title: Uterine artery pseudoaneurysm hidden behind septic abortion: pseudoaneurysm without preceding procedure.
abstract: Uterine artery pseudoaneurysm (UAP) can occur after cesarean section or traumatic delivery, usually manifesting as postpartum hemorrhage. Here we report a patient with UAP possibly caused by septic abortion. She had high fever and bleeding with positive urine pregnancy test. We diagnosed this condition as septic abortion. Ultrasound revealed an intrauterine echogenic mass and color Doppler revealed swirling blood flow within the mass. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed a heterogeneously enhanced intrauterine mass. Selective internal iliac artery angiography revealed contrast medium within the mass immediately after medium injection. Bilateral uterine artery embolization was performed, after which medium no longer accumulated in the uterus, and hemostasis was achieved, confirming the diagnosis as UAP. Antibiotic treatment ameliorated the infection and the uterine content was expelled and absorbed. UAP can occur even without preceding procedures and may manifest abortive, and not postpartum, hemorrhage. UAP may be hidden behind septic abortion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakata
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Haruna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Hiroyasu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Mitsuaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000031:Abortion, Septic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D000328:Adult; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055988:Uterine Artery; D055357:Uterine Artery Embolization; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: abortion; color Doppler; embolization; septic abortion; uterine artery pseudoaneurysm