Gynaecological pathology: Uterus: Leiomyoma: Red degeneration/Calcification/Torsion

First specimen: from a 53 year old woman who died of a cerebral haemorrhage. She was unmarried and had never been pregnant or had any gynaecological symptoms. Second specimen: from a 73 year old woman who presented in acute retention of urine. Vaginal examination revealed a large pelvic mass. X-ray revealed a large calcified fibroid. Hysterectomy was performed with an uneventful post-operative course. Third specimen: from a 35 year old woman seized with violent lower abdominal pain one evening, purged herself with castor oil believing it to be colic. The next day a doctor was called, found a tense painful pelvic tumour, and gave her a letter with which to walk to the Soho Hospital next morning. She was admitted at once as a case of torsion of a sub-serous fibroid and subtotal hysterectomy was performed two hours later. The gangrenous tumour lay in the Pouch of Douglas. Uneventful recovery followed.