Clinician's approach to ectopic pregnancy

Management of heterotopic pregnancy with uterine aspiration and systemic two-dose methotrexate

The expected trend in serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) following treatment of an undesired heterotopic pregnancy with uterine aspiration and systemic methotrexate is not known. Thus, monitoring for treatment success is challenging. We describe an undesired heterotopic pregnancy treated with aspiration and two-dose methotrexate and report the observed β-hCG trend.

Heterotopic pregnancy: two cases and a comparative review

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the incidence, diagnostic, and therapeutic management of heterotopic pregnancy by comparing a review for the 1971-1993 period with the one carried out in the present study (1994-2004).

DESIGN

Review of the literature.

SETTING

University teaching assisted reproductive technology (ART) center.

PATIENT(S)

Two case reports included in a comparative review of the literature on heterotopic pregnancy.

INTERVENTION(S)

Review of the published literature from January 1994 to December 2004 was performed by means of MEDLINE database. Medical subject heading words used were: heterotopic pregnancy, assisted reproductive technology, and ectopic pregnancy. A comparison with a previously reported review, including cases from 1971 to 1993.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Comparative study of the diagnosis and treatment of ectopic pregnancy.

RESULT(S)

During the 1971-1993 period the definitive diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy was performed by laparoscopy or laparotomy in 59% of cases. This proportion increased to 74% from 1994 to 2004. Likewise, the percentage of cases in which an early diagnosis was possible (performed before the ninth week of pregnancy) did not vary in any of the time periods evaluated (71% vs. 74%).

CONCLUSION(S)

Despite the increased medical knowledge and use of improved reproductive technologies, heterotopic pregnancy still remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to practitioners.

Ectopic pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy is a high-risk diagnosis that is increasing in frequency and is still commonly missed in the emergency department. The emergency physician needs a high index of suspicion and must understand that the history, physical examination, and a single quantitative beta-hCG level cannot reliably rule out an ectopic pregnancy. Most pregnant patients who present to the emergency department during the first trimester with abdominal or pelvic pain, regardless of the presence of vaginal bleeding, should undergo further evaluation with ultrasonography. Ultrasound findings in conjunction with quantitative beta-hCG levels guide the management of the patient.

Análise retrospectiva de 287 casos de abdome agudo em ginecologia e obstetrícia

OBJETIVO: O abdome agudo em ginecologia e obstetrícia apresenta baixo risco de vida para a paciente, entretanto, o retardo no diagnóstico e tratamento influencia na morbi-mortalidade. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as principais causas de abdome agudo em tocoginecologia. MÉTODOS: Foram revisados 287 casos de abdome agudo em tocoginecologia de janeiro de 1987 a dezembro de 1997 atendidos na Disciplina de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia da Faculdade de Medicina do Triângulo Mineiro. RESULTADOS: Os resultados mostraram que a prenhez ectópica foi a mais freqüente causa de abdome agudo hemorrágico com 98,5% dos casos. Nestes casos, a dor pélvica foi o sintoma mais comum (69,1%). Todas as pacientes foram submetidas à laparotomia e salpingectomia foi realizada em 92,6% dos casos. A causa mais freqüente de abdome agudo inflamatório foi a doença inflamatória pélvica com 94,8%. A dor pélvica aguda estava presente em 91,5% dos casos e a febre em 56,2% casos. A penicilina foi usada com sucesso em 92,1% dos casos. Do total de 201 casos de doença inflamatória pélvica, 13 (6,5%) foram submetidos à laparotomia. CONCLUSÕES: Os autores concluem que o abdome agudo de causa tocoginecológica apresenta quadro clínico variável, portanto, o ginecologista deve estar atento para estabelecer diagnóstico e tratamento precisos.

Ectopic pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy occurs in approximately 2% of all pregnancies in the United States, and is the nation's leading cause of first trimester maternal death. Its incidence has increased sixfold in the past 25 years, despite significant improvements in techniques for early diagnosis and management. This article reviews the epidemiology, risk factors, and common clinical presentations of ectopic pregnancy. Both traditional and newly developed strategies for diagnosis and management are described. The primary care physician is in an excellent position to screen for and diagnose ectopic pregnancy, and to counsel patients regarding treatment options and future risks. With the increasing trend toward outpatient nonsurgical management of ectopics, it is expected that the roll of the primary care physician in managing patients with ectopic pregnancy will continue to increase.

Different placentation patterns in viable compared with nonviable tubal pregnancy suggest a divergent clinical management

OBJECTIVE

In contrast to tubal abortions, viable ectopic pregnancies in color Doppler ultrasonography exhibit a signal-intensive ring around the gestational sac. We investigated the underlying differences in implantation and placentation.

STUDY DESIGN

Histologic sections of fallopian tubes carrying viable tubal pregnancies (13 patients) and tubal pregnancies that aborted (8 patients) were immunostained for cytokeratin, MIB-1, CD-34, and CD-68. The data were studied by computer-aided image analysis followed by statistical evaluation (Student t test, P <.05).

RESULTS

In contrast to tubal abortions, viable tubal pregnancies are characterized by implantation at the mesosalpingial rather than at the antimesosalpingial side of the organ. They exhibit deeper trophoblast invasion into the thickened tubal wall, more intense trophoblast proliferation (P <.001), and increased villous vascularization (P <.001).

CONCLUSION

The morphologic findings correlate with preoperative Doppler ultrasonography. They suggest that trophoblast invasion, placental growth, and the fate of tubal pregnancies depend on the implantation site. They encourage a conservative management of anti-mesosalpingially implanted, nonviable ectopic pregnancies in clinically stable patients.

Transvaginal sonography as the ultimate diagnostic tool for the management of ectopic pregnancy: experience with 840 cases

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of transvaginal sonography and serum beta-hCG levels as diagnostic tools for deciding whether to perform operative laparoscopy in the treatment of presumed ectopic pregnancy (EP).

DESIGN

A prospective protocol for the evaluation and treatment of women with presumed EP.

SETTING

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Haemek Medical Center, Afula, Israel.

PATIENT(S)

Eight hundred forty women with presumed EP who were seen in our emergency department from January 1988 through December 1995.

INTERVENTION(S)

On the basis of specific sonographic signs and beta-hCG levels, we performed immediate operative laparoscopy in patients with demonstrable extrauterine fetal heart activity or >100 mL of fluid in the pelvic cavity. We followed up all other patients, using defined criteria for laparoscopic intervention.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

The accuracy of transvaginal sonography in predicting EP was evaluated as part of the described protocol.

RESULT(S)

Overall, 380 patients were found to have EP. Of these, 331 were identified positively by transvaginal sonography and 49 were not. In 27 of 358 laparoscopies, no EP was found. The sensitivity of transvaginal sonography for the prediction of EP was 87% and the specificity was 94%. The positive and negative predictive values were 92.5% and 90%, respectively.

CONCLUSION(S)

In this protocol, which invariably captured the true location of the products of conception, using transvaginal sonography as the primary modality in the evaluation of patients with presumed EP resulted in the use of laparoscopy mainly as a treatment tool. This approach is both safe and economical.