title: Transvaginal color doppler ultrasound in the conservative treatment and surveillance of three ectopic pregnancies.
abstract: We evaluated the role of transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound in the treatment and follow-up after transvaginal instillation of methotrexate in ectopic pregnancy. Three patients diagnosed with ectopic pregnancies were treated with a single 50 mg dose of methotrexate, transvaginally instilled, under direct color sonographic guidance. Inclusion criteria required a gestational age of less than 8 weeks, non-ruptured ectopic pregnancy, gestational sac of less than 4 cm, and compliant patient. b-hCG titers, gestational sac sizes, and Doppler flow waveform analyses were followed at regular intervals. All three patients had falling b-hCG titers, shrinkage of the gestational sacs, and normalization of Doppler flow waveform indices. Transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound appears to be an effective adjunct in the treatment and follow-up of ectopic pregnancies treated with transvaginal instillation of methotrexate.
authors.affiliation: Department of OB/GYN, Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Plancher
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Conway
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zalud
mesh_terms: D000019:Abortifacient Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods; D014621:Vagina
chemical_list: D000019:Abortifacient Agents; D008727:Methotrexate