Out-of-hospital diagnosis of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy: myometrial embryo implantation, an exceptional diagnosis.
Prehospital Emergency Care · 2010-01-01 · Case report
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Ultrasonography (US) could be used in emergency out-of-hospital settings to diagnose abdominal hemorrhage. OBJECTIVES: To report the diagnosis by US of a suspected case of ruptured ectopic pregnancy despite a supposedly in utero pregnancy. CASE REPORT: A mobile intensive care unit with an emergency physician on board was sent out to a 22-year-old woman suffering from acute abdominal pain. On the previous day, an 11-week pregnancy had been diagnosed and the pelvic US images were reported to be "normal." Physical examination revealed that the patient was in shock. Point-of-care US detected an intraperitoneal effusion and suspected uterine rupture. Emergency laparotomy revealed an 11- or 12-week intra-abdominal pregnancy with uterine rupture due to myometrial implantation of the embryo. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound is a helpful tool in emergency care, particularly in out-of-hospital settings. An earlier "normal" US examination cannot definitively exclude uterine rupture.