Summary
Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 1999;21(8):465-470
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031999000800007
SUMMARY Objective: to evaluate the inclusion parameters in the selection of cases of (tubal) ectopic pregnancy for expectant management and to assess the results. Methods: a prospective study was carried out in 70 patients with unruptured (tubal) ectopic pregnancy, with the objective to carry out an expectant management. The main inclusion criteria in this study were the diameter of the tubal mass, that should be equal or inferior to 5,0 cm, reduced titles of beta-hCG (beta fraction of the chorionic gonadotropic hormone) as compared to the initial value within an interval of 48 h, hemodynamic stability, wishes for future pregnancy and a written permission to participate in the study. All patients were observed in the hospital and when reduction in beta-hCG titles was observed, the patients were discharged from the hospital and followed in the outpatient department, with weekly determinations of beta-hCG until levels lower than 5 mIU/ml were reached, that were considered successful. Results: of the 70 patients who underwent expectant management, only one needed a surgical intervention, because of tubal rupture. The initial values of beta-hCG of the patients ranged from 27 mIU/ml to 41,000 mIU/ml. The average diameter of the tubal mass was 2.9 cm. The presence of free liquid in the peritoneal cavity was observed in 50 patients, small amount in 26 patients, moderate in 16 and large in 8 patients. The ultrasonographic resolution of hematosalpinx occurred in 58 patients and tubal ring was visualized in 12 patients. On color Doppler, 52 were at low risk and 18 at medium risk. Conclusions: the expectant management should be applied with safety in the cases that respect the inclusion criteria, the index of success of this study being 98.6%.
Summary
Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 1999;21(10):611-615
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031999001000009
Term abdominal pregnancy with live fetus is an obstetrical rarity with high fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality. The authors present a case of abdominal pregnancy in a 43-year-old woman. The diagnosis was made only at term (37 weeks) by clinical findings and echography. Exploratory laparotomy was performed and a living female newborn weighing 2,570 g was extracted. Apgar scores were 3, 6 and 8 at the 1st, 5th and 10th minutes, respectively. Placenta was inserted in the omentum and was removed without complications. Postoperative course was uneventful and both mother and child were discharged healthy.
Summary
Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2004;26(9):741-743
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032004000900011
Ectopic pregnancy is the implantation and development of the ovum outside the uterine cavity; it needs a quick diagnosis and an urgent treatment. The presence of the corpus luteum in the ovary that is contralateral to the ectopic pregnancy is presumptive evidence for ovum transmigration, which may be the cause of ectopic pregnancy. In 1994, a multinational clinical trial proved the superiority of levonorgestrel over the existing emergency contraceptive products. In the present study, we describe the case of a 27-year-old woman with ectopic pregnancy and a contralateral corpus luteum after use of hormonal emergency contraception (levonorgestrel), because of failure of the used contraception method (condom). The patient was treated with laparoscopic surgery that was successful.
Summary
Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2004;26(6):471-475
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032004000600008
OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the correlation between the beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) serum levels and the measurement of the endometrial thickness, in patients under treatment of ectopic pregnancy with methotrexate. METHODS: a prospective study in which the levels of beta-hCG as well as the largest measurement of the endometrial thickness on the uterine longitudinal axis through transvaginal ultrasound were evaluated at 24-48 h intervals in thirty-eight patients with hemodynamic stability, ectopic pregnancy, diameter <3.5 cm, and increased beta-hCG levels. All the patients got methotrexate in a single-dose therapy (50 mg/m² im). We compared the mean values of beta-hCG and endometrial thickness of cases that evolved successfully versus the poor responders using the Student t-test. Afterwards we analyzed the difference of the beta-hCG mean serum values related to the endometrial thickness(<10.0 mm and >10.0 mm) independently of the response to treatment employing the Student t-test. RESULTS: the mean values of beta-hCG and endometrial thickness in patients with successful treatment (28 cases) were 1936.2 mIU/ml and 6.4 mm, respectively, significanlty lower than the mean values for insuccessful cases: 6831.3 mIU/ml and 11.7 mm, respectively (p<0.05). The mean values of beta-hCG in women with endometrial thickness <10.0 mm were 2008.7 mIU/ml, significantly lower than the ones with endometrium >10.0 mm, whose mean values were 6925.9 mIU/ml (<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: the measurement of the endometrial thickness through ultrasound is under the beta-hCG serum values influence, and it showed to be a valuable additional factor to suggest medical treatment with methotrexate in the non-disrupted ectopic pregnancy.
Summary
Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2002;24(5):309-313
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032002000500004
Purpose: to evaluate the importance of endometrial thickness measurement as an orienting factor for the clinical treatment of unruptured tubal pregnancy. Method: longitudinal observational study, in which the greatest measure of the endometrial thickness was evaluated in millimeters, in the uterine longitudinal axis, through transvaginal ultrasonography. Our study group included 181 patients, all of them respecting the utilization criteria for the clinical treatment (expectant or medicated with methotrexate). Through Student's t test we evaluated the difference between the average thickness of the cases who presented successful results with the treatment and the average of those who failed. Results: the average endometrial thickness of the patients who presented successful results with the medical treatment (31 cases) was 6.4 mm, while the average in the cases of failure was 11.5 mm. These results were significantly different. The average thickness of the successful group with expectant management (128 cases) was 9.0 mm, while the average of those who failed was 9.6 mm. These values were not statistically different. Conclusions: the greatest measure of the endometrial thickness of the uterine longitudinal axis through transvaginal ultrasonography proved to be valuable as a new orienting factor for the medical treatment of patients with a diagnosis of unruptured tubal pregnancy. It may become a useful and auxiliary tool for the recommendation of the use of methotrexate. On the other hand, thickness did not show to be useful as an orienting factor for establishing expectant management.