Laparoscopic treatment of advanced interstitial pregnancy: key steps for a successful management

Abstract

To describe a conservative laparoscopic treatment of an advanced case of interstitial pregnancy diagnosed in a woman at 14 weeks of gestational age. Video case report with demonstration of diagnostic work-up and laparoscopic management of rare subtypes of ectopic pregnancy SETTING: University tertiary care hospital. A 32-year-old nulliparous woman at 14 weeks of gestational age, presented with moderate abdominal pain. She reported an history of irregular periods however, no risk factor for ectopic pregnancy were identified. HCG levels was 7345 mIU/mL. Transvaginal ultrasound revealed an empty uterine cavity and a complex heterogeneous mass of 6 cm on the left cornual region. Myometrial thickness surrounding the gestational sac was 4 mm. There were several critical strategies for this laparoscopic approach. To reduce intraoperative bleeding, the peritoneum was opened, the ureters were identified, and bulldog clamps were used to temporarily reduce uterine vascularization. An intramyometrial injection of vasopressin was performed. After a first cornuostomy attempt, we had to get on a cornual resection to achieve a complete removal of the ectopic mass. Multilayer uterine suture and anatomical restoration to prevent adhesion was then accomplished. Institutional review board approval was not required for this case report as per our institution's policy; patient consent was obtained for publication of the case. Description of a laparoscopic management of huge interstitial pregnancy RESULTS: The overall operation time was 55 minutes, and the estimated blood loss was 55cl. A successfully conservative treatment was achieved with no short-term complications. Postoperative ultrasound showed a normal uterus and complete regression of hCG was obtained two weeks after surgery. Interstitial ectopic pregnancy presents a high risk of maternal mortality considering that the interstitial part of the tube, because of its thickness, has a great capacity to expand before rupture.