Current concepts of management of rupture of the gravid uterus

Fifteen cases are reported of spontaneous rupture of the gravid uterus occurring at the Naval Regional Medical Center (NRMC), Portsmouth, Virginia, over a 21-year period. Forty-seven percent of the patients had previously undergone a cesarean section. Thirteen percent of the patients had received oxytocin prior to the rupture. Fetal mortality associated with these ruptures was 13%. No maternal deaths occurred. Forty percent of the patients had repair of the defect, with 60% undergoing some type of hysterectomy. Preventive measures, early diagnosis, and prompt treatment are emphasized.