Ruptured ectopic pregnancy presenting 3 years after supracervical hysterectomy.
An ectopic pregnancy after a hysterectomy is a rare event, with about 40 reported cases since it was first identified by Wendeler in 1895. There are even fewer cases reported of an ectopic pregnancy occurring years after a hysterectomy has been performed. This case illustrates the sonographic and computed tomographic (CT) findings in the setting of abdominal pain in a woman of childbearing age and highlights the need to obtain a urine pregnancy test as part of the workup for abdominal pain in women, even if a history of a hysterectomy has been given. Many providers may automatically exclude an ectopic pregnancy as a possibility in the aforementioned clinical scenario if the patient has a history of a hysterectomy. Such automatic exclusion may result in life-threatening consequences.
Babikian
Sarkis
S
Department of Radiology, Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. s8sbabikian@usuhs.mil
Thoma
David C
DC
Berkey
Bryan D
BD
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000290:Adnexa Uteri / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006465:Hemoperitoneum / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal / Q000379:methods; D035583:Rare Diseases; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D003287:Contrast Media; D006454:Hemoglobins