Cesarean scar pregnancy – a retrospective analysis of cases in the years 2012–2021

Overview

Introduction: With the increasing number of caesarean sections, the number of cesarean scar pregnancies (CSP) is also increasing. This is a relatively new entity of an ectopic pregnancy, which is risky mainly because of its possible association with placenta accreta spectrum. CSP is thought to represent about 6% of the total number of ectopic pregnancies in all women who have a history of at least one caesarean section. The estimated incidence of CSP is about 1/1,688 of all pregnancies and about 1/2,000 of all caesarean sections. Material and methods: Retrospective analysis of individual cases of cesarean scar pregnancies managed in our health care facility in the years 2012–2021. Results: In total, we managed 16 cases of pregnancy in the caesarean scar in 15 women. In one woman, we recorded CSP twice. The mean age of the women was 36.6 years (27–41). The mean number of caesarean sections was 1.6 (1–3) and gestational week was 7 (4–10). The average time since the caesarean section was 3.6 years (2–11). The management was methotrexate administration once, hysteroscopic resection once and 11times primarily vacuum aspiration only, when in two cases we had to attach laparoscopic uterine artery ligation due to postoperative bleeding. We performed primary ligature of uterine arteries twice before performing vacuum aspiration. In pregnancies above 10 weeks of gestation, we observed more bleeding complications requiring surgical management. Bleeding complications were also related to the presence of fetal cardiac action. Conclusion: Early correct dia­gnosis is essential in the management of CSP. Pregnancies up to the 10th week of gestation are managed by simple vacuum aspirations under ultrasound guidance. If the pregnancy is over the 10th week of gestation and especially with cardiac activity, we add laparoscopic uterine artery ligation before vacuum aspiration. All patients are subsequently advised to undergo laparoscopic resuturing of the lower uterine segment.

Keywords:

Methotrexate – ultrasound – cesarean scar pregnancy – vacuum aspiration – uterine artery ligation