Published online Jan 7, 2022. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i1.304
Peer-review started: May 22, 2021
First decision: October 18, 2021
Revised: October 27, 2021
Accepted: November 24, 2021
Article in press: November 24, 2021
Published online: January 7, 2022
Processing time: 221 Days and 21.7 Hours
Laparoscopic cervical cerclage is performed for patients with abnormal cervical anatomy and/or transvaginal cervical cerclage failure. However, the method of removing the stitches to allow labour induction remains controversial. According to published literature, stitches are removed through laparoscopic or transvaginal methods. Herein, we report, for the first time, a case of a patient who had undergone laparoscopic cerclage, and then underwent removal of stitches by laparotomy and labour induction in the third trimester of pregnancy.
A patient who underwent laparoscopic cervical cerclage due to cervical insufficiency became pregnant naturally following the operation. At 31 wk of pregnancy, severe foetal malformations were found. To successfully induce labour, cerclage stitches were removed via laparotomy, and rivanol was injected directly into the uterus. Following successful induction of labour, the patient delivered a dead foetus.
This report provides a reliable scheme of removing cerclage stitches for patients who have undergone laparoscopic cerclage but experience severe foetal malformations.
Core Tip: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a case in which a patient, who had undergone laparoscopic cerclage, underwent removal of cerclage stitches via laparotomy and labour induction in the third trimester of pregnancy. This report highlights the advantages of this technique over other available methods. Moreover, this report presents the rarity of foetal abnormality or death in the third trimester in a woman who had laparoscopic cervical cerclage.