Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38956582›Full record

ArticleReproductive health2024

A 20 year experience in the management of non-tubal ectopic pregnancies in a tertiary hospital - a retrospective review.

Theodora Hei Tung Lai, Jennifer Ka Yee Ko, Hung Yu Ernest Ng

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Reproductive health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Theodora Hei Tung LaiDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Mary Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 6/F Professorial Block, 102 Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Jennifer Ka Yee KoDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Mary Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 6/F Professorial Block, 102 Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China. jenko@hku.hk.
Hung Yu Ernest NgDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Mary Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 6/F Professorial Block, 102 Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNon-tubal ectopic pregnancies account for < 10% of all ectopic pregnancies. Due to its rarity and wide variation in clinical practice, there is no guideline or consensus for its management. We reported our 20-year experience in the management of non-tubal ectopic pregnancies in a tertiary hospital.

methodsThis is a retrospective review of all women admitted for non-tubal ectopic pregnancies from January 2003 to December 2022 in a tertiary hospital. Women with non-tubal ectopic pregnancies diagnosed by ultrasound or operation were included for analysis.

resultsWithin the study period, 180 women were diagnosed to have non-tubal ectopic pregnancies at a mean gestation of 6.8 weeks. 16.7% (30/180) were conceived via assisted reproduction. Medical treatment was the first-line management option for 81 women, of which 75 (92.1%) women received intralesional methotrexate administered under transvaginal ultrasound guidance. The success rate of intralesional methotrexate ranges from 76.5% to 92.3%. Intralesional methotrexate was successful even in cases with a positive fetal pulsation or with high human chorionic gonadotrophin levels up to 252605U/L. Twenty seven women were managed expectantly and 40 underwent surgery. Nine (11.1%), two (6.1%), and one (2.3%) women required surgery due to massive or recurrent bleeding following medical, expectant, or surgical treatment. Hysterotomy and uterine artery embolization were necessary to control bleeding in one Caesarean scar and one cervical pregnancy.

conclusionsIntralesional methotrexate is more effective than systemic methotrexate and should be considered as first line medical treatment for non-tubal ectopic pregnancies. It has a high success rate in the management of unruptured non-tubal ectopic pregnancies even in the presence of fetal pulsations or high human chorionic gonadotrophin levels, but patients may require a prolonged period of monitoring. Close surveillance and readily available surgery were required due to the risk of heavy post-procedural intra-abdominal bleeding.

Indexed as

Abortifacient Agents, NonsteroidalMethotrexatePregnancy, EctopicTertiary Care CentersAdultFemaleHumansPregnancyRetrospective StudiesAbortifacient Agents, NonsteroidalMethotrexateEctopic pregnancyHuman chorionic gonadotrophinMethotrexate

Identifiers

PMID38956582
PMCPMC11218395

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.