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Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy
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Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy

View of a fallopian tube with an ectopic pregnancy viewed through the fimbriated end.
Arrows highlight the head and back of a very early embryo.
Detected prior to rupture (no hemorrhage).
(Description By:Melinda Sanders, M.D. )
(Image Contrib. by: HARTFORD HOSPITAL )
Ectopic pregnancy
Etiology

Associated with previous tubal damage from
endometriosis
surgery
pelvic inflammatory disease
Pathogenesis

damage to fallopian tube which may be mechanical or functional,
Epidemiology

Reproductive age women
History of sexually transmitted disease
History of endometriosis
General Gross Description

dilated, congested fallopian tube with or without rupture site
lumen filled with soft, tan hemorrhagic villi and occasionally with recognizable amnionic sac with embryo
lumen also containing blood clot
General Microscopic Description

lumen contains chorionic villi of first trimester type with complete layer of cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast surrounding stroma containing vessels with nucleated erythrocytes
implantation site in tubal wall with converting decidual vessels
Clinical Correlation

patients may have typical signs of pregnancy until approximately 8 weeks of gestation
develop acute abdomen with shock from hemorrhage into the peritoneal cavity
surgical emergency
can remove entire tube or simply contents with repair
References

Cotran RS, Kumar V, Robbins SL: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. 5th ed. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 1994, pp. 1079
Ectopic pregnancy
Synopsis by: Melinda Sanders M.D. (T86100F31100)[4]
Search Medline at National Library of Medicine
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