Ultrasound Imaging of Acquired Myometrial Pseudoaneurysm: The Role of Manipulators as an Unusual Cause during Laparoscopic Surgery

An acquired uterine artery myometrial pseudoaneurysm can occur due to inflammation, trauma, or iatrogenic causes, such as surgical procedures, and can lead to profuse bleeding. The efficacy of uterine manipulators in gynecological surgery, particularly as a cause of a pseudoaneurysm, has been poorly discussed in the literature. In this paper, we discuss a case of a 39-year-old woman with profuse uterine bleeding that occurred seven days after operative laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis. The color Doppler ultrasound better evoked the arterial-like turbulent blood flow inside this cavity. These sonographic features were highly suggestive of uterine artery pseudoaneurysm, presumably related to a secondary trauma caused by the manipulator. The diagnosis was subsequently re-confirmed by angiography, and the patient was treated conservatively with uterine artery embolization. Ultrasound has been shown to be a valuable and safe tool for imaging pseudoaneurysm and guiding subsequent interventional procedures. Accordingly, we briefly review the most suitable manipulators used in benign gynecological surgeries to verify if the different types in use can guide the surgeon towards the correct choice according to surgical needs and thus prevent potentially dangerous trauma.

Uterine artery pseudoaneurysm after treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy: a case report

Background Pseudoaneurysms are formed when a local arterial wall ruptures, leading to hemorrhage and hematoma adjacent to the artery. Continuous perfusion of the injured artery increases the pressure in the lumen of the pseudoaneurysm. It may rupture and lead to massive hemorrhage that could be life-threatening. Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is an ectopic pregnancy where the gestational sac is implanted in the cesarean scar. Uterine artery pseudoaneurysm (UAP) after CSP treatment is rare. Case presentation We report the case of a 36-year-old Chinese woman who presented with acute massive vaginal bleeding 53 days after transabdominal scar pregnancy excision. Doppler ultrasound confirmed UAP. Selective uterine artery embolization (UAE) failed because of the thin and curved blood vessels. The lesion decreased in size after transvaginal ultrasound-guided direct thrombin injection (UGTI); however, massive vaginal bleeding recurred and endangered the patient’s life. The uterus was removed thereafter. Conclusions UAP is a rare complication after CSP treatment that can lead to fatal massive hemorrhage. Ultrasound should be reexamined regularly after treatment of CSP. In case of unexplained vaginal bleeding, we should be alert to the existence of UAP and the possibility of rupture and take effective diagnosis and treatment measures promptly.

Pseudoaneurysm of the uterine artery post loop electrosurgical excision procedure

Background The formation of a uterine artery pseudoaneurysm is rare and isolated cases have been reported in the existing literature following caesarean sections, curettages and cone biopsies. There has been no report of pseudoaneurysm formation following a loop electrosurgical excision procedure. Vaginal bleeding could potentially be life threatening if this diagnosis is not considered following cervical instrumentation or surgery. Management options range from haemostatic sutures, image-guided embolisation to surgical repair. We report the diagnosis and management of a case of uterine artery pseudoaneurysm after a loop electrosurgical excision procedure. Case presentation A 37-year-old woman was diagnosed with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN3) and underwent a therapeutic loop electrosurgical excision procedure. One month after the procedure, the patient presented to the emergency department with repeated episodes of sudden-onset heavy vaginal bleeding associated with hypotension and syncope. A computed tomography angiogram was performed, which demonstrated a pseudoaneurysm of the right uterine artery. Following the diagnosis, image-guided embolisation was performed successfully. Post-embolisation angiograms showed successful embolisation of the pseudoaneurysm and the patient had no further episodes of bleeding. Conclusions Loop electrosurgical excision procedures are generally safe but rarely, can be complicated by the formation of uterine artery pseudoaneurysms. The depth of the loop electrosurgical excision procedure and vascular anatomy should be considered to prevent such complications. A computed tomography angiogram appears to be ideal for diagnosis. Image-guided embolisation is safe and effective as a therapeutic measure, with minimal morbidity.

Overview of Neo-Vascular Lesions after Delivery or Miscarriage

The concept of intrauterine neo-vascular lesions after pregnancy, initially called placental polyps, has changed gradually. Now, based on diagnostic imaging, such lesions are defined as retained products of conception (RPOC) with vascularization. The lesions appear after delivery or miscarriage, and they are accompanied by frequent abundant vascularization in the myometrium attached to the remnant. Many of these vascular lesions have been reported to resolve spontaneously within a few months. Acquired arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) must be considered in the differential diagnosis of RPOC with vascularization. AVMs are errors of morphogenesis. The lesions start to be constructed at the time of placenta formation. These lesions do not show spontaneous regression. Although these two lesions are recognized as neo-vascular lesions, neo-vascular lesions on imaging may represent conditions other than these two lesions (e.g., peritrophoblastic flow, uterine artery pseudoaneurysm, and villous-derived malignancies). Detecting vasculature at the placenta–myometrium interface and classifying vascular diseases according to hemodynamics in the remnant would facilitate the development of specific treatments.