Heterotopic Pregnancy with Ipsilateral Adnexal Cyst Causing a Diagnostic Dilemma: A Case Report

Hale Teka,1 Awol Yemane,1 Mebrihit Gebremeskel,2 Birhanu A Kinfe,3 Sara Kiros,3 Mizan Kidanu4 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia; 2Department of Radiology, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Tigray...

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Main Authors: Teka H, Yemane A, Gebremeskel M, Kinfe BA, Kiros S, Kidanu M
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2023-01-01
Series:International Medical Case Reports Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/heterotopic-pregnancy-with-ipsilateral-adnexal-cyst-causing-a-diagnost-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IMCRJ
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author Teka H
Yemane A
Gebremeskel M
Kinfe BA
Kiros S
Kidanu M
author_facet Teka H
Yemane A
Gebremeskel M
Kinfe BA
Kiros S
Kidanu M
author_sort Teka H
collection DOAJ
description Hale Teka,1 Awol Yemane,1 Mebrihit Gebremeskel,2 Birhanu A Kinfe,3 Sara Kiros,3 Mizan Kidanu4 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia; 2Department of Radiology, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia; 3Department of Pathology, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia; 4Department of Surgery, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Tigray, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Hale Teka, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O. Box: 1871, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia, Email haleteka@gmail.comBackground: Heterotopic pregnancy is the coexistence of intrauterine and extrauterine (ectopic) pregnancies. This is a relatively rare phenomenon with an incidence of 1 in 30,000 in spontaneously conceived pregnancies and 1 in 100 pregnancies achieved through assisted reproduction. Due to its relative rarity, diagnosis can be challenging. The presence of adnexal cystic masses complicating pregnancies can obscure the examination of the pelvis to rule in/out heterotopic pregnancy further adding to the complexity of the diagnosis.Case Presentation: In this study, we present a 26-year-old primigravid, ethnic Tigrayan lady from the Tigray region of Ethiopia. She presented to our hospital with the complaint of progressively worsening abdominal pain of three days duration. She also had a subjective period of amenorrhea of 2 months duration. Pregnancy test was positive a few days prior to her current presentation. She reported that she had a history of treatment for pelvic inflammatory disease three months prior to her current conception. At presentation to our hospital, she was acutely ill-looking in pain, tachycardic, and hypotensive. Pelvic ultrasound showed an adnexal mass, hemoperitoneum, and an intrauterine pregnancy at 7 weeks + 5 days gestation. With the impression of ruptured ovarian cyst to rule out heterotopic pregnancy emergency, an explorative laparotomy was done which was pertinent for significant hemoperitoneum, ruptured left tubal ectopic pregnancy, and intact left ovarian cyst.Conclusion: Physicians should consider a broad range of differential diagnosis in pregnant mothers who present with acute abdominal pain. Moreover, in the presence of an adnexal mass and hemoperitoneum, there is a need to maintain a low threshold for rare but life-threatening complications such as heterotopic pregnancy. The presence of an intrauterine gestation does not rule out extrauterine gestation. Thus, the presence of a viable intrauterine gestation should not stop physicians from carefully examining patients for the coexistence of an ectopic pregnancy.Keywords: heterotopic pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, adnexal cyst, diagnostic dilemma, case report
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spelling doaj.art-ae89bedd2a5044d7994c1a0d5a50fa6b2023-01-10T18:24:31ZengDove Medical PressInternational Medical Case Reports Journal1179-142X2023-01-01Volume 16273480885Heterotopic Pregnancy with Ipsilateral Adnexal Cyst Causing a Diagnostic Dilemma: A Case ReportTeka HYemane AGebremeskel MKinfe BAKiros SKidanu MHale Teka,1 Awol Yemane,1 Mebrihit Gebremeskel,2 Birhanu A Kinfe,3 Sara Kiros,3 Mizan Kidanu4 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia; 2Department of Radiology, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia; 3Department of Pathology, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia; 4Department of Surgery, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Tigray, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Hale Teka, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O. Box: 1871, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia, Email haleteka@gmail.comBackground: Heterotopic pregnancy is the coexistence of intrauterine and extrauterine (ectopic) pregnancies. This is a relatively rare phenomenon with an incidence of 1 in 30,000 in spontaneously conceived pregnancies and 1 in 100 pregnancies achieved through assisted reproduction. Due to its relative rarity, diagnosis can be challenging. The presence of adnexal cystic masses complicating pregnancies can obscure the examination of the pelvis to rule in/out heterotopic pregnancy further adding to the complexity of the diagnosis.Case Presentation: In this study, we present a 26-year-old primigravid, ethnic Tigrayan lady from the Tigray region of Ethiopia. She presented to our hospital with the complaint of progressively worsening abdominal pain of three days duration. She also had a subjective period of amenorrhea of 2 months duration. Pregnancy test was positive a few days prior to her current presentation. She reported that she had a history of treatment for pelvic inflammatory disease three months prior to her current conception. At presentation to our hospital, she was acutely ill-looking in pain, tachycardic, and hypotensive. Pelvic ultrasound showed an adnexal mass, hemoperitoneum, and an intrauterine pregnancy at 7 weeks + 5 days gestation. With the impression of ruptured ovarian cyst to rule out heterotopic pregnancy emergency, an explorative laparotomy was done which was pertinent for significant hemoperitoneum, ruptured left tubal ectopic pregnancy, and intact left ovarian cyst.Conclusion: Physicians should consider a broad range of differential diagnosis in pregnant mothers who present with acute abdominal pain. Moreover, in the presence of an adnexal mass and hemoperitoneum, there is a need to maintain a low threshold for rare but life-threatening complications such as heterotopic pregnancy. The presence of an intrauterine gestation does not rule out extrauterine gestation. Thus, the presence of a viable intrauterine gestation should not stop physicians from carefully examining patients for the coexistence of an ectopic pregnancy.Keywords: heterotopic pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, adnexal cyst, diagnostic dilemma, case reporthttps://www.dovepress.com/heterotopic-pregnancy-with-ipsilateral-adnexal-cyst-causing-a-diagnost-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IMCRJheterotopic pregnancyectopic pregnancyadnexal cystdiagnostic dilemmacase report
spellingShingle Teka H
Yemane A
Gebremeskel M
Kinfe BA
Kiros S
Kidanu M
Heterotopic Pregnancy with Ipsilateral Adnexal Cyst Causing a Diagnostic Dilemma: A Case Report
International Medical Case Reports Journal
heterotopic pregnancy
ectopic pregnancy
adnexal cyst
diagnostic dilemma
case report
title Heterotopic Pregnancy with Ipsilateral Adnexal Cyst Causing a Diagnostic Dilemma: A Case Report
title_full Heterotopic Pregnancy with Ipsilateral Adnexal Cyst Causing a Diagnostic Dilemma: A Case Report
title_fullStr Heterotopic Pregnancy with Ipsilateral Adnexal Cyst Causing a Diagnostic Dilemma: A Case Report
title_full_unstemmed Heterotopic Pregnancy with Ipsilateral Adnexal Cyst Causing a Diagnostic Dilemma: A Case Report
title_short Heterotopic Pregnancy with Ipsilateral Adnexal Cyst Causing a Diagnostic Dilemma: A Case Report
title_sort heterotopic pregnancy with ipsilateral adnexal cyst causing a diagnostic dilemma a case report
topic heterotopic pregnancy
ectopic pregnancy
adnexal cyst
diagnostic dilemma
case report
url https://www.dovepress.com/heterotopic-pregnancy-with-ipsilateral-adnexal-cyst-causing-a-diagnost-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IMCRJ
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AT gebremeskelm heterotopicpregnancywithipsilateraladnexalcystcausingadiagnosticdilemmaacasereport
AT kinfeba heterotopicpregnancywithipsilateraladnexalcystcausingadiagnosticdilemmaacasereport
AT kiross heterotopicpregnancywithipsilateraladnexalcystcausingadiagnosticdilemmaacasereport
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