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Hemoperitoneum in pregnancy from a ruptured varix of broad ligament
Simone Giulini1, Renata Zanin, Annibale Volpe
1Mother-Infant Department, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Del Pozzo 71, Modena, Italy. sgiulini@unimore.it
We present a case of a 31-year-old woman, gravida 4 para 1, pregnant at 33 + 2 weeks of gestational age with acute abdomen due to hemoperitoneum. Hemoperitoneum was suspected for non-specific symptoms such as acute abdominal pain, vomit, cardiotocography alterations and maternal acute anaemia. An emergency caesarean section was performed; 3 L of blood was present in abdomen. Careful exploration of the uterus, placenta, abdominal organs and vessels was negative; only a bleeding from a rupture in a varix of the left broad ligament was observed. Hemoperitoneum due to a ruptured uterine varix in pregnancy is a rare condition. The solution to prevent the development of maternal hypovolemic shock is an immediate surgical intervention. A good foetal prognosis principally depends from gestational age and from good hemodynamic maternal conditions.
We present a case of a 31-year-old woman, gravida 4 para 1, pregnant at 33 + 2 weeks of gestational age with acute abdomen due to hemoperitoneum. Hemoperitoneum was suspected for non-specific symptoms such as acute abdominal pain, vomit, cardiotocography alterations and maternal acute anaemia. An emergency caesarean section was performed; 3 L of blood was present in abdomen. Careful exploration of the uterus, placenta, abdominal organs and vessels was negative; only a bleeding from a rupture in a varix of the left broad ligament was observed. Hemoperitoneum due to a ruptured uterine varix in pregnancy is a rare condition. The solution to prevent the development of maternal hypovolemic shock is an immediate surgical intervention. A good foetal prognosis principally depends from gestational age and from good hemodynamic maternal conditions.
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