Correlation between hypertensive retinopathy and fetal outcomes in patients with preeclampsia in a tertiary care hospital: A prospective cohort study.

Purpose: To study the effect of increasing grades of hypertensive retinopathy (HTR) on neonatal outcomes among preeclamptic women and assess the various maternal risk factors for HTR. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted on 258 preeclamptic women. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), liver, and renal function parameters were collected besides basic demographic details. Dilated fundus examination with the Keith-Wagner-Barker classification was used to grade HTR. Following delivery, neonatal outcomes were evaluated. Results: Of the 258 preeclamptic women recruited, 53.1% had preeclampsia (PE), and 46.9% had severe preeclampsia. With increasing grades of HTR, a significant association with low birth weight (LBW) (p = 0.012) and preterm gestational age (p = 0.002) was noted but not with the Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity and Respiration (APGAR) score (p = 0.062). Also, it did not increase the risk of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), with most babies, even those born to mothers with high grades of HTR, showing no evidence of ROP (p = 0.025). Among the maternal factors, increasing age (p = 0.016), SBP (p < 0.001), DBP (p < 0.001), serum creatinine (p = 0.035), alanine aminotransferase (p = 0.008), lower hemoglobin (Hb) (p = 0.009), lower platelet (p < 0.001), and severe PE (p < 0.001) have been found to significantly affect the grade of HTR. Conclusion: Higher grades of HTR in the preeclamptic mother are associated with preterm delivery and LBW of the neonates but neither affect the APGAR score nor pose the risk of developing ROP.

Management dilemmas in pineoblastoma recurrence diagnosed during pregnancy.

Pineoblastoma is an extremely rare intracranial neoplasm, with increased risk of craniospinal metastasis. There is only one case reported in the literature who presented during pregnancy. Described here is a woman who presented at five months of gestation with recurrence of pineoblastoma, who had previously defaulted adjuvant therapy following surgical decompression. The challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of pineoblastoma and its effects on pregnancy are also discussed.

Diagnostic and management challenges of intraventricular neurocysticercosis presenting in the third trimester of pregnancy: A case report.

The diagnosis of neurocysticercosis in pregnancy is challenging, even in endemic areas, as other neurological conditions with similar manifestations are common. Obstetricians and physicians may be reluctant to do neuroimaging in pregnancy and often the availability is limited in endemic areas. Management of neurocysticercosis depends on the symptomatology. In those presenting with features of increased intracranial pressure early treatment is necessary, taking into consideration the gestational age and the maternal condition at presentation. Presence of intraventricular cysts causing obstructive hydrocephalus necessitates their removal due to the risk of intracranial hypertension which could be life-threatening, particularly peripartum. We report a case of a woman with intraventricular neurocysticercosis, who presented in the third trimester, and described the management dilemmas that were encountered. The differential diagnoses and other aspects of the medical and surgical management of neurocysticercosis in pregnancy are also discussed.

Influence of maternal and perinatal characteristics on risk of postpartum chronic hypertension after pre-eclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of new-onset postpartum chronic hypertension (PPCH) after pre-eclampsia and to determine the factors are associated with it. METHODS: This study was conducted in a tertiary center in south India, between June 2018 and February 2019, consisting of pre-eclamptic women who were recruited as part of an ongoing cohort and had completed at least 3 months of postpartum follow-up. Demographic, medical, and laboratory details were collected. Primary outcome was a diagnosis of new-onset PPCH at 3 months. RESULTS: PPCH at 3 months was noted in 32 (18.1%) women. During postnatal follow-up, 2 (1.1%) women experienced hemiplegia from stroke and 19 (10.7%) had elevated serum creatinine levels (>1.1 mg/dL). On multivariate analysis, advancing maternal age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.21), multiparity (aOR 2.79, 95% CI 1.07-7.24), and eclampsia (aOR 3.07, 95% CI 1.03-9.13) increased the risk of PPCH at 3 months postpartum. CONCLUSION: One in five women present with a diagnosis of new-onset PPCH within 3 months postpartum in a cohort of predominantly preterm and/or severe pre-eclampsia. A significant but weak association of PPCH with peripartum clinical characteristics was noted. The role of biochemical, hemodynamic, and echocardiographic biomarkers should be evaluated for prediction of PPCH after pre-eclampsia in future studies.

Comparison of 'push method' with 'Patwardhan's method' on maternal and perinatal outcomes in women undergoing caesarean section in second stage.

A deeply impacted foetal head in a second stage caesarean section is associated with an increased risk of maternal and neonatal complications. For the present study, we compared the maternal and neonatal outcomes during the use of the 'Push method' and of 'Patwardhan's method' for a foetal head delivery in a second-stage caesarean section. This was a retrospective observational study involving 298 women who underwent a second stage caesarean section with a foetal head at or below the level of their ischial spines and was conducted in a tertiary teaching hospital in South India. The rates of uterine incision extension and other maternal complications were similar in both methods (24.9% vs. 26.0%, p = .850). The rates of neonatal sepsis (2.3% vs. 9.2%) and admission to neonatal intensive care unit (36.7% vs. 60.0%) were higher when Patwardhan's method was used. Although the maternal complications were similar, the use of Patwardhan's method resulted in higher rates of neonatal complications compared to the Push method during a second stage caesarean section. Future randomised, controlled studies comparing these two methods are needed to confirm their safety and benefits, prior to its routine use in second stage caesarean sections. Impact statement What is already known on this subject? Use of a second-stage caesarean section increases the risk of maternal and neonatal complications. A deeply engaged foetal head, along with the stretching and thinning of the lower uterine segment predisposes to these complications. The recent literature mainly compares the complication rates of the Push method to a Reverse breech extraction, with only small studies reporting the use of Patwardhan's technique for the delivery of a deeply engaged foetal head. What do the results of this study add? This study suggests that the use of either the Push method or of Patwardhan's method results in similar maternal complications such as extension of a uterine incision or postpartum haemorrhage. But neonatal complications such as neonatal sepsis (2.3% vs. 9.2%) and admission to neonatal intensive care unit (36.7% vs. 60.0%) were higher when Patwardhan's method was used. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The extension of uterine incision is similar in both methods; however, the neonatal complications were noted to be higher in those delivered with Patwardhan's technique. A future, randomised controlled trial comparing these two techniques is required to confirm the findings, before either of the methods are used in routine practice.

Pregnancy in women with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome: Report of three pregnancies in a single patient and review of literature.

Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome is characterised by vascular abnormality which increases the risk of thromboembolism and haemorrhage. Physiological changes in pregnancy pose an increased risk to these complications. Being an uncommon disorder, there is limited literature about the management of women with pregnancy and Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. We report in detail two of three pregnancies in a woman with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome who had repeated episodes of haematochezia leading to anaemia, managed with Argon laser Photo-Coagulation in pregnancy and also reviewed the complications and the management of pregnant women with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome.

Uterine artery pseudoaneurysm: a rare cause of secondary postpartum haemorrhage following caesarean section.

A 30-year-old woman, para 2, who underwent an uneventful repeat elective lower segment caesarean section with sterilisation presented on the 23rd postnatal day to our Obstetric Emergency department with profuse bleeding per vaginum. She had a similar bout of bleeding on the 19th postnatal day and was treated elsewhere with blood transfusion and uterotonics. On ultrasonography, she was diagnosed to have few retained adherent placental bits in the lower part of the uterus with a small left broad ligament haematoma and hence was injected with a single dose of methotrexate. A communication of uterine artery was suspected as the mass was close to the uterus and few pulsations were felt on per vaginal examination while attempting aspiration of haematoma. Uterine artery pseudoaneurysm was diagnosed by Doppler studies and confirmed by contrast enhanced CT. She was treated successfully by bilateral internal iliac artery ligation as facilities for embolisation are not available.

An unusual case of cervico-cutaneous fistula.

A lady presented with 6 months of amenorrhea and cyclical menstruation through an opening in the abdominal wall for the same duration, following septic abortion. Examination and investigations revealed an extraperitoneal Cervicocutaneous fistula, which was excised in toto. She had an uneventful recovery and resumed normal periods.