title: Amniotic fluid 'sludge' detected in patients with subchorionic hematoma: a report of two cases.
abstract: Amniotic fluid 'sludge' is defined as the presence of dense aggregates of particulate matter in close proximity to the internal cervical os. It is of clinical significance in asymptomatic patients at high risk for spontaneous delivery, and in patients with preterm labor and intact membranes. Subchorionic hematoma is another ultrasound finding that is associated with a higher incidence of threatened miscarriage and preterm delivery. We report two cases of occurrence of amniotic fluid sludge in patients with previously detected large subchorionic hematoma. In the first case subchorionic hematoma and amniotic fluid sludge were detected by ultrasonography at 13 + 1 and 18 + 6 weeks' gestation, respectively, followed by preterm premature rupture of membranes, placental abruption and emergency Cesarean section. In the second case subchorionic hematoma and amniotic fluid sludge were detected by ultrasound at 11 + 3 and 15 + 5 weeks' gestation, respectively, followed by miscarriage with histological chorioamnionitis. The coincidence of subchorionic hematoma and amniotic fluid sludge in these cases points to a possible connection between these two significant ultrasound findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita City, Osaka, Japan. ekaterinet@hotmail.com
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tskitishvili
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomimatsu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanagawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kinugasa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mimura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*