Published online Dec 26, 2020. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i24.6322
Peer-review started: August 31, 2020
First decision: September 13, 2020
Revised: September 26, 2020
Accepted: October 13, 2020
Article in press: October 13, 2020
Published online: December 26, 2020
Processing time: 110 Days and 1.4 Hours
Uterine rupture is a serious obstetric emergency, a severe event, and a serious threat to maternal and fetal life. It is a rare and not well characterized by the fact that multiple operations of uterine cavities contribute to uterine rupture during pregnancy. Atypical uterine rupture is easily misdiagnosed as other obstetric or surgical diseases. In current guidelines, abdominocentesis is a contraindication for late pregnancy. Therefore, the cases presented in this report provide new ideas for clinical diagnosis and treatment of uterine rupture.
Case 1, a 34-year-old woman (gravida 5, para 2), 32 wk and 4 d of gestation, presented with acute upper abdominal pain for 8 h with nausea and vomiting. Computed tomography (CT) revealed pelvic and abdominal effusion. We extracted 3 mL unclotted blood from her abdominal cavity. An emergency caesarean section was performed. A uterine rupture was found, and the fimbrial portion of the left fallopian tube was completely adhered to the rupture. The prognosis of both the mother and the infant was good. Case 2, a 39-year-old woman (gravida 10, para 1) at 34 wk and 3 d of gestation complained of persistent lower abdominal pain for half a day. Her vital signs were normal. CT revealed a high probability of pelvic and abdominal hemoperitoneum. We extracted 4 mL dark red blood without coagulation. An emergency laparotomy was performed. Uterine rupture was identified during the operation. Postoperative course in both the mother and infant was uneventful.
For pregnant women in the second or the third trimester with persistent abdominal pain, abdominal effusion, fetal distress and even fetal death, the possibility of uterine rupture should be highly suspected. CT can identify acute abdominal surgical or gynecological and obstetric diseases. Abdominocentesis is helpful for diagnosing and clarifying the nature of effusion, but its clinical value need to be confirmed by further clinical studies.
Core Tip: With the full implementation of two-child policy in China, the prevalence of uterine rupture has shown an increasing trend. Atypical uterine rupture is easily misdiagnosed as other obstetric or surgical diseases. For atypical uterine rupture, abdominocentesis can be used to make a diagnosis. We present two atypical cases of uterine rupture, and explore risk factors, clinical manifestations, early diagnosis, prevention and treatment of uterine rupture.