Myomectomy at cesarean section: A safe option

The Differential Diagnosis of Abdominal Mass: A Case of Uterine Leiomyoma

The most common benign neoplastic uterine tumors that grow monoclonally from the smooth muscle cells of the uterus are uterine fibroids or leiomyomas, which may occur as a single lesion or as multiple lesions with variation in size from microscopic to large macroscopic extent. The majority are diagnosed in the preclinical routine reliably, despite challenges due to the possibility of multiple differential diagnoses. Hence, this report highlights a case of a postmenopausal female of 53-year-old working as a staff nurse at the same hospital and who visited the outpatient department of obstetrics and gynecology with chief complaints of pain in the right side of the abdomen for four hours (presentation similar to that of appendicitis). Per abdomen examination resulted in a non-tender mass with flank fullness and firmness with a smooth surface and approachable lower border. It clinically appeared as a large uterine fibroid. The built of the patient was obese due to which neither the patient nor relatives were ever able to make out any evident symptoms. The diagnostic investigation involved a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that confirmed the diagnosis of two parity with both living, and two were aborted (P2L2A2) with uterine fibroid. The management of the fibroid consisted of exploratory laparotomy along with a hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The intraoperative findings and frozen section report confirmed the presence of benign uterine leiomyoma. Therefore, the utilization of physical examinations and diagnostic tests may assist in preventing a delay in the detection and management of curable conditions such as fibroids, which can be treated without complications with surgery.

Central Placenta Previa With Coexisting Central Cervical Fibroid in Pregnancy: An Obstetrician's Nightmare

Pregnancy with central placenta praevia and a coexistent cervical fibroid is infrequently encountered in clinical practice. A patient with this unusual combination is a nightmare for any clinician, especially if she presents with obstetric emergencies. In this scenario, there is a high chance of catastrophic obstetric hemorrhage during the peripartum period leading to a fatal outcome. We report a case of a 27-year-old lady at term pregnancy, who was brought to emergency in labor pain with antepartum hemorrhage. Subsequently, she was diagnosed to have central placenta praevia along with a large central cervical fibroid. An emergency cesarean section was performed to deliver the child. Intraoperatively, she had a major postpartum hemorrhage which was successfully managed with intrauterine balloon tamponade, hemostatic sutures, and uterine artery ligation. We could avoid cesarean hysterectomy by precise anticipation, meticulous planning, and step-wise protocol-driven management.

Cesarean myomectomy: a case report and review of the literature

Background

Routine myomectomy at the time of cesarean section has been condemned in the past due to fear of uncontrolled hemorrhage and peripartum hysterectomy. It is still a topic of debate worldwide. However, in recent years, many case studies of cesarean myomectomy have been published validating its safety without any significant complications.

Case presentation

We describe the case of a 27-year-old gravida 2 para 1 live birth 1 North Indian woman with one previous lower segment caesarean section (LSCS) at 35 weeks with labor pains and scar tenderness. Her recent ultrasound (USG) report suggested a single live intrauterine pregnancy with an intramural fibroid of 8.6 × 6.5 cm located in the left anterolateral wall of the lower uterine segment. The patient was taken up for emergency cesarean section along with successful removal of the myoma, which was bulging into the incision line, causing difficulty in closure of the uterine wound. Prophylactically, oxytocin infusion, bilateral ligation of uterine arteries, and injection vasopressin (diluted) was administered to decrease the blood loss. The patient was discharged after 7 days without any complications.

Conclusions

Routine myomectomy at the time of cesarean section is not a standard procedure and is not accepted worldwide. However, it may be considered a safe option in carefully selected cases in the hands of an experienced obstetrician with appropriate hemostatic technique. Large multicenter randomized controlled trials should be conducted to evaluate the best practice guidelines for cesarean myomectomy.