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UTERINE, FETAL AND PLACENTAL INJURIES DUE TO A MOTOR CAR ACCIDENT
Author(s) -
Mussalli N. G.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1972.tb15813.x
Subject(s) - christian ministry , obstetrics and gynaecology , citation , medicine , general hospital , gynecology , library science , obstetrics , family medicine , political science , pregnancy , law , computer science , genetics , biology
The patient was 26 years old. During her third pregnancy she was booked for delivery at Crawley Hospital, Sussex. While driving her car to the Antenatal Clinic on the exact date of her expected delivery, she was involved in an accident in which the steering wheel struck her abdomen severely. She was not using a safety belt. Immediately she felt sick, developed severe abdominal pain, and became shocked. She was brought to Redhill General Hospital, Surrey, in moderate shock. Her pulse rate was 120 per minute with a blood pressure of 80/40 mm. Hg. The abdominal wall below the umbilicus on the right side showeda small haematoma. The underlying part of the uterus was tender. There was no vaginal bleeding, the fetal heart rate was about 80 per minute and regular, but the sounds were only indistinctly heard. X-rays of the pelvis and cervical spine showed no abnormalities, but an X-ray of the chest showed that the right cupola of the diaphragm was slightly raised. A diagnosis of concealed accidental haemorrhage was made. Laparotomy was proposed as soon as the shock was combated. Oxygen was given and blood transfusion immediately insti-