Case of hepatic flexure ectopic pregnancy medically managed with methotrexate

Abdominal pregnancies represent 1.4% of extrauterine pregnancies. A literature search of six cases involving bowel ectopic pregnancies provided anecdotal treatment options. This case involves a woman admitted at 6 weeks gestation with right iliac fossa and shoulder tip pain. An ultrasound scan revealed an empty uterus with free fluid in both adnexa and a 31x21 mm heterogenous mass adjacent to the right ovary. At laparoscopy, an ectopic pregnancy was identified at the hepatic flexure. The patient received two doses of methotrexate and monitored until the beta human chorionic gonadotropin reduced. The decision to manage with methotrexate was balanced against reported cases of bowel perforation and the possibility that a section of bowel may need removal if the pregnancy showed signs of invasion. Maternal mortality rate with abdominal pregnancy is 20% due to the risk of massive haemorrhage from placental separation or invasion of bowel vasculature. Medical treatment here was successful and avoided extensive surgery.

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