[Clinical study on 67 cases with uterine rupture].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence, etiology, diagnosis, treatment and outcome of uterus rupture. METHODS: From January 1999 to May 2013, clinical data of 67 cases with uterine rupture in Woman's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University were studied retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 67 cases of uterine rupture with 21(+2)-39(+2) gestational weeks out of 128 599 deliveries were recorded giving an incidence of uterine rupture was 0.052 1% (67/128 599) . Cesarean scar rupture were found in 59 cases (88%, 59/67) and noncesarean scar rupture were found in 8 cases (12%, 8/67). The causes of uterine rupture include 60 cases of scar uterus (59 cesarean scar cases and 1 myomyectomy scar case), 2 cases of assisted delivery operation trauma, 2 cases of malformed uterus, 3 cases of unknown causes (all with artificial abortion history).Non obstructive dystocia and improper oxytocin use were found to be related with uterine rupture.Fifty-two cases of cesarean scar spontaneous incomplete rupture were found and repaired during repeated cesarean delivery without maternal and fetal complications. The remaining 15 cases need emergency rescue operation for fetal distress or dead fetus, severe acute abdomen, prepartum or postpartum vaginal bleeding even maternal hypovolemia; 6/15 uterine rupture cases were diagnosed with the history, clinical symptoms and signs, 3/15 cases with ultrasonic found dead fetus in the peritoneal cavity before exploratory laparotomy and 6 cases were diagnosed just during laparotomy.Hysterectomy was done in 10/15 cases and uterine repair in 5/15 cases; there was no maternal death and 12 perinatal fetal death (5 cases of mid-late pregnancy termination for deformed fetus) of the 15 uterine rupture cases.One case with hysterectomy was complicated with stress pancreatitis and dysfunction of liver and kidney and discharged 20 days after operation, the remaining 14 cases were discharged 5-7 days postpartum.One case with repaired malformed uterus got pregnancy 4 years later and delivered a 2 000 g healthy baby by cesarean section at gestational age of 33(+4) weeks. CONCLUSION: Uterine scar caused by caesarean section or other operations became the leading cause of uterine rupture, assisted delivery operations, history of intrauterine manipulation and uterine malformations were the predisposing risk factors of uterine rupture.

Uterine rupture and subsequent pregnancy outcome--how safe is it? A 25-year study.

OBJECTIVES: (a) To review the cases of ruptured uterus over the last 25 years and analyze the causative factors with a view to its prevention (b) To analyze subsequent pregnancy outcome with a view to its safety. METHOD: The case notes were reviewed for all patients with ruptured uterus over a period of 25 years from January 1982 to January 2007. Relevant dates relating to the characteristics of labor, delivery, maternal, perinatal, and subsequent pregnancy outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: The incidence of ruptured uteri was calculated to be 0.03%. Total deliveries included in the study were 152,426. There were 46 cases of ruptured uteri and 44 were available for study. Twenty-two (52%) ruptured uteri occurred in patients with previous caesarean scars, of which 10 occurred in women with previous four or more caesarean sections. In 12 cases (27%), uterine rupture occurred due to oxytocin; PGE2 and oxytocin were used in 3 of these 12 cases. Two (4.5%) ruptures occurred due to non-removal of cervical cerclage during labor. Two (4.5%) primigravidae ruptured their uterus following road traffic accident, resulting in maternal and fetal deaths. Malpresentation in labor resulted in eight (18%) ruptures. Rupture occurred at the fundus in 10 cases and in the lower segment in the remaining 34. Fetal heart abnormalities were observed in all cases in which the uterus ruptured during labor. Abdominal hysterectomy was performed in 20 cases (45%) of which 13 were subtotal and 7 (10%) were total. Of the remaining 24 (55%) patients, 10 had suture repair and in addition 14 patients underwent hypogastric artery ligation. Later, 22/24 (92%) women became pregnant. Twenty (91%) were delivered by planned caesarean section. There were no maternal or fetal complications. The remaining two women had previous classical scar, undetected malpresentation, and sparse antenatal care. Their uteri ruptured spontaneously at 32 and 35 weeks at home. They died intra-operatively due to intractable hemorrhage along with their fetus. CONCLUSION: In the previous caesarean section, the indiscriminate use of oxytocin and malpresentation are the risk factors for uterine rupture. Child birth after uterine rupture is not to be recommended routinely. Most women with a previous uterine rupture with meticulous tertiary level antenatal care had a favorable outcome in subsequent pregnancies.