Escalating placenta invasiveness: repeated placenta accreta at the limit of viability

Placenta percreta in primigravida with unscarred uterus complicated by uterine rupture and sudden maternal and fetal death: an autopsy case report

Placenta percreta is a rare, aggressive, and severe form of the placenta accreta spectrum. One of its most devastating effects is the sudden rupture of uterus. Uterine scarring is the leading risk factor for uterine rupture, although it can also happen, but rarely, in an unscarred uterus showing more severe repercussions. The present study reported a case of an Egyptian primigravida female, aged 29 years old, at 32 weeks of gestation who died suddenly due to uterine rupture complicating placenta percreta, the diagnosis of which was first settled during autopsy. There was no history of abdominal trauma. No medical history of significance was present. Autopsy denoted an intrauterine fetal death of 32 weeks gestational age. The fundus of the uterus had a laceration (rupture) of the uterine wall including the serosa and myometrium. The placenta has extensively infiltrated the fundus uterine wall and penetrated the myometrium and serosa. Histopathological examination of the ruptured site on the uterus confirms total invasion of the uterine wall by chorionic villi with the presence of hemorrhage and fibrin indicating placenta percreta. Uterine rupture due to placenta percreta may go unnoticed, especially when no associated high-risk factors exist. The current case depicts that placenta percreta is a rare but critical complication of pregnancy that may exist at any stage of pregnancy without any associated high-risk factors with unusual symptoms and leads to uterine rupture and sudden death.

Uterine body placenta accreta spectrum: A detailed literature review

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is a major obstetrical problem whose incidence is rising. Current guidelines recommend screening of all women with placenta previa and risk factors for PAS between 20 and 24 weeks. Risk factors, diagnosis, and management of previa PAS are well established, but an apparently normal location of the placenta does not exclude PAS. Literature data are scarce on uterine body PAS, which carries a high risk of maternal and neonatal adverse outcome, but is still easily missed on prenatal ultrasound. We conducted a comprehensive review to identify possible risk factors, clinical presentations, and diagnostic modalities of uterine PAS. A total of 133 cases were found during a 70-year period (1949-2019). The vast majority of them presented with signs of uterine rupture, even prior to the viability threshold of 24 weeks (up to 45%). Major risk factors included previous cesarean delivery, uterine curettage, uterine surgery, Asherman's syndrome, manual removal of the placenta, endometritis, high parity, young maternal age, in vitro fertilization, radiotherapy, uterine artery embolization, and uterine leiomyoma. Diagnosis was pre-symptomatic in only 3% of cases. Future studies should differentiate between previa PAS and uterine body PAS.

Placenta percreta complicated by uterine rupture and thrombotic microangiopathy

Background

Uterine rupture at the site of a previous caesarean scar with abnormal placental penetration through the uterus wall with bladder invasion is a rare and serious pregnancy complication. Our aim was to report a case of uterine rupture with placenta percreta complicated by thrombotic microangiopathy.

Materials and methods

We did a literature review and analysed medical documentation retrospectively.

Results

A patient was admitted with complaints of lower abdominal pain at 21 weeks of gestation. Sonography of the caesarean scar increased suspicion of placental penetration. Anaemia, thrombocytopenia, coagulopathy, and acute kidney injury developed and led to the diagnosis of thrombotic microangiopathy. The termination of pregnancy was required due to severe deterioration in organ functions. The complete uterine rupture with placenta percreta invading the urinary bladder was confirmed, and total hysterectomy was performed to control life-threatening haemorrhage. The patient was treated by blood component transfusions, renal replacement therapy, and plasmapheresis. Good health was confirmed two months later by laboratory and instrumental tests.

Conclusions

It is a rare but very serious condition that increases morbidity of mother and foetus, therefore immediate diagnostics and treatment are required.