title: Placenta percreta: a review of literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Placenta percreta is a very rare but serious complication of pregnancy. Diagnosis is difficult. Uterine perforation and invasion into adjacent organs makes life threatening haemmorrhage inevitable. Management is usually based on intraoperative findings from case reports.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature on clinical decisions, diagnostic and treatment modalities were critically reviewed using PUBMED and MEDLINE computerized search. Additional Information was also obtained by cross referencing, texts and journals in the medical library of University of Nigeria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the literature was from developed countries with very little report from our environment. There was lack of comprehensive management plan in most textbooks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rare complications are usually very difficult to manage due to lack of experience. It is thus important to identify the patients at risk, attempt to make antenatal diagnosis and involve experienced obstetricians in management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: U I
authors.initials: UI
authors.lastname: Nwagha
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Okaro
authors.forename: T U
authors.initials: TU
authors.lastname: Nwagha
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010921:Placenta Accreta / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy