Couvelaire uterus, presentation of clinical case.

Abstract

Introduction: The uterus of Couvelaire, is a pathological state of the uterus, whose presentation is the result of the more severe expression of the placental abruption. It is characterized by blood infiltration of the myometrium, product of the formation of a massive retro-placental hematoma. It occurs in 0.4 to 1% of pregnancies, is also known as uteroplacental stroke and occupies 33% of all cases of detachment; the main risk factor for its development is preeclampsia. General objective: to present a clinical case of couvelaire uterus, and its fetal maternal results. Specific objectives: 1) To analyze the pathophysiology of the Couvelaire uterus in pregnant women. 2) To determine the risk factors that contribute to the formation of couvelaire uterus. Materials and methods: a descriptive study was performed, presenting a clinical case. Authorization was obtained from the patient through informed consent and institutional authorization from the teaching and research department for access to medical records and publication of images. Clinical case: 34-year-old female patient with satisfied parity, has an obstetric history of 3 previous caesarean sections and two abortions, gestas 5, attends the emergency with abdominal pain, accompanied by transvaginal bleeding. At the physical examination and ultrasound, 34 weeks fetal death is evidenced, emergency cesarean section is performed in which couvelaire uterus with 30% uterine hematic invasion, hypotonic uterus, so, B-Lynch suture is performed. Patient with severe preeclampsia, plus incomplete HELLP syndrome, undiagnosed during pregnancy. Results: In a retrospective case-control study conducted in Hong Kong and published in 2023, patients who presented with Couvelaire uterus showed higher rates of uterine atony, postpartum bleeding, disseminated intravascular coagulation and blood transfusion. Newborns of mothers with Couvelaire uterus, had higher rates of acidosis, low Apgar and development of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Of the cases reported in the literature and in addition to the case presented, all patients had preeclampsia as a risk factor. Conclusions: The couvelaire uterus is a rare clinical condition, but with very high maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. It occurs because of a massive placental abruption, most likely as a result of the lack of detection of risk factors such as preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome during prenatal monitoring, therefore, it is necessary to emphasize that in obstetric gynaecological clinical practice it is important the early identification of the risk factors that contribute to the development of this pathological condition and also the timely recognition of the clinical signs of placental abruption.