title: Evaluation during early puerperium of the low transverse incision after cesarean section through vaginal ultrasonography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed in order to determine the criteria of the natural healing of the low transverse cesarean incision through vaginal ultrasonography.
  
  
  METHODS
  The uterine wound was examined with a vaginal scanner (5.5-7 MHz) in 75 asymptomatic patients with a normal postoperative course three days after the cesarean section. We compared our findings with those obtained in 21 patients with a complicated post-cesarean course.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The uterine incision was identified as an oval, centrally located region between the bladder and the uterus. In 18 of the 75 cases, a hypoechoic area with indistinct limits, almost rounded and with a diameter of smaller than 1.5 cm in all cases was determined in the incision site. Possibly all these cases represented small hematomas or serous collections, with no clinical importance. Four of the 21 symptomatic patients had bladder flap or uterine incision hematomas. These were large (> 2 cm in all cases) hypoechoic areas inside or around the transverse incision site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The low transverse cesarean incision in the uterus can be visualized sonographically with a vaginal scanner and normal postoperative changes can be recognized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Ger
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koutsougeras
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Karamanidis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chimonis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gottas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Polydorou
authors.forename: Ch
authors.initials: Ch
authors.lastname: Elmazis
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chatzidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D019160:Endosonography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*