Rupture of endometriotic ovarian cyst causes acute hemoperitoneum in twin pregnancy

Clinical features of patients with previous spontaneous rupture of ovarian endometrioma operated electively: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study is to investigate the proportion and clinical features of previous spontaneously ruptured ovarian endometrioma among women who underwent elective surgery for endometrioma.

METHODS

This retrospective study was based on a cohort of elective surgeries for endometrioma performed by the same gynecologic team at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2017 to October 2022. Patients diagnosed with previous spontaneously ruptured endometrioma during elective surgery were enrolled in the ruptured group. In the same cohort, patients with unruptured endometrioma treated during the same period were selected as the unruptured group by 1:2 matching according to age. Demographic and clinical information were collected and compared between two groups.

RESULTS

A total of 422 patients in the cohort were diagnosed with endometrioma. There were 38 patients (9.0%) in ruptured group and 76 patients in unruptured group. All enrolled participants were treated by laparoscopic surgery. In ruptured group, 86.8% patients had a history of acute abdominal pain, which was only 13.2% in unruptured group (P < 0.001). Compared to unruptured group, patients diagnosed with ruptured endometrioma had a lower BMI (P = 0.021), larger maximum diameter of endometrioma (P = 0.040), higher proportion of cul-de-sac partial obliteration rather than complete obliteration (P = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

Spontaneous rupture of endometrioma is not rare. The proportion of spontaneous rupture of endometrioma in our study was higher than that reported in the literatures. In women with endometrioma, the onset of acute abdominal pain should be considered a rupture of cyst, especially in patients with big cysts.

A Case of Ruptured Decidualized Ovarian Endometrioma: Usefulness of Serial MRI for Determining Adequate Management

Decidualization can originate in ovarian endometrioma by elevated serum progesterone levels during pregnancy, which mimics malignancy on ultrasonography. Moreover, decidualized ovarian endometrioma may rupture and cause acute abdominal pain during pregnancy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is reportedly useful in differentiating decidualized ovarian endometriomas from malignancies. However, to our knowledge, serial MRI of decidualized ovarian endometrioma before and after rupture has not been reported. Herein, we report the case of a 39-year-old woman with a ruptured decidualized ovarian endometrioma in which serial MRI was useful for adequate management. She had a history of right ovarian endometrioma. Transvaginal ultrasonography at 20 weeks of gestation showed the known right ovarian endometrioma with mural nodules that were not evident before pregnancy. MRI for further evaluation showed ovarian endometrioma with mural nodules with signals similar to those of the placenta. Based on the MRI findings, we diagnosed a decidualized ovarian endometrioma. At 27 weeks of gestation, she complained of sudden abdominal pain, for which MRI was performed. MRI showed disappearance of the ovarian endometrioma and bloody ascites, based on which we diagnosed a ruptured ovarian endometrioma. The abdominal pain subsided immediately, and a conservative observational treatment approach was taken. At 37 weeks of gestation, right ovarian cystectomy was performed simultaneously with an elective cesarean section, which revealed a ruptured decidualized ovarian endometrioma. Our findings demonstrate that the accurate diagnosis of a ruptured decidualized ovarian endometrioma on serial MRI can contribute to its management.

Spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy: a life-threatening maternal and fetal complication of endometriosis

BACKGROUND

Spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy (SHiP) is a complication of endometriosis. We describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of mother and fetus in 11 new cases of SHiP with endometriosis and 43 cases reported in the literature since 1995.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The 60 maternity hospitals in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in France were contacted to identify cases of SHiP associated with endometriosis. . In parallel, a systematic review of the literature used the PRISMA chart to report published cases.

RESULTS

Fifty-four cases of SHIP associated with endometriosis are presented. Twenty-four patients (44%) conceived with assisted reproductive techniques. Hemoperitoneum occurred before delivery in 47/54 cases (87%).The average gestational age of occurrence was 27 weeks (13 weeks to 40+6 weeks). An hypovolemic shock was present in 24/51 (47%) of patients. Forty-six women (85%) were treated by laparotomy, 5 (9%) by laparoscopy, 2 (2%) by interventional radiology. The hemorrhage site was in the mediolateral compartment of the pelvis in 29 cases (54%), corresponding to bleeding from vessels in the broad ligament in 24/29 (83%) of these cases. The mean estimated blood loss was 1957 mL (150-7500 mL). Emergency peripartum hysterectomy was required in 3/54 cases (6%). There were no maternal deaths. The average gestational age at birth was 30 weeks (13+2 weeks to 42 weeks). The fetus died in 19/64 cases (30%).

CONCLUSION

SHiP is an underestimated potentially fatal complication of endometriosis. Maternal salvage by emergency laparotomy is usually required to identify and treat the bleeding site. Fetal prognosis remains poor.

Characteristics of ovarian endometrioma during pregnancy

AIM

During pregnancy, the ovarian endometrioma generally decreases in size and occasionally ruptures. We evaluated (1) whether and how ovarian-endometrioma size changes from the first trimester to the postdelivery period, and (2) the type of endometrioma more likely to rupture during pregnancy.

METHODS

During an 18-year period (2000-2018), ultrasound in the first trimester revealed ovarian endometrioma in 149 pregnant women at our tertiary institute. Among these, we subjected 138 endometriomas in 145 patients to expectant management (wait-and-watch approach during pregnancy). We compared the cyst sizes in the first trimester and the postdelivery period, and defined a >1 cm diameter size-change as a significant increase/decrease. We analyzed four patients with rupture and characterized the predictors of rupture.

RESULTS

A comparison of cyst sizes in the first trimester and the postdelivery period revealed that the size of 94 (68%), 37 (27%), and 7 ovaries (5.0%), respectively, decreased, remained unchanged, and increased; in 56 ovaries (40%), apparent cysts were no longer present. Of the 145 patients, four (2.8%) required emergency surgery for cyst rupture. Adhesion to the surroundings, an increase in cyst size, large size (diameter of ≥6 cm), and compression due to the enlarged uterus in late pregnancy were factors clinically related to rupture.

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately two-thirds of ovarian endometriomas decreased in size during pregnancy (40% disappeared), 27% remained unchanged, and only 5% increased in size. However, 2.8% of pregnant women with endometrial cysts experienced rupture. We characterized risk factors for rupture; however, clinical application requires further evaluation.

Reproductive, obstetric, and perinatal outcomes of women with adenomyosis and endometriosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The reproductive impact of adenomyosis and endometriosis is widely researched but the extent of these impacts remains elusive. It has been demonstrated that endometriosis, in particular, is known to result in subfertility but endometriosis and adenomyosis are increasingly linked to late pregnancy complications such as those caused by placental insufficiency. At the molecular level, the presence of ectopic endometrium perturbs the endometrial hormonal, cellular, and immunological milieu, negatively influencing decidualization, placentation, and developmental programming of the embryo. It is unclear if and how such early aberrant reproductive development relates to pregnancy outcomes in endometriosis and adenomyosis.

OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE

The aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to (i) investigate the association of adenomyosis and endometriosis with fertility, obstetric, and neonatal outcomes of women through both assisted reproduction and natural conception and (ii) determine whether endometriosis disease subtypes have specific impacts on different stages of the reproductive process.

SEARCH METHODS

A systematic literature review of NHS evidence electronic databases and the Cochrane database identified all comparative and observational studies between 1980 and December 2018 in any language on adenomyosis and endometriosis with fertility, obstetric, and neonatal outcomes (23 search terms used). A total of 104 papers were selected for data extraction and meta-analysis, with use of Downs and Black standardized checklist to evaluate quality and bias.

OUTCOMES

We found that endometriosis consistently leads to reduced oocyte yield and a reduced fertilization rate (FR), in line with current evidence. Milder forms of endometriosis were most likely to affect the fertilization (FR OR 0.77, CI 0.63-0.93) and earlier implantation processes (implantation rate OR 0.76, CI 0.62-0.93). The more severe disease by American Society for Reproductive Medicine staging (ASRM III and IV) influenced all stages of reproduction. Ovarian endometriosis negatively affects the oocyte yield (MD -1.22, CI -1.96, -0.49) and number of mature oocytes (MD -2.24, CI -3.4, -1.09). We found an increased risk of miscarriage in both adenomyosis and endometriosis (OR 3.40, CI 1.41-8.65 and OR 1.30, CI 1.25-1.35, respectively), and endometriosis can be associated with a range of obstetric and fetal complications including preterm delivery (OR 1.38, CI 1.01-1.89), caesarean section delivery (OR 1.98 CI 1.64-2.38), and neonatal unit admission following delivery (OR 1.29, CI 1.07-1.55).

WIDER IMPLICATIONS

Adenomyosis and the subtypes of endometriosis may have specific complication profiles though further evidence is needed to be able to draw conclusions. Several known pregnancy complications are likely to be associated with these conditions. The complications are possibly caused by dysfunctional uterine changes leading to implantation and placentation issues and therefore could potentially have far-reaching consequences as suggested by Barker's hypothesis. Our findings would suggest that women with these conditions should ideally receive pre-natal counselling and should be considered higher risk in pregnancy and at delivery, until evidence to the contrary is available. In order to expand our knowledge of these conditions and better advise on future management of these patients in reproductive and maternal medicine, a more unified approach to studying fertility and reproductive outcomes with longer term follow-up of the offspring and attention to the subtype of disease is necessary.

[Conservative management of endometrioma in women undergoing in vitro fertilization]

Endometriosis is a chronic disease. The pathogenesis is actually still unclear. Endometriosis is responsible for infertility and/or pelvic pain. One of the most important features of the disease is the heterogeneity (clinical and anatomical). Among the different phenotypes of endometriosis, the ovarian endometrioma seems to most important lesion in the management of endometriosis-related infertility. Surgical treatment is associated to a decrease of the ovarian reserve and a potential detrimental effect on in vitro fecondation (IVF) outcomes. Thus, the choice between conservative or surgical management of endometrioma before IVF is actually debated. The advantages and drawback of surgical and conservative management should be discussed before to plan the treatment. In the present review, we aimed at assessing the risks of a conservative management of endometrioma as compared to surgery before IVF.

Acute Hemoperitoneum after Administration of Prostaglandin E2 for Induction of Labour

Prostaglandin E₂ is widely used in obstetrics and is thought to be relatively safe for cervical ripening and induction of labour. Here we present a case in which acute hemoperitoneum was observed after administration of prostaglandin E₂ in a pregnant woman. The patient had a history of endometriosis, and a severe pelvic adhesion (ASRM stage IV) was found during her last laparoscopic surgery 3 years previously. In cases with endometriosis, use of prostaglandin E₂ for induction of labour in pregnant women must be done cautiously.

A systematic review on endometriosis during pregnancy: diagnosis, misdiagnosis, complications and outcomes

BACKGROUND

Traditionally, pregnancy was considered to have a positive effect on endometriosis and its painful symptoms due not only to blockage of ovulation preventing bleeding of endometriotic tissue but also to different metabolic, hormonal, immune and angiogenesis changes related to pregnancy. However, a growing literature is emerging on the role of endometriosis in affecting the development of pregnancy and its outcomes and also on the impact of pregnancy on endometriosis. The present article aims to underline the difficulty in diagnosing endometriotic lesions during pregnancy and discuss the options for the treatment of decidualized endometriosis in relation to imaging and symptomatology; to describe all the possible acute complications of pregnancy caused by pre-existing endometriosis and evaluate potential treatments of these complications; to assess whether endometriosis affects pregnancy outcome and hypothesize mechanisms to explain the underlying relationships.

METHODS

This systematic review is based on material searched and obtained via Pubmed and Medline between January 1950 and March 2015. Peer-reviewed, English-language journal articles examining the impact of endometriosis on pregnancy and vice versa were included in this article.

RESULTS

Changes of the endometriotic lesions may occur during pregnancy caused by the modifications of the hormonal milieu, posing a clinical dilemma due to their atypical appearance. The management of these events is actually challenging as only few cases have been described and the review of available literature evidenced a lack of formal estimates of their incidence. Acute complications of endometriosis during pregnancy, such as spontaneous hemoperitoneum, bowel and ovarian complications, represent rare but life-threatening conditions that require, in most of the cases, surgical operations to be managed. Due to the unpredictability of these complications, no specific recommendation for additional interventions to the routinely monitoring of pregnancy of women with known history of endometriosis is advisable. Even if the results of the published studies are controversial, some evidence is suggestive of an association of endometriosis with spontaneous miscarriage, preterm birth and small for gestational age babies. A correlation of endometriosis with placenta previa (odds ratio from 1.67 to 15.1 according to various studies) has been demonstrated, possibly linked to the abnormal frequency and amplitude of uterine contractions observed in women affected. Finally, there is no evidence that prophylactic surgery would prevent the negative impact of endometriosis itself on pregnancy outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Complications of endometriosis during pregnancy are rare and there is no evidence that the disease has a major detrimental effect on pregnancy outcome. Therefore, pregnant women with endometriosis can be reassured on the course of their pregnancies although the physicians should be aware of the potential increased risk of placenta previa. Current evidence does not support any modification of conventional monitoring of pregnancy in patients with endometriosis.

Decidualised fallopian tube endometriotic implant causing spontaneous haemoperitoneum in a twin pregnancy

Spontaneous haemoperitoneum in pregnancy (SHiP) is a rare but serious condition associated with an adverse pregnancy outcome. We present a case of previable twin pregnancy presenting with SHiP secondary to endometriosis, necessitating an emergency laparotomy and hysterotomy as a life-saving measure to achieve haemostasis. At laparotomy there was massive haemoperitoneum with active bleeding from the left fallopian tube and a left salpingectomy was performed. Histological examination showed haemorrhagic foci of endometriosis on the fallopian tube exhibiting florid stromal decidual change. We wish to raise awareness of this uncommon but potentially life-threatening condition requiring early recognition and prompt recourse to surgical intervention to minimise the morbidity and mortality.