Infrahepatic Implantation of an Ectopic Pregnancy

Abstract

Background: Ectopic pregnancies occur predominantly in the fallopian tubes or ovaries. Very rarely, the distal part of the greater omentum may have close contact to the fallopian tubes and implantation of the embryo may occur in this part of the greater omentum. In the absence of signs of pregnancy in the uterus or the fallopian tubes, the greater omentum has to be closely examined for ectopic pregnancy. Case Presentation: A 22-year-old woman in her 4th week of pregnancy presents with spotting and severe pain in the right lower abdomen with a history of 2 cesarean sections. The sonographic examination showed a normal uterus with a thin endometrial line. The uterine cavity did not present with any signs of a gestational sac. A great amount of free fluid in the Douglas cavity suspicious of a hemoperitoneum. ßhCG-values in serum was highly elevated up to 16749 mU/ml and confirmed the suspicion of an ectopic pregnancy. A diagnostic laparoscopy was performed, during which a blood clot reaching from the right lower abdomen to the greater omentum was detected. After removing the blood clot, a normal-sized uterus with regular ovaries and no signs of a pregnancy in the fallopian tubes were seen. However, an abdominal adhesion in the right upper part of the omentum close to the liver with bleeding was seen. While examining the abdominal cavity for the cause of bleeding, a small cystic lesion adherent to the greater omentum – close the offspring from the colon – representing an ectopic pregnancy became apparent. A partial omentectomy of 9,5 cm x 5,5 cm x 2,5 cm was performed with the finding of trophoblast and embryoblast implantated in the infrahepatic part of the greater omentum. Conclusion: In cases of ectopic pregnancy with hemoperitoneum, special care has to be taken examining not only the fallopian tubes or ovaries but also the greater omentum, which may harbour an implanted trophoblast and embryoblast – even in the upper part directly beneath the liver – as presented in this case. In cases of ruptured ectopic pregnancy of the greater omentum, the cases may be dealt with laparoscopic partial omentectomy if the case is early detected.