Septic Abortion Complicated by Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Emergency Medicine
• Obstetrics & Gynecology

Background:

• Septic abortion, a uterine infection in early pregnancy (<20 weeks gestation), can lead to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).
• Concurrent management of septic abortion and DIC is critical for reducing patient morbidity and mortality.
• Effective diagnosis and management require a focused history, differential diagnosis skills, and understanding of treatment protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

• To educate emergency medicine residents on the diagnosis and management of concurrent septic abortion and DIC.
• To enhance learners' ability to obtain focused histories, develop differential diagnoses, and manage complex obstetric emergencies.
• To improve understanding of laboratory findings and treatment strategies for DIC in the context of septic abortion.

Main Methods:

• High-fidelity medical simulation followed by a structured debriefing session utilizing advocacy-inquiry techniques.
• Learners practiced history taking, differential diagnosis, and management of septic abortion and DIC.
• Post-simulation surveys assessed learner feedback on the educational effectiveness of the scenario.

Main Results:

• The simulation effectively covered diagnosis, differential, and management of septic abortion and DIC.
• Thirteen of seventeen participants completed feedback, with most scores indicating high effectiveness.
• The scenario received overwhelmingly positive ratings, highlighting its value for resident education.

Conclusions:

• Medical simulation provides a cost-effective and adaptable method for teaching complex obstetric and hematologic emergencies.
• The scenario successfully prepared residents to manage patients with septic abortion and concurrent DIC.
• This educational approach can be modified for various learner levels and adapted for different assessment formats.