NODULAR FORMS OF TUBAL DISEASE.
THE CONCLUSIONS AT WHICH WE ARRIVE ARE THE FOLLOWING: 1. Nodular enlargement of the tube can be caused by a number of different pathological conditions. 2. Clinical examination does not enable us to make a diagnosis of the pathological condition existing in an individual case of nodule of the tube. 3. The diagnosis of the nature of a tubal nodule can be made only with the microscope. 4. The conditions causing nodular enlargement of the tube are congenital or acquired, non-inflammatory or inflammatory. 5. Any one of these conditions can exist without the production of nodules. 6. The nodules can be found in all parts of the tube and-taking the peculiar anatomy of each part of the tube into account-show the same structure. 7. The enlargement can be caused by epithelial or epithelioid formations, connective or muscular tissue, by round-cell infiltrations or combinations of two or more of these. 8. The epithelial formations originate in the epithelium of a. the tubal mucous membrane (salpingitis pseudo-follicularis, adenomyoma originating in the tubal epithelium). b. the accessory tubes (intraparietal parasalpinx and hydro-parasalpinx). c. remnants of the Wolffian body (adenomyoma). 9. The epithelioid formations originate in the peritoneal endothelium (peritoneal growths under "relative heterotopy"). 10. The excess of formation of connective tissue is a consequence of inflammatory conditions of the tubal wall (salpingitis interstitialis, Zweifel). 11. The hypertrophy of the muscular tissue is a. non-inflammatory (adenomyoma). b. consequent upon inflammation-Kaltenbach's case (23). 12. The accumulations of round cells are direct evidence of inflammation: a. non-specific (salpingitis interstitialis disseminata, salpingitis abscedens); or b. specific (salpingitis tuberculosa or s. gonorrhoica). 13. The epithelioid formations can occur wherever pseudo-membranes cover organs lined with a serous coat. 14. Extra-uterine pregnancy (abdominal or tubal) produces epithelioid formations by causing pseudo-membranes to form-not by any irritation peculiar to the pregnancy.
Ries
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Professor of Gynecology, Post-Graduate Medical School, Chicago.