Ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging of ovarian vein thrombosis in obstetrical and nonobstetrical patients

Postpartum obstetric complications: a guide for radiologists

The puerperium refers to the 6-8 weeks following delivery, and is a dynamic period in which maternal anatomy and physiology are restored to their prepregnant state. Postpartum complications can be divided into non-obstetric and obstetric. The latter are the topic of this article and can be further classified as infectious, thrombotic, hemorrhagic or cesarean-related. Transvaginal US is often the initial modality in the evaluation of puerperal disorders. CT is probably the most valuable imaging technique when life-threatening conditions are suspected. Pelvic MRI is being increasingly used in cases of inconclusive findings or if further characterization is needed, especially in the setting of postsurgical complications or placental disorders. Diagnostic and interventional radiologists play a pivotal role in the evaluation and management of a variety of puerperal complications. Many of these conditions pose a diagnostic challenge, as imaging findings often overlap with normal postpartum changes, so keeping in mind the patient's clinical information is key.

Postpartum ovarian vein thrombosis with left renal venous infarction after vaginal delivery

A primipara in her late 20s presented with abdominal pain and pain in the left flank 14 days after a ventouse delivery. She was treated with antibiotics, antiemetics and analgesics with the initial differential diagnosis of cystitis, pyelonephritis or nephrolithiasis. Despite the treatment, the patient experienced increased colic pain and nausea. An ultrasound showed an enlarged left kidney, suggesting pyelonephritis, and thereby, the antibiotic treatment was adjusted accordingly. Despite additional pain medication, pain relief could not be achieved. The diagnosis of ovarian venous thrombosis was considered, and an abdominal CT scan confirmed the diagnosis. The patient was treated with anticoagulant therapy. Hypercoagulability work-up revealed a heterozygous mutation of the Factor V Leiden. Our patient awaits a haematologic follow-up.

Diagnosis and management of ovarian vein thrombosis after laparoscopic -assisted vaginal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy: A case report and literature review

OBJECTIVE

We present a case who developed ovarian vein thrombosis (OVT) after laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy to share our experience.

CASE REPORT

A 46-year-old woman came to our hospital due to severe dysmenorrhea induced by adenomyosis. Medical treatments were given but with unsatisfactory effect. As the patient had completed family planning, a hysterectomy was scheduled. However, on the sixth postoperative day, the patient complained of low abdominal pain with fever on and off. After a series of examinations, right OVT was diagnosed. The patient was treated with antibiotics only. Under close surveillance, the OVT resolved spontaneously, and the patient was discharged.

CONCLUSION

Diagnosis of OVT requires highly suspicion owing to its rarity and non-specific presentation. OVT is a potentially serious venous thromboembolism that sometimes can be life threatening. Anticoagulant treatment is still controversial. Conventional Tomography with contrast medium could detect early OVT with high sensitivity and specificity.

Pelvic Pain in Reproductive Age: US Findings

Pelvic pain in reproductive age often represents a diagnostic challenge due to the variety of potential causes characterized by overlapping clinical symptoms, including gynecological and other disorders (e.g., entero-colic or urological). It is also necessary to determine if there is a possibility of pregnancy to rule out any related complications, such as ectopic pregnancy. Although ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are strongly integrated, the choice of which is the ideal diagnostic tool should be guided both by clinical suspicion (gynecological vs. non-gynecological cause) and by the risk ratio–benefit (ionizing radiation and instrumental costs), too. The didactic objective proposed by this review consists in the diagnosis of the cause and differential of pelvic pain in reproductive age by describing and critically analyzing the US diagnostic clues of the most frequent adnexal, uterine, and vascular causes.

Ovarian Vein Thrombosis as an Uncommon Cause of Postpartum Fever: A Case Report

Postpartum ovarian vein thrombosis (POVT) is an uncommon cause of postpartum fever. Because POVT is sometimes complicated by pulmonary embolism, preventing diagnostic delay is critical. Nonetheless, the diagnostic delay of POVT is common due to its rarity. Antibiotics along with anticoagulants are recommended as the standard therapy for POVT, but this recommendation is based on older, low-quality literature. Here, we present a case of POVT, presenting with a persistent postpartum fever, which was treated by anticoagulants without antibiotics. Our case highlights the importance of awareness of POVT as a differential diagnosis and the need for studies to investigate the role of antibiotics in POVT.

Postpartum ovarian vein thrombosis manifesting as acute appendicitis: a case report

BACKGROUND

Postpartum ovarian thrombosis is an uncommon condition. It appears with the nonspecific, predominantly right-sided abdominal symptoms and must be differentiated from other acute visceral conditions. If left untreated, postpartum ovarian thrombosis can have severe consequences, including sepsis, pulmonary embolism, and even death. Momentarily, there are no specific guidelines for postpartum ovarian thrombosis management. We present a case of postpartum ovarian thrombosis admitted to our hospital with symptoms of acute appendicitis. CASE PRESENTATION : A 39-year-old Omani obese multiparous woman of Afro-Arab origin was admitted with acute symptoms, mainly abdominal pain, fever, and vomiting 1 week postpartum. Clinical picture and biochemical profile did not exhibit a recognizable pattern. Ultrasonography excluded retained products of conception. Computerized scan for abdomen and pelvis with oral and intravenous contrast reported a dilated tubular structure in the right adnexa extending up to the right renal hilum level with surrounding inflammation. Those findings were consistent with the thrombophlebitis of the right ovarian vein. Blood cultures and sensitivity showed group A β-hemolytic streptococci sensitive to penicillin G and clindamycin. The patient was treated successfully with antibiotics and therapeutic anticoagulants and discharged home 3 days later; follow-up was arranged.

CONCLUSION

This pathology is an exceptional entity in Oman. Therefore, awareness of this unique condition is required so that clinicians will be vigilant, exploring similar cases with imaging and avoiding unnecessary surgical interventions.

Incidental Gonadal Vein Thrombosis Diagnosed Using Computed Tomography Imaging: A Single-Center, Retrospective, Cohort Study

Objectives Gonadal vein thrombosis is an uncommon but serious condition that can be fatal if it goes unnoticed. Up to 80% of cases occur in patients after delivery, hysterectomy, or lymphadenectomy for gynecological neoplasms. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of gonadal vein thrombosis using computed tomography (CT) imaging at our center and to describe associated risk factors. Methods A retrospective, single-center, observational study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected for all patients diagnosed with incidental gonadal-vein-thrombosis using contrast-enhanced computed tomography imaging of the abdomen and pelvis between January 2005 and December 2017. We included all patients with incidental findings of gonadal vein thrombosis and excluded those with incomplete data. Results In total, 58/68,268 (0.08%) patients were included. Fifty-seven patients were females, and only one was male. The mean age (years) of the patients was 50.0±15.0 (range 4-87). Thirty-four patients (59%) had right gonadal vein thrombosis, 20 (34%) had thrombosis on the left side, and four (7%) had bilateral thrombosis. Nineteen patients (33%) had undergone pelvic surgery previously. Forty-four patients (76%) had a malignancy at the time of diagnosis. Forty-two patients (72%) were treated with anticoagulants after the diagnosis. Conclusion Gonadal vein thrombosis is a rare clinical entity with vague clinical presentation. The incidence in the oncology population is similar to the reported incidence in the obstetric population. Initiation of anticoagulation therapy is important to treat this condition and limit complications.

Ovarian vein thrombosis: a potential clinical consequence of ruptured ectopic pregnancy

A healthy 32-year-old G3P3 woman with an unknown last menstrual period presented to the emergency department with intense abdominal pain and pain in the right chest that radiated down the right arm. Further workup showed that she had a ruptured ectopic pregnancy with significant haemoperitoneum. After successful laparoscopic evacuation of the ectopic pregnancy and haemoperitoneum, the patient subsequently developed a right ovarian vein thrombosis 4 weeks after the procedure. She was treated with anticoagulation, and further haematological studies did not show any significant findings. Postpartum ovarian vein thrombosis is extremely rare and can be life- threatening if not accurately diagnosed and treated with anticoagulation or surgical management in a timely manner.

Ovarian Vein Thrombosis: A Narrative Review

Ovarian vein thrombosis (OVT) is a rare type of venous thromboembolism. The most common risk factors for OVT include pregnancy, oral contraceptives, malignancies, recent surgery, and pelvic infections; however, in 4 to 16% of cases, it can be classified as idiopathic. Most of the available information regards pregnancy-related OVT, which has been reported to complicate 0.01 to 0.18% of pregnancies and to peak around 2 to 6 days after delivery or miscarriage/abortion. The right ovarian vein is more frequently involved (70-80% of cases). Clinical features of OVT include abdominal pain and tenderness, fever, and gastrointestinal symptoms. The most typical finding is the presence of a palpable abdominal mass, although reported in only 46% of cases. OVT can be the cause of puerperal fever in approximately a third of women. Ultrasound Doppler is the first-line imaging, because of its safety, low cost, and wide availability. However, the ovarian veins are difficult to visualize in the presence of bowel meteorism or obesity. Thus, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is often required to confirm the presence and extension of the thrombosis. In oncological patients, OVT is often an incidental finding at abdominal imaging. Mortality related to OVT is nowadays low due to the combination treatment of parenteral broad-spectrum antibiotics (until at least 48 hours after fever resolution) and anticoagulation (low-molecular-weight heparin, vitamin K antagonists, or direct oral anticoagulants). Anticoagulant treatment duration of 3 to 6 months has been recommended for postpartum OVT, while no anticoagulation has been suggested for incidentally detected cancer-associated OVT.

A Case of Postpartum Thrombophlebitis of a Retroperitoneal Varix Mimicking Acute Appendicitis

A case of thrombophlebitis of a retroperitoneal varix in a postpartum patient with right lower quadrant pain is presented. The sonographic examination was falsely positive for appendicitis, but the correct diagnosis was made with a subsequent computed tomogram. The thrombosed varix was likely a collateral of the right ovarian vein, analogous to postpartum ovarian vein thrombophlebitis (POVT), an uncommon potentially fatal disorder. POVT is reviewed, emphasizing features useful for distinguishing it from appendicitis at sonography. Sonographers should be aware of the possibility of thrombophlebitis when examining postpartum patients with right lower quadrant pain.

Postpartum ovarian vein thrombosis and venous anatomical variation

A 34-year-old multipara presented 72 hours postpartum with acute right-sided abdominal pain. The investigation revealed mild leucocytosis with positive D-dimer and elevated C reactive protein. Abdominal ultrasound and abdominopelvic CT demonstrated an enlarged right ovarian vein with endoluminal thrombus, representing postpartum ovarian vein thrombosis. The patient became asymptomatic 48 hours after starting broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment and anticoagulant therapy. She completed the treatment in ambulatory regimen and control abdominopelvic CT imaging was performed and revealed a duplicated right ovarian vein and a small residual subacute thrombus in the lumen of the distal right ovarian vein. The patient remained asymptomatic in the clinical follow-up.

The challenges of diagnosing idiopathic ovarian vein thrombosis: Case report

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Ovarian vein thrombosis is rare, but a life-threatening condition.

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It is rarer in non-pregnant women and in patients without history of recent pelvic surgery as the case in our patients.

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The most commonly involved vein is the right ovarian vein, although in our case the left ovarian vein was affected.

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Diagnosis of ovarian vein thrombosis can be by CT scan or MRI but the initial modality should be doppler ultrasound.

Introduction

Abdominal pain is a common clinical challenge presenting to the emergency department. The challenge lies in the wide differentials particularly in females due to the addition of potential gynecological conditions. Ovarian vein thrombosis (OVT) is one of the uncommon differentials requiring rapid recognition & treatment to avoid serious complications or even death.

Case presentation

We report a 42-year-old healthy female, post normal vaginal delivery 1- year prior to presentation. She presented with left iliac fossa and periumbilical pain for 1-day with no other symptoms. She was vitally stable. Abdominal & pelvic examinations revealed left lower tenderness with guarding. Laboratory investigations were within normal. Abdominal Doppler showed a dilated left ovarian vein with absent flow and Computed tomography (CT) scan confirmed the presence of a thrombus. Therefore, the diagnosis of OVT was made and she was started on anticoagulation.

Discussion

OVT is a rare, life-threatening condition occurring mainly during the post-partum period (0.18% post vaginal delivery). Diagnosing ovarian vein thrombosis can be challenging because of the overlapping presentation with other differentials. A high index of suspicion should be kept in females presenting with abdominal pain. Standard guidelines for managing OVT are lacking. However, lower limb DVT guidelines have been suggested in the literature to be applicable.

Conclusion

The initial modality of diagnosing OVT is Doppler ultrasound. However, CT and MRA confirm the diagnosis in case of uncertainty. The mainstay of treatment is the conservative approach while the surgical approach is reserved for persistent OVT despite appropriate conservative therapy.

Ovarian vein thrombosis after total laparoscopic hysterectomy with unilateral adnexectomy: A case report

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Symptoms are often not specific and may include fever, abdominal pain, flank and back pain.

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Treatment is controversial and there is no standard evidence – based protocol; anticoagulation therapy and antibiotics remain the main basic therapy.

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The application of bipolar electrocautery and the pexy of the ovary are possible contributing mechanisms for the thrombus formation.

Introduction

Ovarian vein thrombosis is a rare but potentially serious complication after surgical and gynecologic procedures such as oophorectomy and hysterectomy. The association of this event with laparoscopic hysterectomy in particular, is very rare. Only two cases have been described so far.

Presentation of case

We present a case of ovarian vein thrombosis after laparoscopic hysterectomy in a 40-year-old with deep endometriosis and multiple intramural uterine myomas. Laparoscopic hysterectomy, left oophorectomy, right salpingectomy, and suspension (ovariopexy) of the right ovary on the ipsilateral round ligament of the uterus were performed, using bipolar electrocautery as a hemostatic tool.

Discussion

The 7th postoperative day the patient presented to our hospital complaining of abdominal pain and fever. An abdominal CT scan demonstrated a filling defect and enlargement of the right ovarian vein, a finding compatible with ovarian vein thrombosis. She was treated with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH). On the 19th postoperative day, an MRI scan was performed and did not reveal any pathological findings of the right ovarian vein. The patient was discharged on LMWH for three months. Post treatment evaluation for thrombophilia was negative for pathological findings.

Conclusion

Our case is a very rare condition. Only two ‘similar’ cases have been described in the literature so far. Bipolar electrocautery and ovariopexy on the ipsilateral round ligament during laparoscopic hysterectomy should be evaluated further as possible contributing mechanisms for the thrombus formation.

The imaging findings of typical and atypical genital and gynecologic infections

Genital and gynecologic infections are common medical problems, affecting millions of women worldwide. The spectrum of these infections extends from the labia, including processes such as necrotizing fasciitis and anogenital warts, to the upper reproductive tracts in conditions including endometritis and pelvic inflammatory disease. Although often a clinical diagnosis, the radiologist plays an important role in determining the etiology of acute abdominal and pelvic pain as well as facilitating the diagnosis for cases which are not clinically straightforward. Imaging also plays an important role in assessing the complications and sequelae of these conditions, including infertility, chronic abdominal and pelvic pain, and pelvic adhesions. Familiarity with the appearances of these infections, their complications, and their potential mimics on sonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and hysterosalpingography is important for timely diagnosis and optimal clinical outcomes.

Rivaroxaban for the Long-term Treatment of Spontaneous Ovarian Vein Thrombosis Caused by Factor V Leiden Homozygosity

OBJECTIVE

To report a case where rivaroxaban was used in the management of an ovarian vein thrombosis and to briefly review the literature, pathophysiology, and clinical implications therein.

CASE SUMMARY

A 30-year-old previously healthy woman was diagnosed with acute, spontaneous, left-ovarian vein thrombosis (OVT) with proximal extension into the renal vein. After initial catheter-directed thrombolysis with tPA, angioplasty of the left renal vein, and heparinoid treatment, rivaroxaban was begun for long-term anticoagulation. Three months after her index event she was symptom free, with complete resolution of her thrombosis and no adverse effects or bleeding complications from rivaroxaban. To our knowledge, this is the first report of OVT successfully treated with rivaroxaban.

DISCUSSION

OVT is a rare but potentially fatal cause of abdominal pain that may pose diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas. Factor V Leiden (FVL) homozygosity, an uncommon but severe inherited thrombophilia, increases the risk of thrombosis by approximately 50- to 80-fold. This case report and accompanying literature review highlight important clinical pearls related to the diagnosis and management of OVT and inherited thrombophilias.

CONCLUSIONS

This clinical vignette adds to the published literature suggesting that novel oral anticoagulants, such as rivaroxaban, may eventually emerge as an alternative to vitamin K antagonists for the treatment of extra-axial thromboses. Reporting these cases is important because their prevalence is low outside of specialized referral centers, and thus, dissemination of these experiences may help other providers in treating their patients.

Imaging of postpartum ovarian vein thrombosis

Postpartum ovarian vein thrombosis (OVT) is a rare but serious complication. Clinical findings of OVT are nonspecific. Postpartum OVT, which is a clinically difficultly diagnosed entity, must be thought of in differential diagnosis in cases of postpartum acute abdomen. OVT can be accurately diagnosed by appropriate noninvasive radiologic modalities to start early therapy with anticoagulants and intravenous antibiotics. In this paper, we review the imaging findings of a case with postpartum ovarian vein thrombosis that had been followed up for 6 months by ultrasonography (US), color Doppler US, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).