Uterine vein rupture at delivery as a delayed consequence of laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis: a case report

Laparoscopic resection of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) has been reported to be an effective method for reduction of endometriosis-associated pain. As its complications, bowel perforation, urinary tract injury and neurogenic bladder are well known; however, uterine vein rupture during pregnancy has not been reported previously. We encountered a case of hemoperitoneum resulting from uterine vein rupture at a delivery as a delayed consequence of laparoscopic resection of DIE. A 31-year-old, para 2 woman underwent laparoscopic resection of lateral pelvic peritoneum, uterosacral ligaments, and bilateral endometriomas, exposing uterine vessels, which we covered with fibrin glue. Endometriosis-associated pain disappeared, and then the patient conceived 4 months later. The course of pregnancy and induction of labor with controlled oxytocin infusion was uneventful, and the patient delivered a female baby without asphyxia. Immediately after delivery, low abdominal pain with hypotension occurred despite absence of abnormal vaginal bleeding. Ultrasonography and the blood hemoglobin value suggested hemorrhagic shock owing to hemoperitoneum; therefore emergency exploratory laparotomy was performed. Active bleeding was found at the right uterine vein, which was then sutured for hemostasis. The patient received a blood transfusion and recovered without any problems. The bleeding lesion was located at the vein on which the peritoneum had been removed at the first laparoscopy, which suggested that the operation for DIE included a risk of uterine vessel rupture during pregnancy.