Levonorgestrel intrauterine device as a non-invasive approach of abnormal uterine bleeding caused by cesarean scar defect

Abstract

Cesarean scar defect, niche or isthmocele represents a poor healing in the anterior uterine wall after performing a cesarean section. The cesarean scar defect can be asymptomatic, or the patient could present abnormal uterine bleeding, chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, cesarean scar pregnancy or abnormal placenta. Abnormal uterine bleeding caused by cesarean scar defect presents as a postmenstrual spotting and has become more and more common among women with a history of minimum one cesarean section delivery. The most studied risk factors are: multiple cesarean section deliveries, single layer suture, locked suture, retroflexed uterus and cesarean section delivery performed during active labor with a cervical dilatation of 5 cm. There have been described several surgical approaches: hysteroscopic, laparoscopic or vaginal. From our experience, we have treated successfully symptomatic patients with cesarean scar defect with the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system. Although the therapeutic indications do not include this specific use, we have obtained significant improvement of abnormal uterine bleeding due to cesarean scar defect in our patients. Our results sustain the necessity of extensive interventional studies.