Submucous fibroids classification - STEP-W classification

Objective: To develop a new submucous fibroids classification for evaluating the viability and the degree of difficulty and complexity of a hysteroscopic myomectomy.Methods: We have included more four parameters in addition to penetration the fibroid into the myometrium. The extra-parameters were: size of the fibroid, it topography, it extension of the base in relation the wall was set and the wall it was set. The fibroids were classified according to the Classification of the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE) and to the new classification (STEP-W) in patients who were submitted to hysteroscopic resection of submucous fibroids. The possibility of total resection of the fibroid, the operating time, the fluid deficit and the frequency of any complications were considered. The Fisher test, the Student t test and the analysis of variance test were used in the statistical analyses. It was considered statistically significant when the p-value was less than 0.05 in the two-tailed test.Results: In group which the hysteroscopic surgery was considered complete there was no significant difference between the three ESGE levels (0, 1 and 2). Using the STEP-W, the difference between the numbers of complete surgeries was significant (p < 0.001) for the two levels (groups I and II). The difference between the operating times was significant for the two classifications. In relation to the fluid deficit, only the STEP-W showed significant differences between the levels (p=0.02).Conclusions: It seems to us that the new classification (STEP-W) gives more clues to the difficulties of a hysteroscopic myornectomy than the standard classification (ESGE).

Automatic Classification of Three-Phase Flow Patterns of Heavy Oil in a Horizontal Pipe Using Support Vector Machines

The pipe flow of a viscous-oil-gas-water mixture such as that involved in heavy oil production is a rather complex thereto-fluid dynamical problem. Considering the complexity of three-phase flow, it is of fundamental importance the introduction of a flow pattern classification tool to obtain useful information about the flow structure. Flow patterns are important because they indicate the degree of mixing during flow and the spatial distribution of phases. In particular, the pressure drop and temperature evolution along the pipe is highly dependent on the spatial configuration of the phases. In this work we investigate the three-phase water-assisted flow patterns, i.e. those configurations where water is injected in order to reduce friction caused by the viscous oil. Phase flow rates and pressure drop data from previous laboratory experiments in a horizontal pipe are used for flow pattern identification by means of the 'support vector machine' technique (SVM).