Laparoscopic Management of a Rudimentary Uterine Horn

To demonstrate a technique of laparoscopic management of a rudimentary horn in a 12-year-old girl.

A step-by-step explanation of the surgery using a video (instructive video) approved by the local institutional review board.

A university hospital (University Hospital of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France).

A 12-year-old girl with a uterine rudimentary horn.

We describe a case of a 12-year-old girl who had no medical history. She had her first menstruation at 11 years old with major left pelvic pain occurring each month. Ultrasonography showed a duplication of the uterus with a liquid collection on the left side; this type of malformation is called an accessory and cavitated uterine mass. Medical treatment was initiated with progestin. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a left noncommunicating rudimentary horn with a unicornuate uterus. No other malformation was present, particularly in the kidneys. A primary vaginal endoscopy was performed showing a single cervix without vaginal malformation. It was decided to perform a laparoscopic excision of the left rudimentary horn. We placed a 10-mm optical port into the umbilicus and 3 accessory 5-mm trocars. Evaluation of the abdominal cavity showed 2 normal adnexas with normal ovaries. We decided to start with a left salpingectomy using the Ligasure device (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN), staying close to the tube to preserve ovarian vascularization. The remnant fimbria must be removed to avoid cancerization. Then, the vesicouterine septum was divided until we reached the cervix to dissect the bladder from the rudimentary horn. The broad ligament was fenestrated in order to push the left ureter laterally .The utero-ovarian pedicle was transected with the Ligasure device; the left ovary was preserved and vascularized by the left infundibulopelvic ligament. We then dissected the left uterine artery. The posterior peritoneum was opened. The resection of the rudimentary horn was performed by means of a monopolar hook. The dissection was performed slowly with selective coagulation until we reached the cavity of the horn, with old blood flowing out. The entire cavity was removed, and we confirmed the absence of communication with the other part of the uterus. Uterine reconstruction was performed with inverted separated stiches of a 2-0 braided suture, and, finally, an antiadhesion barrier was placed.

Laparoscopic management of a uterine rudimentary horn is feasible with satisfactory uterine reconstruction. This is not the first case of this surgery performed by laparoscopy. A similar case has been published in 2015 [1], and recently another video [2] has been published describing 2 other cases.