Occurrence of spontaneous bilateral tubal pregnancy in a low-income setting in rural Cameroon: a case report

BMC Res Notes. 2017 Dec 4;10(1):679. doi: 10.1186/s13104-017-3021-y.

Abstract

Background: Ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening emergency warranting immediate recognition and prompt intervention. Bilateral tubal pregnancy is the rarest form of ectopic pregnancy with very limited data on its occurrence reported in sub-Saharan Africa.

Case presentation: We report the case of a 40-year-old multigravida with chief complains of lower abdominal pain evolving for 5 days in whom an intraoperative diagnosis of spontaneous bilateral tubal pregnancy (plus ruptured right tube) was made.

Conclusions: Ectopic pregnancy is one of the major causes of maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion, even in the absence of hallmark features and thorough clinical examination undertaken especially in resource-limited settings. Examination of both tubes at laparotomy for ectopic pregnancy should be routine and mandatory.

Keywords: Bilateral tubal pregnancy; Cameroon; Ectopic pregnancy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain / diagnosis
  • Abdominal Pain / pathology
  • Abdominal Pain / surgery*
  • Adult
  • Cameroon
  • Fallopian Tubes / pathology
  • Fallopian Tubes / surgery*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Laparotomy
  • Poverty
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy, Tubal / diagnosis
  • Pregnancy, Tubal / pathology
  • Pregnancy, Tubal / surgery*
  • Rupture, Spontaneous / diagnosis
  • Rupture, Spontaneous / pathology
  • Rupture, Spontaneous / surgery*
  • Salpingectomy / methods*