Placenta Accreta: A Case Series and Literature Review / 日本農村医学会雑誌

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders may lead to massive postpartum hemorrhage but optimal treatment strategies have yet to be determined. This retrospective analysis involved 35 cases of PAS that occurred at our hospital between January 2014 and November 2021. Mean maternal age was 37 (21-43) years and 8 pregnancies were the result of assisted reproductive therapy. Fifteen patients had placenta previa, 12 had a history of cesarean delivery, and one had a history of PAS. Mean gestational age was 36 (26-41) weeks. Twenty deliveries were by cesarean section and 15 were vaginal deliveries. Mean blood loss was 2,970 (300-14,727) mL. Nine patients were treated by manual placenta removal, one of whom had a delayed hysterectomy because of bleeding. Eleven patients were treated by cesarean hysterectomy and 2 were treated by curettage. Thirteen patients were treated by conservative management, and in 3 of them, treatment was changed to curettage, abdominal placenta resection, or hysterectomy because of vaginal bleeding or intrauterine infection. Four patients thought to have PAS before delivery were treated by cesarean hysterectomy and the amount of bleeding was not severe. Conservative treatment for placenta accreta was successful in 10 patients (77%), and the uterus could be preserved in 12 women (92%). In cases thought to be PAS before delivery, if the placenta is not removed, cesarean hysterectomy should be selected. Conservative management tends to be selected in cases of PAS when the main part of the placenta can be removed. However, in cases of life-threatening hemorrhage or infection, clinicians might need to perform peripartum hysterectomy or uterine artery embolization when bleeding or infection occurs. Therefore, clinicians should obtain informed consent for such treatment in advance.

Renal Prognosis and Pregnancy Management in 4 Pregnancies Complicated by Renal Disease / 日本農村医学会雑誌

Pregnant women with renal disease are at high risk of perinatal complications and renal impairment. Here, we report the outcomes of 4 pregnancies complicated by renal disease diagnosed during pregnancy and the puerperal period. Case 1: Urine test had been positive for protein from 8 weeks of pregnancy, and chronic kidney disease stage G4 was diagnosed at 25 weeks of pregnancy. Renal impairment worsened over time, and cesarean section was performed due to non-reassuring fetal status at 32 weeks of pregnancy. Case 2: Urine test had been positive for protein since before pregnancy, and chronic glomerulonephritis was diagnosed at 15 weeks of pregnancy. Gradual impairment of renal function started at 31 weeks of pregnancy, and the patient had a vaginal delivery at 37 weeks of pregnancy. Case 3: Urine test had been positive for protein since before pregnancy, and hypertension and urine protein were observed since around 26 weeks of pregnancy. Cesarean section was performed due to acute renal failure at 36 weeks of pregnancy. Chronic glomerulonephritis was suspected after childbirth. Case 4: Blood pressure became uncontrollable beginning around 28 weeks of pregnancy, and cesarean section was performed due to sudden worsening of hepatic and renal functions at 31 weeks of pregnancy. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease was diagnosed after childbirth. Pregnancies complicated by renal disease need to be managed carefully with monitoring of blood pressure and renal function. Cooperation with a renal specialist is crucial throughout the perinatal and puerperal periods.

A Case of Ureteral Endometriosis That Developed 5 Years After Laparoscopic Adnexectomy / 日本農村医学会雑誌

We report a case of ureteral endometriosis thought to have developed following relapse of pelvic peritoneal endometriosis after laparoscopic surgery. The patient was a woman in her late 40s who had undergone laparoscopic right adnexectomy for an endometrial cyst 5 years earlier. Electrocoagulation was performed for residual endometriosis of adherent cyst wall on the right sacrouterine ligament. The normal left ovary was preserved and she received no postoperative hormonal therapy. She developed right back pain during menstruation 5 years after the surgery. Pyeloureterography revealed stenosis of the ureter to the right of the uterus. Urinary cytology revealed endometrial cells with no atypia. Conservative management was opted for because malignant transformation of endometriosis was considered unlikely and she was expected to reach menopause within a few years. She is now doing well 24 months after initiation of progestin treatment with placement of a ureteral stent. Postoperative hormonal therapy is recommended for patients who are considered to have possible lesions of residual endometriosis and for whom ovarian function is preserved.

Preventive Effect of Neutral Positioning of Both Arms on Malposition-Related Hand Numbness after Gynecological Laparoscopic Surgery / 日本農村医学会雑誌

　　This retrospective study was carried out to clarify the preventive effect of neutral positioning of both arms on upper extremity neuropathy after gynecological laparoscopic surgery compared with right arm abduction positioning. In 93 cases of right arm abduction positioning >90°, with the left arm tucked in at the side, postoperative right hand numbness occurred in 6 cases (6.5%). In these 6 cases, symptoms disappeared in 4 cases after postoperative day (POD) 1, in 1 case after POD 21, and in the remaining case after POD 41. In 81 cases where both arms were in the neutral position tucked in at the sides with shoulder braces applied, upper extremity numbness was not experienced in any cases; however, shoulder pain developed in 4 cases (4.9%) and was thought to be related to using the shoulder braces. The pain disappeared in 2 cases after POD 1, in 1 case after POD 2, and in the remaining case after POD 3. In right arm abduction positioning without the use of shoulder braces, shoulder pain was not experienced in any cases. Neutral positioning of both arms in gynecological laparoscopic surgical patients was effective for the prevention of upper extremity neuropathy, but measures to alleviate the onset of shoulder pain after change in positioning need to be addressed in the future.

Vaginal Double Circular Incision-Closure Method: A New Technique for Vaginal Cuff Dehiscence after Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy / 日本農村医学会雑誌

　　We report a case of vaginal cuff dehiscence after total laparoscopic hysterectomy that was successfully managed by a newly developed vaginal double-layer circular incision-closure method through a transvaginal approach. The nulligravid postmenopausal patient with cervical cancer received a diagnosis of vaginal evisceration on postoperative day 24. The eviscerated small intestine was pushed back after vaginal douching with normal saline before the procedure. The vaginal mucosa was incised circularly in two layers at the levels of 10 mm and 15 mm from the vaginal stump, and the edges apposed with double-layer closures. She was discharged on postoperative day 3 and followed up for 5 years, with no recurrence of cancer or vaginal dehiscence. This operative method is especially useful for a nulligravida with a small vagina.

Utility of Dynamic CT in the Management of Laparoscopic Port-site Hematoma / 日本農村医学会雑誌

　　We report a case of subcutaneous port-site hematoma developed on day 6 after laparoscopic left-sided salpingooophorectomy. To start the procedure, three ports were placed in the umbilicus and in each lower quadrant using bladeless trocars. No bleeding was observed at the trocar sites after insertion or withdrawal. The patient was discharged on postoperative day (POD) 3, but returned to the emergency outpatient department with acute left lower abdominal pain on POD 6. Dynamic CT revealed a port-site hematoma with active bleeding from a subcutaneous artery. Hemostasis was achieved easily by opening the trocar wound. Dynamic CT was useful to locate the bleeding vessel and enabled use of a minimally invasive procedure to control bleeding.