Overlapping imaging features between miscarriage of a low-lying gestational sac and cervical ectopic pregnancy.

Early pregnancy ultrasound must satisfy objective criteria to make a safe diagnosis of miscarriage. The differential diagnosis of low-lying gestational sac includes cervical stage of miscarriage and cervical and caesarean scar ectopic pregnancies. Misdiagnosis can lead to significant maternal morbidity. We describe a pregnancy in a 36-year-old primiparous woman where ultrasound findings of a low-lying gestation sac satisfied criteria for miscarriage; however, dilatation and curettage of pregnancy contents resulted in brisk cervical bleeding. Ultrasound at 6 weeks 6 days of gestation showed an intra-uterine pregnancy of uncertain viability. Repeat scan after 11 days confirmed miscarriage based on an absence of interval progression between scans and no embryonic heartbeat. The collapsed gestational sac (GS) was seen at the level of the internal os with decidual reaction and peri-trophoblastic blood flow. Inferior to the sac, minimally vascular trophoblastic appearing tissue was beginning to distend the upper cervical canal: the sliding sign was positive for the GS and negative for the upper cervical contents. Cervical stroma was clearly seen circumferential to the distending tissue. The patient underwent dilatation and curettage of the uterus complicated by 2000 ml haemorrhage requiring blood transfusion and medical and surgical management with intra-cavitary placement of a Foley catheter. Histopathology confirmed pregnancy tissue with the disruption of cervical epithelium but no true invasion. The patient was counselled to attend a specialist obstetric imaging facility for an early dating ultrasound in future pregnancies. The current body of literature does not describe cases of low-lying gestation sac miscarriage with high-risk features of trophoblastic extension into the cervical canal. We suggest maintaining a high index of suspicion and excluding differential diagnoses as the majority of women have no risk factors for ectopic pregnancy. These cases should be recommended for surgical management.

Use of an Arabin pessary to prevent preterm birth in pregnancy complicated by a short cervix after cervical conization for cervical adenocarcinoma with residual disease: A case report and literature review.

Surgical conization of the cervix for cervical cancer increases the risk of preterm birth in subsequent pregnancies. The ideal intervention to prevent preterm births in women with cervical insufficiency resulting from conization is not known. When histological margins of the cone biopsy are suspected to have residual malignancy, surveillance and oncological management during a concurrent pregnancy can be challenging. This case outlines the management of a pregnancy complicated by a short cervix secondary to conization for adenocarcinoma of cervix, with margins suspected to be not clear of disease. The patient had progressive shortening of the cervix despite vaginal progesterone, but maintained a cervical length of 16 mm following Arabin pessary insertion. She delivered a healthy neonate at 34 + 3 weeks of gestation (105 days following pessary insertion). The cervical pessary in combination with vaginal progesterone may be safe and effective in preventing preterm birth in a pregnancy with possible residual cervical cancer and a short cervix.

An approach to evaluating scrotal skin-based lesions: A case report of Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Scrotum in patient with multiple risk factors.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is rare on non-sun exposed skin such as the scrotum and thus diagnosis is often delayed. This case highlights an approach to scrotal skin lesions, risk factors and diagnostic features of BCC. Importantly, scrotal BCCs are more likely to metastasise than non-scrotal BCCs. Management should consist of wide local excision and recommended follow up with thorough clinical history, skin examination and imaging in high-risk patients.