Translational research in women's health: from bedside to bench and from bench to bedside.

摘要

This article introduces a model of translational research in women's health initiated by comments from the first patient in whom the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) was used for a contraceptive purpose at Kobe University Hospital in 1992. During follow-up after insertion of the device, the patient informed that she was pleased with the striking reduction in heavy menstrual bleeding experienced due to uterine myomas. Based on the unexpectedly favorable comments from the patient, clinical trials to use the LNG-IUS in the management of menorrhagic women with uterine myomas at Kobe University Hospital were approved by the IRB of the Population Council, New York, in 1993. Indeed, use of the LNG-IUS in menorrhagic women resulted in a remarkable improvement of anemic state in all 27 patients examined. Although there was spontaneous expulsion of the device in several cases, these patients desired reinsertion of the LNG-IUS and no hysterectomies were needed in the cases examined. It became evident that use of the LNG-IUS can be a potential alternative to hysterectomy or endometrial ablation in the management of menorrhagic women with uterine myomas [1-4].