title: Hemoperitoneum in pregnancy from a ruptured varix of broad ligament.
abstract: We present a case of a 31-year-old woman, gravida 4 para 1, pregnant at 33 + 2 weeks of gestational age with acute abdomen due to hemoperitoneum. Hemoperitoneum was suspected for non-specific symptoms such as acute abdominal pain, vomit, cardiotocography alterations and maternal acute anaemia. An emergency caesarean section was performed; 3 L of blood was present in abdomen. Careful exploration of the uterus, placenta, abdominal organs and vessels was negative; only a bleeding from a rupture in a varix of the left broad ligament was observed. Hemoperitoneum due to a ruptured uterine varix in pregnancy is a rare condition. The solution to prevent the development of maternal hypovolemic shock is an immediate surgical intervention. A good foetal prognosis principally depends from gestational age and from good hemodynamic maternal conditions.
authors.affiliation: Mother-Infant Department, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Del Pozzo 71, Modena, Italy. sgiulini@unimore.it
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giulini
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zanin
authors.forename: Annibale
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Volpe
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D001956:Broad Ligament / Q000098:blood supply*; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D006465:Hemoperitoneum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery