Meigs syndrome

Description

Meigs syndrome: Triad of ascites with hydrothorax in association with benign ovarian tumour, that is cured after tumour resection.

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History of Meigs syndrome

1866 – Otto von Spiegelberg first described a patient with fibroma, ascites and hydrothorax

1880 – Cullingworth detailed the history of a 36 year-old woman who complained of abdominal swelling dyspnoea, weight loss and menorrhagia who died from respiratory collapse. The autopsy revealed bilateral ovarian fibromas; a large quantity of fluid in the peritoneal cavity and the left pleural cavity. The specimen was deemed to be benign, though resolution following resection was not demonstrated as no operation had been performed.

1887 – Albert Demons (1842-1920) reported that nine out of 50 (18%) women with ovarian cysts were cured of their ascites and hydrothorax by removal of the cyst. The exact histology of specimens was not recorded, however, this was the first time that resolution of ascites and hydrothorax after removal of an ovarian mass was reported. [1887;XIII:771-776]

1888 – Pascale described ascites and associated hydrothorax in 3 of 21 patients with ovarian cysts.

1934 – Meigs first referenced the condition describing three cases in his book ‘Tumors of the Female Pelvic Organs’. Meigs and Cass stressed the importance of the condition and [1937; 33: 249-267]

1937 – Rhoads and Terrell attribute eponym to Meigs

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Associated Persons

• Albert Demons (1842-1920)
• Joe Vincent Meigs (1892-1963)

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References

Historical references

Additional references

• Spiegelberg O. Fibrom des Eierstockes von Enormer Grösse. Monatsschrift für Geburtskunde und Frauenkrankheiten. 1866; 28:415-425.
• Cullingworth CJ. Fibroma of both ovaries. Transactions of the Obstetrical Society of London. 1880; 21:276-288
• Demons A. Epanchements pleuretiques compliquant les kystes de l’ovaire. Bulletins et mémoires de la société de chirurgie de Paris 1887;13:771–776
• Pascale P. L’idrotorace nelle cisti del l’ovario. Archivio e atti della Società italiana di chirurgia. 1888; 5:291
• Tait RL. On the occurrence of pleural effusion in association with disease of the abdomen. Medico-Chirurgical Transactions 1892; 75:109–118.
• Meigs JV, Cass JW. Fibroma of the ovary with ascites and hydrothorax, with a report of seven cases. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 1937; 33: 249-267.
• Rhodes JE, Terrell AW. Ovarian fibroma with ascites and hydrothorax (Meigs’ syndrome). Journal of the American Medical Association 1937;109:1684–1687.
• Meigs JV. Fibroma of the ovary with ascites and hydrothorax – Meigs’ syndrome. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 1954; 67: 962-987
• Lurie S. Meigs’ syndrome: the history of the eponym. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2000; 92(2): 199-204.
• Oncological Quandary 004 – Pulmonary Re-expansion

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