Accurate prenatal discrimination between a simple, non-adherent uterine scar dehiscence with an underlying placenta and the severe end of the placenta accreta spectrum is problematic as the two can appear similar on prenatal imaging. This may lead to the false diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum resulting obstetric anxiety, overtreatment and potential iatrogenic morbidity. Despite potential similarities in the etiology, the manifestation and management of these two conditions is very different. The prenatal sonographic features of seven confirmed cases of simple uterine scar dehiscence with an underlying placenta previa were examined. The common sonographic features found for scar dehiscence was a thinned myometrium (<1 mm) overlying a generally homogenous placenta and a placental bulge. There was absence of lacunae and features of hypervascularity including bridging vessels. Our findings suggest accurate discrimination between a simple scar dehiscence with the placenta underlying it and placenta accreta spectrum can be made on prenatal ultrasound if the placenta is carefully examined for the vascular features unique to PAS.

We have suggested that adipocytes in uterine scars may affect the development of the placenta accrete spectrum (PAS). In the experimental part, we explored adipocytes in the uterine wall by the twelfth sexual cycle after surgery. In the clinical part, we investigated adipocyte clusters in the cesarean scar of pregnant women with and without PAS. The uterine wall was evaluated in gross and histological sections using morphometry, histochemistry (hematoxylin and eosin stain, Mallory stain), and immunohistochemistry for FABP4 (adipocyte markers), CD68, CD163, CD206 (macrophages), CD 34 (endothelium), cytokeratin 8 (epithelium), aSMA (smooth muscle cells). The design included an experimental study on Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 18) after a full-thickness surgical incision on the seventh (n = 6), 30th (n = 6), and 60th day (n = 6). The clinical groups include pregnant women without uterine scars (n = 10), pregnant women with a uterine scar after previous cesarean sections (n = 10), and women with PAS (n = 11). Statistical processing was carried out using nonparametric methods. Comparisons were conducted using the Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis test. Statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05. On the seventh day, the rat uterine horn was enveloped by adipose tissue, which contained crown-like structures with FABP4+, CD68+, CD206+, and CD163+ cells. FABP4+ cells in the uterine wall were absent by the 30th day. The number of CD206+ and CD163+ cells in the adipose tissue decreased by the 30th day. On the 60th day, the attachment of fat tissue was revealed in the form of single strands. The serous layer around the damaged area totally recovered on the 60th day. FABP4+ cells were not detected in the uterine wall samples from pregnant women without a previous cesarean section. Adipocytes were found in the scar during non-complicated pregnancy and with PAS. Reducing the number of CD68+ cells in adipocyte clusters, there were in myometrium with PAS. Increased CD206+ and CD163+ cells were revealed in uterine adipocyte clusters of the group. According to the experimental finding, adipocytes should be absent in the uterine wall by the 12th sexual cycle after a full-thickness surgical incision. The presence of adipocyte clusters in cesarean scar indicated the disturbance of cell interaction. Differences in the numbers of CD206 and CD163 cells in adipocyte clusters between groups with and without PAS may be indirect evidence that uterine adipocytes affect the development of PAS.

UNASSIGNED: To compare the short-term results of classic single-layer uterine closure and double-layer purse-string uterine closure (Turan technique) techniques in cesarean section in terms of the incidence of ischiocele formation.
UNASSIGNED: This was a prospective randomized controlled trial study. Participants undergoing first-time cesarean delivery were randomized into two groups. Fifty-eight participants were included in the double-layered uterine closure group (study group), while 53 participants were randomized into the classical single-layered uterine closure group (control group). For comparison of isthmocele formation, transvaginal ultrasound examination was planned in all patients 6 weeks after surgery. The operation data,the formation of isthmocele, its dimensions and volume were recorded.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 111 women were included in the study. The incidence of ischiocele at 6 weeks after birth was not significantly different between the groups (p=0.128). Isthmosel was detected in 20.8% of single-layer closures, and this rate was determined as 10.3% in the purse technique. In the Kerr incision made during surgery, the uterine incision size did not differ in either group, but the uterine incision length after suturing was significantly smaller in the purse technique compared with the other group (p<0.001).
UNASSIGNED: The incidence of ischiocele formation after cesarean section and the depth of the ischiocele was independent of the uterotomy closure technique.

BACKGROUND: Clinically silent uterine rupture with complete fetal expulsion into the abdominal cavity is an extremely rare complication. Diagnosis can be difficult and the risk to the mother and fetus is high. Conservative management has been described only in a few cases of partial expulsion of the fetus so far.
METHODS: We present a case of 43-year-old tercigravida with a history of previous laparotomic myomectomy and subsequent cesarean section. The subsequent pregnancy was complicated by uterine wall loosening and rupture at the site of the previous uterine scar after myomectomy and complete fetal expulsion into the abdominal cavity. The diagnosis was made at 24 + 6 weeks of gestation. Considering the absence of clinical symptomatology and the good condition of the fetus, a conservative approach was chosen with intensive monitoring of the maternal and fetal conditions. The pregnancy ended by elective cesarean section and hysterectomy at 28 + 0 weeks of gestation. The postpartum course was uneventful and the newborn was discharged to home care 63 days after delivery.
CONCLUSIONS: Fetal expulsion into the abdominal cavity after silent uterine rupture of the scarred uterus may be accompanied by minimal symptomatology making early diagnosis difficult. This rare complication must be considered in the differential diagnosis in women after major uterine surgery. In selected cases and under conditions of intensive maternal and fetal monitoring, conservative management may be chosen to reduce the risks associated with prematurity.

Uterine rupture is a rare life-threatening complication. It can occur in all 3 trimesters with the first and the second being a rarity. It mainly occurs in the third trimester or during labor in a previously scarred uterus. It is rare in an unscarred uterus. The risk fold is further enhanced by the induction and augmentation with prostaglandins and oxytocin. The clinical diagnosis at this early gestation can be a dilemma to the attending physician as in this case. (1) The patient was a holidaymaker with no documented evidence of a dating scan to suggest any evidence of an ovarian/placental pathology at that stage. (2) The ultrasound findings in our department did suggest a viable intrauterine pregnancy with free fluid within both the adnexa. A 6 cm solid homogenous mass in the midline/right adnexa suggested an ovarian torsion or bowel pathology. The differentials in this particular case were that of a ruptured hemorrhagic cyst, ovarian torsion and even a heterotrophic pregnancy as there had been a few documented cases in the department. Ultrasound diagnosis of an intrauterine pregnancy together with a fluid collection does not suggest by any means that the uterus is intact or there is no ectopic pregnancy.

Cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy (SEP), a rare type of ectopic pregnancy, is the implantation of a gestational sac in the myometrium and fibrous tissues at the site of a previous uterine scar (mostly cesarean section scar). The condition can be catastrophic if not managed on time, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis made by transvaginal ultrasonography and a high degree of suspicion for the probability of SEP in previous uterine surgery patients may help in the initiation and success of conservative treatment, prevention of complications, and preservation of fertility. We present here the analysis of 22 cases of SEP managed at our institute between 2013 to 2020. The mean gestational age at the time of diagnosis was 8.6±2.2 weeks. The majority of the women presented with either pain or bleeding, but few cases (7 cases) were asymptomatic and were diagnosed with SEP during routine obstetric ultrasonography. Out of these cases, a single case was admitted with shock due to uterine rupture. The mean serum β-hCG level was 29,543 mIU/ml (range, 2105-61590). Asymptomatic patients with low serum β-hCG levels(<15,000 mIU/ml) were given a single dose of methotrexate. Methotrexate was given as a single dose or 4 doses regimen in total 13 cases. Laparotomy with wedge resection of the scar ectopic was done in 8 cases. Overall primary treatment success was recorded in 20 of 22 cases (91%). 2 cases underwent dilatation and curettage due to retained product of conception after primary treatment with methotrexate. The serum β-hCG levels were normalized in an average time period of 53 days. This retrospective case series has proved the role of early and accurate diagnosis of SEP for initiating the treatment in order to minimize maternal morbidity and mortality related to this rare and unusual form of ectopic pregnancy.

UNASSIGNED: The rate of cesarean deliveries is steadily growing worldwide as a result of increasing maternal age at first delivery. Ensuring optimal recovery after surgery, specifically the development of a functionally competent uterine scar to facilitate vaginal birth after a cesarean delivery (VBAC), is one of the challenges in modern obstetrics. Extracellular microvesicles (EMVs) are secreted by multiple cell types and act as mediators of intercellular interaction during tissue reparation. The immunomodulatory and regenerative effects of EMVs of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been studied shown in pre-clinical studies.
UNASSIGNED: To evaluate the safety profile of EMVs of mesenchymal stromal placental cells (MSPCs) injected during the cesarean delivery and the impact of this pilot approach on post-surgery recovery.
UNASSIGNED: This pilot study included 53 women undergoing cesarean delivery with (n = 23) or without (n = 30) an injection of 500 µl of MSC EMVs after closing the uterine incision with a single continuous Vicryl suture.
UNASSIGNED: All study participants had uncomplicated post-surgery period. The mean inpatient stay duration in women receiving the EMV injection was 4.26 ± 0.09 days vs. 5.33 ± 0.38 in the control group (p<.05). There were no postpartum inflammatory complications in the study group compared with two cases (6.7%) by postpartum endometritis/myometrial infection and one case (3.3%) of lochiometra in the control group.
UNASSIGNED: Intra-surgery injection of MSC EMVs was well-tolerated and associated with a lower rate of infectious post-partum complications in women undergoing cesarean delivery.

OBJECTIVE: Worldwide, the overall cesarean section is rising. Trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) is an overall safe option with an immediate impact on neonatal and maternal short- and long-term health. Since the use of prostaglandins in cervical ripening is associated with an increased risk of uterine rupture, mechanical methods as balloon catheters or osmotic dilators have been suggested for cervical ripening prior to induction of labour. Here we are analyzing and comparing the VBAC rate, as well as maternal and fetal outcome in cervical ripening prior to TOLAC.
METHODS: This prospective dual center study analyses maternal and neonatal outcomes of TOLAC in women with an unfavorable cervix requiring cervical ripening agent. The prospective application of an osmotic dilator (Dilapan-S, n=104) was analysed in comparison to the retrospective application of off-label dinoprostone (n=102).
RESULTS: The overall fetal and neonatal outcome revealed no significant differences in both groups. Patients receiving cervical ripening with the osmotic dilator delivered vaginally/by ventouse in 52% of cases, compared to 53% when using dinoprostone (p=0.603). The interval between application to onset of labor was significantly higher in the osmotic dilator group (37.9 vs.20.7 h, p=<0.001). However, time from onset of labor to delivery was similar in both groups (7.93 vs. 7.44 h, p=0.758). There was one case of uterine rupture in the dinoprostone group.
CONCLUSIONS: Our data shows that the application of the osmotic dilator leads to similar outcomes in VBAC rate and time from onset of labor to delivery as well as safety in both groups compared to off-label use dinoprostone. Cervical ripening using the mechanical dilator is a viable and effective option, without the risk of uterine hyperstimulation.

UNASSIGNED: To compare the maternal and neonatal outcomes of placenta previa (PP) with and without coverage of a uterine scar in Foshan, China.
UNASSIGNED: A retrospective cohort study comparing all singleton pregnancies with PP was conducted at a tertiary, university-affiliated medical center from 1 January 2012 to 31 April 2017 in Foshan, China. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were extracted from electronic medical records (EMRs). Maternal and neonatal outcomes of PP with and without coverage of a uterine scar were compared by statistical method.
UNASSIGNED: There were 58,062 deliveries during the study period, of which 726 (1.25%) were complicated PP in singleton pregnancies and were further classified into two groups: the PP with coverage of a uterine scar group (PPCS, n=154) and the PP without coverage of a uterine scar group (Non-PPCS, n=572). Overall, premature birth (<37 weeks, 67.5% vs 54.8%; P=0.019), cesarean section (100% vs 97.6%; P=0.050), intraoperative blood loss >1000 mL (77.9% vs 16.0%; P<0.001) or >3000mL (29.9% vs 3.0%; P<0.001), bleeding within 2-24 hours after delivery (168.2±370.1 ml vs 49.9±58.4 ml; P<0.001), postpartum hemorrhage (48.7% vs 15.7%; P<0.001), transfusion (34.6% vs 16.1%; P<0.001), hemorrhage shock (7.8% vs 1.9%; P<0.001), hysterectomy (2.6% vs 0.5%; P=0.019), fetal distress (35.7% vs 12.1%; P<0.001) and APGAR score at 1 min (15.2% vs 7.1%; P=0.002) had a significant difference between PPCS group and Non-PPCS group. After grouping by whether complicated with placenta accreta spectrum disorders (PASD), we found that PPCS was significant associated with more intraoperative blood loss >1000mL, intraoperative blood loss >3000mL, bleeding within 2-24 hours after delivery and fetal distress than the Non-PPCS group.
UNASSIGNED: The PPCS group had poorer maternal and neonatal outcomes than the Non-PPCS group after grouping by whether pregnancies complicated with PASD or with different placental positions.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the new ultrasound-based signs for the diagnosis of post-cesarean section uterine niche in nonpregnant women.
METHODS: We investigated prospectively a cohort of 160 consecutive women with one previous term cesarean delivery (CD) between December 2019 and 2020. All women were separated into two subgroups according to different stages of labor at the time of their CD: subgroup A (n = 109; 68.1%) for elective CD and CD performed in latent labor at a cervical dilatation (≤4 cm) and subgroup B (n = 51; 31.9%); for CD performed during the active stage of labor (>4 cm).
RESULTS: Overall, the incidence of a uterine niche was significantly (P < .001) higher in women who had an elective (20/45; 44.4%) compared with those who had an emergent (21/115; 18.3%) CD. Compared with subgroup B, subgroup A presented with a significantly (P = .012) higher incidence of uterine niche located above the vesicovaginal fold and with a significantly (P = .0002) lower proportion of cesarean scar positioned below the vesicovaginal fold. There was a significantly (P < .001) higher proportion of women with a residual myometrial thickness (RMT) > 3 mm in subgroup A than in subgroup B and a significant negative relationship was found between the RMT and the cervical dilatation at CD (r = -0.22; P = .008).
CONCLUSIONS: Sonographic cesarean section scar assessment indicates that the type of CD and the stage of labor at which the hysterotomy is performed have an impact on the location of the scar and the scarification process including the niche formation and RMT.