A pregnant woman with long-standing, retained intraabdominal glass shards who gave birth to a live infant with no complications: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Most cases of traumatic injury during pregnancy involve blunt trauma, with penetrating trauma being uncommonly rare. In glass shard injuries, fragments often penetrate deeply, and multiple injuries may occur simultaneously; attention must be paid to the possibility of organ injury from the residual fragments. However, no case of this occurring during pregnancy has been reported yet. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 34-year-old pregnant Cameroonian woman who retained intraabdominal glass shards following a penetrating injury at 13 weeks gestation and not diagnosed until 22 weeks gestation. Notably, this patient continued the pregnancy without complications and gave birth via cesarean section at 36 weeks gestation. CONCLUSION: In pregnant women sustaining a penetrating glass trauma during pregnancy, careful attention should be paid to the fragments; in that case, computed tomography is a useful modality for accurately visualizing any remaining fragments in the body. Essentially, the foreign bodies in glass shard injuries during pregnancy should be removed immediately, but conservative management for term delivery is an important choice for patients at risk for preterm delivery.

Changes in In-Hospital Survival and Long-Term Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Extremely Preterm Infants: A Retrospective Study of a Japanese Tertiary Center.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to elucidate whether the survival and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely preterm infants have improved in a Japanese tertiary center with an active treatment policy for infants born at 22-23 weeks of gestation. STUDY DESIGN: This single-centered retrospective cohort study enrolled extremely preterm infants treated at Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, from 2003 to 2014. Patients with major congenital abnormalities were excluded. Primary outcomes were in-hospital survival and severe neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) at 6 years of age, which was defined as having severe cerebral palsy, severe cognitive impairment, severe visual impairment, or deafness. We assessed the changes in primary outcomes between the first (period 1; 2003-2008) and the second half (period 2; 2009-2014) of the study period and evaluated the association between birth-year and primary outcomes using multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: Of the 403 eligible patients, 340 (84%) survived to discharge. Among 248 patients available at 6 years of age, 43 (14%) were classified as having severe NDI. Between the 2 periods, in-hospital survival improved from 155 of 198 (78%) to 185 of 205 (90%), but severe NDI increased from 11 of 108 (10%) to 32 of 140 (23%). In multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for gestational age, birthweight, sex, singleton birth, and antenatal corticosteroids, the aOR (95% CI) of birth-year for in-hospital survival and severe NDI was 1.2 (1.1-1.3) and 1.1 (1.0-1.3), respectively. CONCLUSION: Mortality among extremely preterm infants has improved over the past 12 years; nevertheless, no significant improvement was observed in the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Study of the utility and problems of common iliac artery balloon occlusion for placenta previa with accreta.

AIMS: We investigated whether common iliac artery balloon occlusion (CIABO) was effective for decreasing blood loss during cesarean hysterectomy (CH) in patients with placenta previa with accreta and was safe for mothers and fetuses. METHODS: Of the 67 patients who underwent CH for placenta previa with accreta at our facility from 1985 to 2014, 57 patients were eligible for the study. The amount of intraoperative bleeding during CH was compared between three groups: surgery without blood flow occlusion (13 patients), internal iliac artery ligation (15 patients) and CIABO (29 patients). Additionally, multivariate analysis was performed to assess risk factors for massive bleeding during CH. RESULTS: The mean blood loss in the CIABO group (2027 ± 1638 mL) was significantly lower than in the other two groups (3787 ± 2936 mL in the no occlusion, 4175 ± 1921 mL in the internal iliac artery ligation group; P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that spontaneous placental detachment during surgery (odds ratio [OR] 49.174, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.98-1763.67), a history of ≥ 2 cesarean sections (OR 9.226, 95% CI 1.07-231.15) and no use of CIABO (OR 26.403, 95% CI 3.20-645.17) were significantly related to massive bleeding during surgery. There was no case of necrosis resulting from ischemia. The mean radiation dose during balloon placement never exceeded the threshold value for fetal exposure. CONCLUSION: Bleeding during CH for placenta previa with accreta can be decreased by CIABO. This study also confirmed the safety of CIABO in regard to maternal lower limb ischemia and fetal radiation exposure during balloon placement.

Differences in home blood pressure and pulse rates between singleton and twin pregnancies.

Objectives To evaluate home blood pressure (HBP) measurements during pregnancy and postpartum and investigate differences between singleton and twin pregnancies. Methods This prospective study involved normotensive, pregnant women who were planning to give birth at Saitama Medical Centre, Saitama, Japan between September 2013 and March 2017. HBP and pulse rate were measured twice daily and clinical blood pressure values were determined from patient records. Results HBP values were available from 101 participants; 69 women with singleton and 32 women with twin pregnancies. Systolic BP was statistically significantly higher in twin pregnancies from 23 weeks of gestation until 8 weeks after delivery compared with singleton pregnancies. Pulse rate was also statistically significantly higher between 11 and 30 weeks gestation in women with twin pregnancies compared with those with singleton pregnancies. Conclusions BP monitoring is important in the management of twin pregnancies, especially during the later gestational weeks and postpartum period and HBP would facilitate this monitoring.

Associations between the levels of soluble (pro)renin receptor in maternal and umbilical cord blood and hypertensive disorder of pregnancy.

INTRODUCTION: The prorenin (PR) receptor [(P)RR] contributes to the regulation of the tissue renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and Wnt signaling, which is involved in embryogenesis and the pathological progression of malignant tumors and diabetes mellitus. Placental (P)RR is significantly upregulated in placental tissues from preeclamptic women. However, because it cannot be examined during pregnancy, the chronological relationship between the acceleration of tissue RAS and the disease state of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (HDP) has not been reported. In this study, we examined whether chronological changes in placental tissue RAS can be assessed by measuring soluble (P)RR [s(P)RR]. METHODS: We obtained maternal and umbilical cord blood samples from 517 pregnant women (441 singleton and 76 twin pregnancies). The concentrations of s(P)RR and prorenin (PR) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed that maternal serum s(P)RR levels were significantly higher in patients with HDP or fetal growth restriction (FGR) and were positively correlated with serum PR levels. Furthermore, the maternal s(P)RR level was significantly higher in HDP with severe hypertension and after the onset of HDP. However, maternal s(P)RR levels were not affected by the severity of proteinuria. Serum s(P)RR levels in umbilical cord blood of singleton pregnancies were significantly correlated with gestational week at delivery and PR level. DISCUSSION: Maternal serum s(P)RR concentrations may reflect acceleration of tissue RAS in the placenta and blood pressure severity; however, the umbilical serum s(P)RR concentration was not affected by maternal HDP.

The Clinical Efficacy of Fibrinogen Concentrate in Massive Obstetric Haemorrhage with Hypofibrinogenaemia.

Massive obstetric haemorrhage remains a major cause of maternal death attributable to hypofibrinogenaemia. Transfusion of large volumes of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) is required to normalise fibrinogen levels. We compared the efficacy of FFP (F group) with that of FFP plus fibrinogen concentrate (F + F group) in massive obstetric haemorrhage. In this retrospective study, we compared the medical charts (2004-2016) of 137 patients with <150 mg/dl fibrinogen treated with F + F (n = 47; after August 2009) or F (n = 56; before August 2009). Although fibrinogen concentrate was only administered in severe cases, the FFP/red blood cell concentrate (RCC) ratio was significantly lower in the F + F group than in the F group. A sub-group analysis of cases requiring ≥18 RCC units showed that the F + F group received significantly less FFP than the F group (40.2 ± 19.6 versus 53.4 ± 18.5 units; P = 0.047) and showed significantly less pulmonary oedema (24.0% vs 57.1%; P < 0.05) in the absence of any significant differences in pre-transfusion coagulation, estimated blood loss, or RCC transfusion volume. Administration of fibrinogen concentrate increased the rate of fibrinogen supplementation five-fold and reduced FFP dosage, the FFP/RCC ratio, and the incidence of pulmonary oedema.

Provisional criteria for the diagnosis of hypertension in pregnancy using home blood pressure measurements.

Most guidelines for the management of hypertension define it as a home blood pressure (HBP) value >135/85 mm Hg. However, there is no reference HBP value to diagnose hypertension in pregnant women. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed HBP measurements of pregnant women to determine whether it is appropriate to use the criteria for non-pregnant subjects for pregnant women. The participants of this study were 100 singleton pregnant women who visited our hospital between September 2013 and September 2016. We lent sphygmomanometers to the patients so they could measure their BP at home twice daily, and we measured their clinical BP when they visited the hospital. Six patients developed hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, whereas there were 63 women without hypertension or other complications that may affect BP. In the normotensive pregnant women, HBP values significantly correlated with the clinical BP values. HBP values equivalent to a clinical BP of 140/90 mm Hg, determined using the standard major axis method, were 120.8/83.5 mm Hg, 126.0/85.2 mm Hg and 136.3/89.3 mm Hg in the first, second and third trimesters, respectively. In normotensive pregnant women, HBP levels that indicate a risk of hypertensive disorder in pregnancy may be lower than 135/85 mm Hg before 28 weeks of gestation.

Diagnosis and potential management of gestational diabetes mellitus using the International association of diabetes and pregnancy study groups criteria.

AIM: Appropriate screening and plasma glucose control is important during pregnancy, but an international consensus has not been reached regarding the recommended method of screening and diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We investigated glucose intolerance in pregnant women diagnosed with GDM, applying stricter screening criteria. METHODS: The study involved 452 women with singleton pregnancies, who underwent a 2 h 75 g oral glucose tolerance test between January 2006 and December 2010. They had previously been screened for GDM using Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (JSOG) criteria. We retrospectively re-evaluated their status using International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) criteria. The major differences between JSOG and IADPSG criteria are the number of applicable threshold values, and the threshold value for fasting glucose measured by the glucose tolerance test. The insulinogenic index and insulin resistance according to the homeostasis model assessment were compared among groups in the presence or absence of obesity. RESULTS: GDM was diagnosed in 56 (1.07%) and 133 (2.54%) women based on the JSOG and IADPSG criteria, respectively. Compared to non-GDM, non-obese women, those diagnosed with GDM according to IADPSG criteria had significantly higher insulin resistance, while those diagnosed with GDM exceeding two or more threshold values had significantly lower insulinogenic indexes. CONCLUSION: Adopting stricter diagnostic criteria increased the prevalence of GDM 2.37-fold, as women previously diagnosed with milder abnormalities in glucose levels were then diagnosed as having GDM.

Usefulness of shock indicators for determining the need for blood transfusion after massive obstetric hemorrhage.

AIM: Massive obstetric hemorrhage (MOH) requires prompt transfusion of red blood cells and coagulation factors. Because MOH has a diverse pathogenesis, the shock index (SI) alone may be insufficient for determining blood transfusion. Here, we retrospectively analyzed patients with MOH to determine usefulness of the indicators of shock including the SI in evaluating the need for blood transfusion. METHODS: We reviewed records of 80 emergency referral patients who had received blood transfusions at our department between 1 January 2009 and 31 July 2011. The shock indicators for blood transfusion are estimated blood loss, fibrinogen level, hemoglobin concentration, the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology disseminated intravascular coagulation (JSOG DIC) score and the SI. The strength of the correlation of each shock indicator with the transfusion volume was ranked using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient-ρ and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Although the SI showed significant positive correlation with blood transfusion volume for red blood cell concentrate (RCC) and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) in patients with dilutional coagulopathy, a stronger correlation was seen with the fibrinogen level and JSOG DIC score. In patients with consumptive coagulopathy, the strongest correlation was seen between RCC transfusion volume and fibrinogen level, and between FFP transfusion volume and JSOG DIC score followed by fibrinogen level. In multivariate analysis, only fibrinogen level was significantly associated with both RCC and FFP massive transfusion. CONCLUSION: Because MOH has a diverse pathogenesis, various indicators should be evaluated. Among shock indicators, fibrinogen level was the best indicator of the need for blood transfusion following MOH.

Intrapartum anti-disseminated intravascular coagulation therapy leading to successful vaginal delivery following intrauterine fetal death caused by placental abruption: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Disseminated intravascular coagulation due to placental abruption with intrauterine fetal death is not uncommon. It can result in increased maternal mortality rates and the need for hysterectomy or greater transfusion volumes if the delivery is not completed within six to eight hours. However, consensus is lacking regarding the delivery approach for cases in which delivery is prolonged. CASE PRESENTATION: A 37-year-old Japanese woman was transported to our tertiary center two and a half hours after the onset of labor because of a diagnosis of placental abruption with intrauterine fetal death at 40 weeks and three days' gestation. On arrival, although severe hypofibrinogenemia was observed, there was no external hemorrhage. Because her cervical canal dilation was good (Bishop score, 7), labor was induced using oxytocin. Anti-disseminated intravascular coagulation therapy was simultaneously started via transfusion. After her hypofibrinogenemia resolved, delivery progressed rapidly, and the fetus was delivered approximately 10 hours after the onset. To reduce postpartum hemorrhage, 6g of fibrinogen concentrate and tranexamic acid, an antifibrinolytic agent, were administered immediately before extraction of the dead fetus and placenta. Although the amount of intrapartum hemorrhage was 1824g, there was no abnormal bleeding after delivery, and our patient was discharged three days later. CONCLUSION: In cases of placental abruption complicated with disseminated intravascular coagulation, intrapartum administration of coagulation factors can simultaneously promote effective labor and correct hypofibrinogenemia, enabling minimally invasive vaginal delivery.