Ruptured ectopic pregnancy presenting 3 years after supracervical hysterectomy

J Ultrasound Med. 2008 Jul;27(7):1087-90. doi: 10.7863/jum.2008.27.7.1087.

Abstract

An ectopic pregnancy after a hysterectomy is a rare event, with about 40 reported cases since it was first identified by Wendeler in 1895. There are even fewer cases reported of an ectopic pregnancy occurring years after a hysterectomy has been performed. This case illustrates the sonographic and computed tomographic (CT) findings in the setting of abdominal pain in a woman of childbearing age and highlights the need to obtain a urine pregnancy test as part of the workup for abdominal pain in women, even if a history of a hysterectomy has been given. Many providers may automatically exclude an ectopic pregnancy as a possibility in the aforementioned clinical scenario if the patient has a history of a hysterectomy. Such automatic exclusion may result in life-threatening consequences.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain / etiology
  • Adnexa Uteri / diagnostic imaging
  • Adnexa Uteri / injuries
  • Adnexa Uteri / surgery
  • Adult
  • Chorionic Gonadotropin / blood
  • Contrast Media
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Hematocrit
  • Hemoglobins
  • Hemoperitoneum / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Hysterectomy*
  • Pelvis / diagnostic imaging
  • Postoperative Complications / diagnosis*
  • Postoperative Complications / surgery
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy, Ectopic / diagnosis*
  • Pregnancy, Ectopic / surgery
  • Radiography, Abdominal / methods
  • Rare Diseases
  • Rupture, Spontaneous / diagnosis
  • Rupture, Spontaneous / surgery
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Ultrasonography

Substances

  • Chorionic Gonadotropin
  • Contrast Media
  • Hemoglobins