediastinal tumor was detected in the patient via computerized tomography upon admission.The tumor was initially suspected to be a thymic tumor,but lymphoma could not be ruled out.The tumor shrank significantly after low-dose(5 mg/day)GC therapy.Thoracoscopic thy-moma resection was performed after puncture pathology was confirmed.The patient recovered well after the operation and is currently performing well with no recurrence of the tumor.CONCLUSION This case highlights that low-dose GCs are effective in the treatment of thymomas,and we believe that GCs should be applied more frequently and studied more thoroughly in the treatment of thymomas.

Bronchopleural fistula following application of Hem-o-lock clip at bronchial stump after lobectomy:A case report

BACKGROUND Hem-o-lock clip,a versatile and reliable non-absorbable tissue clip,has gained widespread acceptance in laparoscopic surgeries for vessel ligation and tissue approximation.Its efficacy and safety have been well-documented.CASE SUMMARY This case report describes the occurrence of a bronchopleural fistula following the application of the Hem-o-lock clip for the treatment of a lobar bronchial stump after lobectomy.CONCLUSION This case underscores the importance of exercising caution when using the Hem-o-lock clip for the management of non-vascular tissues during thoracic surgery.

Furmonertinib re-challenge for epidermal growth factor receptormutant lung adenocarcinoma after osimertinib-induced interstitial lung disease:A case report

BACKGROUND Most non-small cell lung cancer patients have epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)activating mutations,such as exon 19 deletion and exon 21 replacement mutations.Osimertinib is a third-generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors ap-proved for the treatment of lung cancer patients carrying EGFR activating mu-tations.Osimertinib-induced interstitial lung disease(ILD)is a rare and poten-tially fatal pulmonary toxic manifestation of drug therapy.At present,there is no international consensus on the risks and treatment of the osimertinib-induced ILD.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of a 56-year-old woman who was diagnosed with lung adenocar-cinoma with lung hilum,mediastinal lymph nodes and brain metastases(T4N3-M1c stage IVB).The patient received targeted treatment with osimertinib after radiotherapy and chemotherapy.But she developed ILD after osimertinib treat-ment.Following active symptomatic treatment and hormone treatment,the lung injury alleviated.The patient was retreated with furmonertinib combined with prednisone and did not experience ILD again.So far,she has survived for 14 months without disease progression.CONCLUSION Retreatment with furmonertinib under prednisone could be considered as an effective therapeutic option after risk-benefit assessment for EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma patients.

Five-year complete remission of super-giant hepatocellular carcinoma with hepatectomy followed by sorafenib plus camrelizumab:A case report

BACKGROUND Cirrhotic patients with super-giant hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and portal vein invasion generally have a poor prognosis.This paper presents a patient with super-giant HCC and portal vein invasion,who underwent hepatectomy followed by a combination of sorafenib and camrelizumab,resulting in complete remission(CR)for 5 years.CASE SUMMARY A 40-year-old male with compensated hepatitis B-related cirrhosis was diagnosed with HCC,Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C.Enhanced computed tomography imaging revealed a 152 mm×171 mm tumor in the right liver,invading the portal vein and hepatic vein.Liver function was normal.The patient successfully underwent hepatectomy on July 18,2019.However,by December 2019,HCC recurrence with lung metastases and portal vein invasion were detected.He started treatment with sorafenib(200 mg twice daily)and camrelizumab(200 mg every 3 weeks).By May 12,2020,the patient was confirmed to have CR.Camrelizumab was adjusted to 200 mg every 12 weeks from June 16,2021,with the last infusion on March 29,2024.Although no further tumor recurrence was observed,he experienced two episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding due to esophagogastric varices,which were managed with endoscopic therapy.To date,the patient has remained in CR for 5 years.CONCLUSION The combination of hepatectomy with sorafenib and camrelizumab can achieve durable CR in patients with supergiant HCC and portal vein invasion.Further research is necessary to address these challenges and improve patient outcomes.

Mild liver injury following withdrawal of long-term prednisonetherapy: A case report

BACKGROUND Liver injury manifesting as hepatic enzyme abnormalities,has been occasionally identified to be a feature of primary or secondary Addison's disease,an uncommon endocrine disease characterized by adrenal insufficiency.There have been no more than 30 reported cases of liver injury explicitly attributed to Addison's disease.Liver injury resulting from adrenal insufficiency due to glucocorticoid withdrawal is exceptionally rarer.CASE SUMMARY A 42-year-old man presented with fatigue and mildly elevated transaminases.Laboratory investigations and imaging studies excluded common etiologies of liver injury.Based on the fact that the patient discontinued long-term therapy with prednisone approximately 2 weeks before he was found to have elevated transaminase levels and the observation that his cortisol was lower than the normal value,he was diagnosed as having hypertransaminasemia secondary to adrenal insufficiency caused by glucocorticoid withdrawal.The patient was infused intravenously with compound diisopropylamine dichloroacctate and compound glycyrrhizin,and his transaminase levels returned to normal after 1 week.Approximately 2 years later,the patient received hydroprednisone treatment for 2 days in an endoscopic sinus surgery.Eight days after he discontinued the hydroprednisone treatment,he developed symptoms reminiscent of glucocorticoid withdrawal syndrome.These symptoms resolved spontaneously after 1 week.Intriguingly,the patient did not develop hepatic dysfunction this time.CONCLUSION The present case,showing some unusual clinical features,highlights the importance of education of clinicians and patients to avoid improper discontinuation of glucocorticoid therapy and complete history taking for prompt recognition.

Acute abdominal pain complicated by cecal perforation caused by an unnoticed swallowed toothpick:A case report

BACKGROUND Acute abdominal pain is one of the most common gastrointestinal symptoms.The etiology of acute abdomen can be challenging for gastroenterologists to establish.Cecal foreign body is a rare cause of cecal perforation.CASE SUMMARY We report a 35-year-old male from China who initially exhibited symptoms suggestive of acute appendicitis.However,during a minimally invasive colonoscopy procedure,the authors found that a wooden toothpick caused the perforation.The patient presented to our emergency department with a 2 days history of right lower abdominal pain and low grade fever.The patient was in good health and had eaten fish 2 days earlier.Physical examination revealed mild pain with positive rebound tenderness in the right lower abdomen.However,computed tomography of the abdomen confirmed a strip of high-density shadows protruding beyond the intestinal cavity outline,with a small amount of peritoneal seepage in the ileocecal area.Combined with the medical history,the possibility of foreign body perforation by a fishbone and peripheral peritonitis were considered.However,the high-density shadow was identified as a wooden toothpick,which was removed via a minimally invasive procedure using a foreign body forceps under colonoscopy.The patient's condition improved significantly within 5 days after treatment.CONCLUSION We emphasize the importance of a detailed patient history,accurate diagnosis and proper treatment in patients with acute abdomen.

Gastrointestinal bleeding due to small bowel metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Lung cancer is the most prevalent malignant tumor in human body,and is characterized by a high level of malignancy.The most common metastatic sites include the liver,bone,brain,and adrenal gland,while lung cancer resulting in gastrointestinal tract metastasis is uncommon.CASE SUMMARY A 74-years-old man with lung cancer was hospitalized owing to blood in the stool,The cause was identified as metastasis to the small intestine,and the patient subsequently underwent radical resection of the small intestine tumor.Currently,the overall condition of the patient is good,and undergoing combined chemotherapy.CONCLUSION Early intervention in patients with metastatic tumors can significantly improve prognosis.

Petersen's hernia with chylous ascites following laparoscopic total gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y anastomosis:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Petersen’s hernia occurring through the epiploic foramen of the greater omentum,is an uncommon type of internal hernia.When it presents with complications such as chylous ascites,which is the lymphatic fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity,it is particularly rare.Following laparoscopic total gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y anastomosis,the incidence of this condition is exceedingly low.CASE SUMMARY A 62-year-old male patient developed Petersen’s hernia following laparoscopic total gastrectomy(LTG)for gastric cancer,after Roux-en-Y anastomosis.Intestinal torsion and obstruction were experienced by the patient,along with a small amount of chylous ascites.Imaging studies and clinical assessment confirmed the diagnosis.Emergency surgery was performed promptly for the patient in the operating room.The twisted small intestine was reduced and the defect in Petersen’s space was repaired.The procedure was successful in the correction of the intestinal torsion and approximation of the hernia without the need for bowel resection.The patient’s condition significantly improved following the surgery.The ascites evolved from a milky white appearance to a pale yellow,with a substantial decrease in the triglyceride levels in the ascitic fluid,implying a favorable recovery trajectory.The patient was monitored closely and received appropriate care postoperatively,including nutritional support and fluid management.CONCLUSION This report illustrates the significance of recognizing Petersen’s hernia as a potential complication following gastrectomy for gastric cancer.It highlights the fundamental role of early surgical intervention in the effective management of such complications.The favorable outcome in this patient illustrates that prompt and appropriate surgical management can deter the necessity for more extensive procedures such as bowel resection.

Novel surgical approach-cadaveric inferior vena cava graft reconstruction following leiomyosarcoma resection:A case report

BACKGROUND Inferior vena cava(IVC)leiomyosarcomas are rare and aggressive tumors.Complete cure depends on achieving R0 resection,which often requires circumferential resection and reconstruction.Synthetic grafts have traditionally been used when venous continuity must be restored.However,the use of cadaveric IVC grafts for reconstruction has not been widely reported.CASE SUMMARY Herein,we present the case of a 64-year-old woman diagnosed with an intrahepatic IVC leiomyosarcoma with local invasion.The patient responded favorably to chemotherapy and subsequently underwent an en bloc right hepatectomy,retrohepatic IVC resection,and reconstruction with an interpositional cadaveric IVC graft.Serial imaging follow-ups until 2 years after the operation showed persistent patency of the graft and no graft-related complications.CONCLUSION Cadaveric IVC grafts are an alternative to synthetic grafts for reconstruction,with acceptable outcomes.Larger,long-term studies are necessary to validate these findings.

Lymphogranuloma venereum proctosigmoiditis misdiagnosed as inflammatory bowel disease: A case report

BACKGROUND There has been a rise in the number of cases diagnosed as lymphogranuloma venereum(LGV),caused by the transmission of Chlamydia trachomatis,specifi-cally serotypes L1,L2,and L3,mostly in men who have sex with men(MSM).LGV can clinically manifest as rectal discomfort,bleeding,and mucoid discharge mimicking inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).Therefore,the role of a wholesome collection of patient history along with gaining patient trust and ease in reporting different elements of their life—whether social or sexual history-could greatly guide physician’s investigations leading to timely and more efficient diagnosis.CASE SUMMARY A 38-year-old male presenting with symptoms of rectal bleeding,mucoid dis-charge,and abdominal pain during the past month.Initial treatment for hemo-rrhoids given at an outpatient clinic did not improve the patient’s complaints warranting further examinations,whereby endoscopy revealed the presence of mucosal edema and ulcerations in the rectosigmoid area rendering IBD a plau-sible diagnosis theoretically,but practically refuted due to the negative biopsy results,and positive result of nucleic acid amplification testing of the rectal swab sample for Chlamydia trachomatis.The latter results are in accordance with the diagnosis of LGV proctosigmoiditis.Accordingly,medical therapy with doxycy-cline was instituted,which yielded a notable symptomatic relief,and an education on safe sexual practices.INTRODUCTION Chlamydia trachomatis is a gram-negative bacterium with 15 different serotypes that can be categorized based on their resulting infection:Trachoma,anogenital infection,and lymphogranuloma venereum(LGV).LGV is sexually transmitted disease mostly by oral or anal sex due to the contraction of serotypes L1,L2,and L3 of this bacterium with a rising number of cases in homosexual males who engage in sexual activity[1,2].Moreover,there has been an evident link between patients diagnosed with LGV and a positive history of human immunodeficiency virus[3].Diagnosing a patient with LGV can be challenging due to the unpredictable and varied nature of clinical symptoms[1].Its most common presentations consisting of rectal pain,hematochezia,tenesmus,or mucous discharge can closely mimic those of inflam-matory bowel disease(IBD),similarly for the severe inflammatory changes found in rectal biopsy results contributing to the struggle in forming differential diagnosis[2,4,5].The latter hence marks the importance of detailed and wholesome collection of the patient’s history to aid physicians in giving greater consideration to LGV as a differential diagnosis.For this,we herein depict the case of a 38 years old male patient who was diagnosed with LGV after revisiting the patient’s sexual history.

Renal anastomosing hemangioma following partial nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Renal anastomosing hemangioma(AH)is a rare benign vascular tumor characterized by unique histopathological features.CASE SUMMARY We report a highly unusual case of renal AH.A male patient had undergone partial nephrectomy for clear cell carcinoma of the kidney four years prior.A follow-up computed tomography scan in the third postoperative year revealed a new mass near the surgical site on the same side of the kidney,raising suspicions of tumor recurrence.However,the characteristics on contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography were more consistent with those of a benign lesion.The patient strongly insisted on undergoing surgery due to concerns about the possibility of renal cancer recurrence.Postoperative pathology confirmed the diagnosis of renal AH.CONCLUSION This case report presents the imaging features of a patient with rare renal AH and a history of renal clear cell carcinoma,providing broader insights into the differential diagnosis of new lesions after surgery for renal cell carcinoma.

Patient satisfaction and follow-up adherence to glaucoma case management clinic in China

AIM:To assess glaucoma patient satisfaction and follow-up adherence in case management and identify associated predictors to improve healthcare quality and patient outcomes.METHODS:In this cross-sectional study,a total of 119 patients completed a Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire-18 and a sociodemographic questionnaire.Clinical data was obtained from the case management system.Follow-up adherence was defined as completing each follow-up within±30d of the scheduled time set by ophthalmologists during the study period.RESULTS:Average satisfaction scored 78.65±7,with an average of 4.39±0.58 across the seven dimensions.Age negatively correlated with satisfaction(P=0.008),whilst patients with follow-up duration of 2 or more years reported higher satisfaction(P=0.045).Multivariate logistics regression analysis revealed that longer follow-up durations were associated with lower follow-up adherence(OR=0.97,95%CI,0.95-1.00,P=0.044).Additionally,patients with suspected glaucoma(OR=2.72,95%CI,1.03-7.20,P=0.044)and those with an annual income over 100000 Chinese yuan demonstrated higher adherence(OR=5.57,95%CI,1.00-30.89,P=0.049).CONCLUSION:The case management model proves effective for glaucoma patients,with positive adherence rates.The implementation of this model can be optimized in the future based on the identified factors and extended to glaucoma patients in more hospitals.

Mechanical upper bowel obstruction caused by a large trichobezoar in a young woman: A very unusual case report

BACKGROUND Bezoars usually compile human fibers and debris.A special form of bezoar in case of psychologically altered individuals is the trichobezoar.It consists of voluntarily swallowed hair bulks and is normally removed via gastroscopy.Trichobezoars leading to ileus have rarely been reported.CASE SUMMARY A 24-year-old female patient presented to the emergency room with abdominal pain,nausea,and vomiting for 3 d.Her previous medical and psychiatric history was unremarkable.Laboratory analysis showed iron deficiency anemia,leukocytosis,and elevated liver enzymes.An abdominal CT scan revealed a dense structure in the patients’stomach which turned out to be a huge trichobezoar completely obstructing the pylorus.The trichobezoar had to be removed surgi-cally.During her postoperative course,a subcutaneous seroma formed.After a single puncture,the rest of the recovery process was unremarkable,and the patient recovered fully.CONCLUSION A mechanical bowel obstruction is a potentially life-threatening event for every patient.In our case a young female was suffering from severe symptoms of an obstruction which might have resulted in serious harm without successful surgical management.

Abnormal uterine bleeding successfully treated via ultrasoundguided microwave ablation of uterine myoma lesions: Three case reports

BACKGROUND Microwave endometrial ablation(MEA)is a minimally invasive treatment method for heavy menstrual bleeding.However,additional treatment is often required after recurrence of uterine myomas treated with MEA.Additionally,because this treatment ablates the endometrium,it is not indicated for patients planning to become pregnant.To overcome these issues,we devised a method for ultrasound-guided microwave ablation of uterine myoma feeder vessels.We report three patients successfully treated for heavy menstrual bleeding,secondary to uterine myoma,using our novel method.CASE SUMMARY All patients had a favorable postoperative course,were discharged within 4 h,and experienced no complications.Further,no postoperative recurrence of heavy menstrual bleeding was noted.Our method also reduced the myoma’s maximum diameter.CONCLUSION This method does not ablate the endometrium,suggesting its potential appli-cation in patients planning to become pregnant.