An updated guide to the diagnosis and management of cesarean scar pregnancies

Clinical investigation of fertility after uterine artery embolization combined with dilation and curettage(D&C) or D&C alone for cesarean scar pregnancies

Objective

The aim of this study was to compare the reproductive outcomes of patients with cesarean scar pregnancies (CSP) following uterine artery embolization (UAE) and dilation and curettage (D&C) treatments, and to evaluate the impact of UAE on fertility.

Materials

and methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted. Patients diagnosed with CSP between 2019 and 2021 were included in the study. Clinical data and fertility outcomes were collected and reviewed retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups based on their treatment option: the UAE combined with D&C group and the D&C alone group.

Results

A total of 91 CSP patients were enrolled in the study. Of these, 49 were treated with D&C, while 42 received UAE combined with D&C. The average gestational age in the UAE group was significantly longer than that in the D&C group. The average diameter of the gestational mass was significantly larger in the UAE group than in the D&C group (42.2 ± 19.8 mm vs 23.8 ± 15.9 mm). The other clinical features were not significantly different between the two groups. The average menstrual recovery time was 1.0 ± 0.20 months (range: 1-2 months) in the D&C group, and 2.0 ± 2.85 months (range: 1-18 months) in the UAE combined with D&C group, with a significant difference between the two groups. The average menstrual blood volume (MBV) decreased in 79 % of patients in the UAE group, compared to 18 % in the D&C group, with a significant difference between the two groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of pregnancy rate and birth rate (75 % vs 78 %, 63 % vs 56 %).

Conclusion

UAE combined with D&C is an efficient and safe treatment for CSP. Our study showed that decreased MBV and longer menstrual recovery time in UAE combined with D&C group, but there are no statistical difference in fertility outcomes between the two groups, which suggests probably a reversible impact on the reproductive function.

Risk factors associated with the failure of local methotrexate combined with minimally invasive surgery for late cesarean scar pregnancy

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the risk factors related to the failure of initial combined local methotrexate (MTX) treatment and minimally invasive surgery for late cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP).

METHODS

This retrospective case-control study was conducted between January 2016 and December 2023, involving patients with late CSP (≥ 8 weeks) who received local MTX injection combined with either hysteroscopic or laparoscopic surgery. Cesarean scar pregnancy was classified as type I, II, or III based on the direction of growth of the gestational sac and the residual myometrial thickness as assessed by ultrasound. Binary logistic regression analysis was utilized to identify the risk factors associated with the failure of the initial combined treatment.

RESULTS

Overall, 574 patients with late CSP were included in our study. Among them, 29 patients (5.1%) experienced treatment failure with the initial local MTX combined with minimally invasive surgery, while 545 patients (94.9%) achieved successful treatment outcomes. In the univariate analysis, several potential risk factors associated with the initial combined treatment failure were identified, including baseline serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) levels, type of CSP, time interval between MTX and surgery, and positive fetal heart activity before surgery. Subsequent binary logistic regression analysis revealed the following independent risk factors linked to the failure of the initial combined treatment: baseline serum β-hCG levels exceeding 94,000 IU/L [odds ratio (OR) 3.060, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.387-6.749, P = 0.006], type III CSP (OR 3.574, 95% CI 1.147-11.135, P = 0.028), a time interval greater than seven days between MTX and surgery (OR 3.847, 95% CI 1.725-8.581, P = 0.001), and the presence of a fetal heartbeat before surgery (OR 4.405, 95% CI 1.014-19.128, P = 0.048).

CONCLUSION

The findings indicate that higher baseline serum β-hCG levels, an extended time interval between MTX and surgery, type III CSP and a positive preoperative fetal heartbeat are significant risk factors for the failure of initial local MTX combined with minimally invasive surgery in patients with late CSP. Individualized treatment strategies are recommended for these high-risk patients with late CSP.

Risk of intraoperative hemorrhage during cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy surgery: development and validation of an interpretable machine learning prediction model

Background

Current models for predicting intraoperative hemorrhage in cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy (CSEP) are constrained by known risk factors and conventional statistical methods. Our objective is to develop an interpretable prediction model using machine learning (ML) techniques to assess the risk of intraoperative hemorrhage during CSEP in women, followed by external validation and clinical application.

Methods

This multicenter retrospective study utilized electronic medical record (EMR) data from four tertiary medical institutions. The model was developed using data from 1680 patients with CSEP diagnosed and treated at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, and Dezhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2023. External validation data were obtained from Liao Cheng Dong Chang Fu District Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2023. Random forest (RF), Lasso, Boruta, and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) were employed to identify the most influential variables in the model development data set; the best variables were selected based on reaching the λmin value. Model development involved eight machine learning methods with ten-fold cross-validation. Accuracy and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess model performance for selection of the optimal model. Internal validation of the model utilized area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, Matthews correlation coefficient, and F1 score. These same indicators were also applied to evaluate external validation performance of the model. Finally, visualization techniques were used to present the optimal model which was then deployed for clinical application via network applications.

Findings

Setting λmin at the value of 0.003, the optimal variable combination containing 9 variables was selected for model development. The optimal prediction model (Bayes) had an accuracy of 0.879 (95% CI: 0.857-0.901) an AUC of 0.882 (95% CI: 0.860-0.904), a DCA curve maximum threshold probability of 0.41, and a maximum return of 7.86%. The internal validation accuracy was 0.869 (95% CI: 0.847-0.891), an AUC of 0.822 (95% CI: 0.801-0.843), a sensitivity of 0.938, a specificity of 0.422, a Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.392, and an F1 score of 0.925. In the external validation, the accuracy was 0.936 (95% CI: 0.913-0.959), an AUC of 0.853 (95% CI: 0.832-0.874), a sensitivity of 0.954, a specificity of 0.5, a Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.365, and an F1 score of 0.966. This indicates that the prediction model performed well in both internal and external validation.

Interpretation

The developed prediction model, deployed in the network application, is capable of forecasting the risk of intraoperative hemorrhage during CSEP. This tool can facilitate targeted preoperative assessment and clinical decision-making for clinicians. Prospective data should be utilized in future studies to further validate the extended applicability of the model.

Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province; Qilu Hospital of Shandong University.

Endovascular treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy: a retrospective multicentric study

PURPOSE

To assess the role of Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE) to treat cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) using different embolic materials, focusing on its clinical and technical success rates; the association of UAE with methotrexate (MTX) and/or dilatation & curettage (D&C) was evaluated also.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis 33 patients (mean age 35 years) affected by CSP and treated with UAE from March 2012 to 2020 was performed. Dynamic levels of serum β-HCG have been collected until they decreased to normal values after procedures. For the statistical analysis the sample was divided into 2 groups: UAE versus UAE + MTX.

RESULTS

The gestational sac age ranged between 5 and 13 weeks (mean 7 weeks). According to operator's preference, 11 patients (33.33%) were treated with sponge injection, 2 patients (6.06%) with a combination of sponge and microsphere the remaining 20 patients (60.60%) with microspheres alone. No major complications occurred after UAE and D&C, neither side effects related to the MTX administration. Technical and clinical success rates were 97% and 85%, respectively. Mean percentage of β-HCG reduction was 90% (range - 99.92 to + 7.98%). Statistical analysis with linear regression shows a R² value of 0.9624 in UAE group while a R² value of 0.9440 in UAE + MTX group with statistical significance (p < 0.0001). No significative differences were found between the two groups about clinical success rate and embolic material adopted.

CONCLUSION

In this series UAE has been found to be safe and effective for the treatment of CSP.

Selection of Laparoscopy or Laparotomy for Treating Cesarean Scar Pregnancy: A Retrospective Study

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Recognition of the Type of Cesarean Scar Pregnancy in First Trimester Sonography

This case series is presented to illustrate the clinical value of identifying, sonographically, the type of cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy that may present, as this has become more frequently encountered. The choice of surgical treatment appears to be dependent on the sonographic typing, of this specific type of ectopic pregnancy. This case study illustrates the importance of this topic, given the rising incidence of cesarean deliveries coupled with the increase in first trimester sonograms being more commonly performed. The value of proper diagnostic detection is important, given the contemporary management of this new type of ectopic pregnancy.

Caesarean Scar Pregnancy: A Case Report

Caesarean scar pregnancy is a potentially life-threatening gynaecological condition, becoming more common due to steadily increasing rate of caesarean sections worldwide. More than one-third of women presenting with caesarean scar pregnancy are asymptomatic, but over the time if left untreated this condition can lead to the uterine rupture and massive maternal haemorrhage. Therefore it is necessary to diagnose and manage caesarean scar pregnancies properly at the beginning of the first trimester. We present the case of woman with three previous caesarean sections, who was diagnosed with complicated caesarean scar pregnancy and then successfully managed using surgical intervention.

Conservative Management of Cesarean Scar Pregnancy: A Case Report and Literature Review

Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy located in the lower uterine segment. The current increase in the percentage of cesarean sections is accompanied by significant growth in the incidence of CSP, while advances in ultrasound diagnostic techniques have led to a greater number of CSP diagnoses. A misdiagnosed CSP, or one that is diagnosed too late, is life-threatening to the pregnant patient and predisposes her to complications such as uterine bleeding or rupture, which often require hysterectomy and thus result in the irreversible loss of fertility. We present the case of a 50-year-old woman with a history of undiagnosed CSP after multiple consultations for intermittent bleeding and hemorrhage. She was diagnosed by ultrasound and the diagnosis was confirmed by hysteroscopy. She underwent conservative medical treatment that was successful.

Diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography on the detection of cesarean scar pregnancy: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

: There is still a debate on which imaging method is the best to diagnose cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). Accordingly, this study aimed to analyze the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (US) on the detection of CSP based on current evidence in the literature.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Chinese Biomedical Documentation Service System, WanFang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched up to June 2020. The included studies were all comparisons of MRI and US in the diagnosis of CSP that adopted postoperative histological examination as the reference standard. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), and area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were calculated for MRI and US.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies were included, with a total sample size of 948 patients. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, and AUC of MRI in diagnosing CSP were 0.93 (95% CI, 0.91-0.95), 0.83 (95% CI, 0.75-0.89), 5.46 (95% CI, 3.70-8.05), 0.08 (95% CI, 0.06-0.11), and 0.96 (95% CI, 0.93-0.97), respectively; for US they were 0.84 (95% CI, 0.79-0.88), 0.73 (95% CI, 0.62-0.81), 3.06 (95% CI, 2.22-4.21), 0.23 (95% CI, 0.18-0.28), and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.83-0.89), respectively.

CONCLUSION

We found that both MRI and US effectively diagnosed CSP; however, MRI had a higher diagnostic performance in detecting CSP than US.

A study on the timing of uterine artery embolization followed by pregnancy excision for cesarean scar pregnancy: a prospective study in China

BACKGROUND

Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) remains a sporadic and special form of ectopic pregnancy in which the fertilized ovum is implanted on a previous cesarean scar within 12 weeks. This study aims to evaluate the optimal time interval between uterine artery embolization (UAE) and curettage modalities in order to provide the best clinical outcomes.

METHODS

From January 2018 to December 2020, we recruited 61 patients with CSP. They were randomly divided into two groups depending on whether the time interval between UAE and dilatation and curettage (D&C) requires additional hospitalization: 31 patients received prophylactic UAE followed by D&C on the same day (0-12 h; group A) and 30 patients need hospitalization (12-72 h; group B). The clinical characteristics, diagnostic data, and outcomes of the two groups were compared and analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 59 (96.72%) cases had responded well to the first treatment. One patient in each arm undergone retreatment, but none of the 61 patients needed additional hysterectomy. There was no considerable relationship between the two groups with respect to the intraoperative hemorrhage during D&C, serum index (containing β-hCG, hemoglobin, CRP, and D-dimer) on the first day after D&C, side effects (containing fever and abdominal pain), renal, hepatic, and coagulation function, time of CSP residual mass disappearance, and hospitalization cost. The time of serum β-hCG resolution after surgery was 41.22 ± 14.97 days in group A and 66.67 ± 36.64 days in group B (P = 0.027), and group A treatment resulted in a shorten hospital stay as compared with group B (4.81 ± 2.74 days vs. 6.80 ± 2.14 days, P <  0.001). However, the average hourly serum β-hCG decrease rate within 24 h and the leukocytes on the first day after D&C in group B were superior than in group A (P <  0.050).

CONCLUSION

For patients with CSP, UAE followed by D&C on the same day (0-12 h) appears to have more advantages in hospitalization and recovery time, while the long time interval (12-72 h) may have a lower risk of inflammation and a more rapid decrease in serum β-hCG level within 24 h after D&C surgery. The treatment of CSP should be individualized based on the conditions of patients.

A review on management of caesarean scar pregnancy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review the current literature on management of cesarean scar pregnancy.

RECENT FINDINGS

Caesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is a complex pathologic condition, which is strictly related to a previous caesarean section. It is an iatrogenic disorder, that has had an exponential increase over the last few years linked to the parallel increase in the number of caesarean sections. The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) confirmed the presence of surgical, medical, and minimally invasive therapies for caesarean scar pregnancy management but the optimal treatment is not known; the main recommendation is to avoid expectant management of CSP (GRADE 1B). The treatments for Caesarean scar pregnancy are multiple, and they include a surgical management, a medical management and a combination between these two types of treatments. Despite the recommendation of SMFM in this review, we also included some cases of conservative management published in the last months.

SUMMARY

Considering all the different approaches on CSP, the management has to be individualized mainly on gestational age and it has to be discussed by a multidisciplinary team, to choose the safest clinical option.

Risk prediction of major haemorrhage with surgical treatment of live cesarean scar pregnancies

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between demographic and ultrasound variables and major intra-operative blood loss during surgical transcervical evacuation of live caesarean scar pregnancies.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in a tertiary referral center between 2008 and 2019. We included all women diagnosed with a live caesarean scar ectopic pregnancy who chose to have surgical management in the study center. A preoperative ultrasound was performed in each patient. All women underwent transcervical suction curettage under ultrasound guidance. Our primary outcome was the rate of postoperative blood transfusion. The secondary outcomes were estimated intra-operative blood loss (ml), rate of retained products of conception, need for repeat surgery, need for uterine artery embolization and hysterectomy rate. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the variables. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were constructed using the relevant covariates to identify the significant predictors for severe blood loss.

RESULTS

During the study period, 80 women were diagnosed with a live caesarean scar pregnancy, of whom 62 (78%) opted for surgical management at our center. The median crown-rump length was 9.3 mm (range 1.4-85.7). Median blood loss at the time of surgery was 100 ml (range, 10-2300), and six women (10%; 95%CI 3.6-20) required blood transfusion. Crown-rump length and presence of placental lacunae were significant predictive factors for the need for blood transfusion and blood loss > 500 ml at univariate analysis (p < .01); on multivariate analysis, only crown-rump length was a significant predictor for need for blood transfusion (OR = 1.072; 95% CI 1.02-1.11). Blood transfusion was required in 6/18 (33%) cases with the crown-rump length ≥ 23 mm (≥9⁺⁰ weeks of gestation), but in none of 44 women presenting with a crown-rump length < 23 mm (p < .01).

CONCLUSION

The risk of severe intraoperative bleeding and need for blood transfusion during or after surgical evacuation of live caesarean scar pregnancies increases with gestational age and is higher in the presence of placental lacunae. One third of women presenting at ≥ 9 weeks of gestation required blood transfusion and their treatment should be ideally arranged in specialized tertiary centers.

When to perform curettage after uterine artery embolization for cesarean scar pregnancy: a clinical study

Background

Prophylactic uterine artery embolization (UAE) combined with subsequent curettage is suggested as an effective and minimally invasive treatment strategy for cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) with a high bleeding risk. However, the timing of curettage after UAE remains to be studied. Thus, we aimed to identify the optimal time interval to perform curettage after UAE in patients with CSP.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study in a large medical center for women and children in Southwest China. CSP patients treated by UAE combined with subsequent curettage were included and grouped by the treatment time interval between these two procedures. The clinical outcomes among arms were compared by univariate and multivariable analysis.

Results

Our study included 314 CSP patients who received this combination treatment in our department from January 2014 to December 2019. The median time interval between UAE and curettage was 48 h, with a range of 12-168 h among all participants. Thirty-two patients (10.2%) experienced intraoperative hemorrhage (blood loss ≥200 mL). Intrauterine balloon tamponade was used in 17 cases (5.4%). In 14 cases (4.5%), the procedure was converted to laparoscopy (or laparotomy). In the cohort study, patients with longer treatment intervals had more intraoperative blood loss and a higher incidence of complications than those with shorter intervals (P < 0.05). The rates of intraoperative bleeding were 5.0% for patients who received curettage within 24 h after UAE (Arm 1) and 19.4% for those who had a treatment interval longer than 72 h (Arm 4). In the multivariable logistic regression model of bleeding, a treatment interval > 72 h had an adjusted odds ratio of 3.37 (95% confidence interval: 1.40-8.09).

Conclusion

We suggest that curettage not be delayed longer than 72 h after UAE in this combined treatment of CSP.

Is suction curettage an effective treatment alternative for cesarean scar pregnancies?

OBJECTIVES

The study aims to evaluate the success rate of suction curettage (SC) as a first line treatment with or without use of foley balloon tamponade for cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) and to determine the risk factors for failure of treatment.

STUDY DESIGN

The study was retrospective and included 36 CSP cases who underwent SC for treatment. Presence of pain with active bleeding and > 10 weeks of gestation were taken as the exclusion criterion. The procedure was performed under sonographic guidance. After the procedure, in patients who had a hemorrhage foley catheter was inserted into the uterine cavity. SC failure was defined as a requirement of secondary intervention. CSP types, myometrial thickness in the scar area, fetal cardiac activity, initial Beta human chorionic gonadotropin levels (β-HCG), history of vaginal delivery were compared between successful and failed groups.

RESULT

Of 36 patients, 31 had favorable results with SC ± foley balloon tamponade. Success rate was found to be 86 % (31/36) as the first line therapy. Foley catheter was applied for 23 patients, among them, four were in the failed group and 19 were in the favorable group. In the failed group, two patients had emergent laparotomy, two had repeat SC the day after the initial treatment and one patient was treated with systemic MTX. Fetal cardiac activity and presence of embryonic pole were not different between the groups (p = 1.000, p = 0.829 respectively). Myometrial thickness in the failed group was less than the successful group, this difference was significant (p = 0.033). CSP types, initial β-HCG levels and history of vaginal delivery were not different between the groups (p = 0.149, p = 0.372 and p = 0.404 respectively).

CONCLUSION

SC may be considered as a first line therapy for CSPs, and and in patients complicated with hemorrhage foley balloon tamponade can be used easily. Thinner myometrium at previous cesarean scar can be considered as a risk factor for failure of SC in patients with CSP.