Advanced abdominal pregnancy: case report and review of 163 cases reported since 1946

Though relatively rare, advanced abdominal pregnancy (AAP) can have dramatic and catastrophic consequences for the foetus and the mother. Difficult to diagnose pre-operatively, AAP presents special challenges to the physician working in remote areas with limited resources for diagnosis and management.

A case of AAP received in our hospital in Kolofata, Cameroon, is presented and followed by a review of 163 other cases reported from 13 countries since 1946.

A physician working in a remote district with an active maternity service should expect to encounter several cases of AAP during his or her working lifetime. Pre-operative diagnosis of AAP allows time for thoughtful preparation of the patient, family and medical team; however, to be diagnosed, AAP must first be considered. Diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion, and this should be triggered by any of a number of symptoms and signs reported in many cases of AAP. An unusual echographic appearance of the placenta was present in our case and prompted a more thorough investigation that confirmed the diagnosis. This finding has been reported by others and should be added to the list of signs and symptoms that might lead to a diagnosis of AAP in time to save the surgeon from an unpleasant and dangerous surprise.