The natural history of pregnancy-related enhanced myometrial vascularity following miscarriage
File(s)EMV Submitted Final.docx (107.18 KB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Our primary aim was to report the incidence of enhanced myometrial vascularity (EMV) in consecutive women following first trimester miscarriage who attended our early pregnancy assessment unit. We further aimed to evaluate the clinical presentation, and complications associated with the condition. METHODS: A prospective cohort study conducted in a London teaching hospital between June 2015 and June 2018. Consecutive patients with an observation of EMV by transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) were included. The diagnosis was made following the subjective identification of EMV using color Doppler ultrasonography and a peak systolic velocity (PSV) ≥20cm/sec within the collection of vessels. Women were followed up with repeat scans every 14 days. Management was expectant unless intervention was indicated because of excessive or prolonged bleeding, the persistent presence of retained tissue in the endometrial cavity or patient choice. The final clinical outcome was recorded. Time to resolution was defined as the date of EMV detection until resolution was observed. The time to cessation of symptoms was also documented. RESULTS: Forty patients were diagnosed with EMV during the study period following miscarriage and included in the study. There were 2627 first trimester losses in the department during this study period, hence the incidence of EMV following miscarriage was 1.52%. All cases were associated with ultrasound evidence of retained products of conception (RPOC) at presentation (mean dimensions 22x20x20mm). Thirty-one patients initially opted for expectant management, of which 18 were successful, five were lost to follow up and eight subsequently had surgical evacuation due to patient wishes. No expectantly managed case required emergency intervention. Nine patients chose surgical evacuation as primary treatment. No strong correlation was seen between PSV and blood loss at surgery (PSV range 20-148cm/sec, median 47 cm/sec). The estimated blood loss in all surgically managed cases ranged from 20-300mL. Products of conception were confirmed in all cases sent for histological analysis. For cases successfully managed expectantly, the mean time to resolution was 49 days (range, 21-84). The cases initially surgically managed had a mean time to resolution of 10.6 days (range, 3-29). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests EMV is an uncommon finding following miscarriage and associated with the presence of retained products of conception (confirmed histologically in all cases surgically managed). Expectant management is a safe option in our cohort, with minimal bleeding, although associated with protracted time to resolution. When patients opt for surgery the maximum blood loss was 300mls, but no patient required a blood transfusion or embolization.
Date Issued
2020-05-01
Date Acceptance
2019-08-30
Citation
Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2020, 55 (5), pp.676-682
ISSN
0960-7692
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
676
End Page
682
Journal / Book Title
Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Volume
55
Issue
5
Copyright Statement
© 2019 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article, which has been published in final form at https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/uog.21872. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31503383
Subjects
Abortion
Arteriovenous malformations
Color
Doppler
Enhanced myometrial vascularity
Miscarriage
Spontaneous
Ultrasonography
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Date Publish Online
2019-09-10