Branch retinal artery occlusion in a patient undergoing Methotrexate therapy for ectopic pregnancy: A case report.

Methotrexate is a commonly used agent in the treatment of an un-ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Thromboembolic events are rarely seen side effects of such a medicine. We report the case of the 22-year-old woman who underwent Methotrexate therapy for an un-ruptured ectopic pregnancy without any history of thromboembolic risk factors. A second dose (50 mg/m2) was administered to the patient showing a nondecreasing pattern of ß-HCG levels after an initial standard dosage of Methotrexate (50 mg/m2). On the 12th day of the treatment, a sudden onset of painless vision loss was seen in the right eye. Fundal imaging and fluorescein angiography revealed an occlusion of the superior temporal branch of the right retinal artery. After a month of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, complete recovery without loss of vision was achieved.

Autologous and Nonautologous Blood Transfusion in Patients with Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy and Severe Blood Loss.

BACKGROUND: There are some theoretical concerns for the use of intraoperative cell salvage (ICS) in patients with ectopic pregnancy. This study aimed to observe the impact of ICS on the coagulation function and clinical outcomes of patients with ruptured ectopic pregnancy and severe blood loss. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 225 patients with ruptured ectopic pregnancy and severe blood loss treated at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University between January 2012 and May 2016. Patients were grouped according to ICS (n = 116) and controls (n = 109, allogenic transfusion and no transfusion). RESULTS: Compared with controls, patients with ICS had shorter hospitalization (P = 0.007), lower requirement for allogenic blood products (P < 0.001), and higher hemoglobin levels at discharge (P < 0.001). There were no complications/ adverse reactions. In the ICS group, hemoglobin at discharge (-6.5%, P = 0.002) and thrombin time (-3.7%, P = 0.002) were decreased 24 h after surgery, while 24 h APTT was increased (+4.6%, P < 0.001). In the control group, hemoglobin at discharge (-16.8%, P < 0.001) was decreased after surgery and 24 h APTT was increased (+2.4%, P = 0.045). At discharge, hemoglobin levels were higher in the ICS group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: ICS was associated with good clinical outcomes in patients with ruptured ectopic pregnancy and severe blood loss.

A clinical experience with intraoperative autotransfusion.

Utilizing a disposable unit, intraoperative autotranfusion was employed during surgery in 53 patients admitted to the Bexar County Teaching Hospital at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. During the two-year period of study, 26 patients underwent surgery for major traumatic injuries, 8 for ruptured ectopic pregnancy and 19 for miscellaneous emergency or elective conditions. The indication for intraoperative autotransfusion was an anticipated blood loss of 1,000 ml or more. Contraindications for its use were colon injury or localized infection. Over 325 units of blood were salvaged and returned directly to these patients during surgery. One death related to the use of the autotransfusor unit was due to massive air embolism. Twenty other deaths were associated with severe injuries and irreversible shock requiring greater than 3,600 ml of both autologous and homologous blood. Eight of these patients demonstrated severe pancoagulopathies. In the remaining patients, clotting factors and plasma or urine hemoglobin levels were transiently abnormal. However, there were no clinically apparent bleeding defects or renal problems detected. Postoperative blood cultures were consistently negative. It is concluded that intraoperative autotransfusion, when properly employed, is a safe, practical and technically feasible procedure.