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A Case of Massive Fetomaternal Haemorrhage at Term Associated with Choriocarcinoma
Author(s) -
Lee K.W.,
Ho L.C.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1111/j.1479-828x.1999.tb03394.x
Subject(s) - choriocarcinoma , medicine , placenta , trophoblast , autopsy , pregnancy , gestation , obstetrics , vaginal bleeding , gynecology , placenta diseases , fetus , pathology , biology , genetics
EDITORIAL COMMENT: We accepted this case for publication because of its rare anecdotal interest and to remind readers that a choriocarcinoma can present after a normal pregnancy and indeed can do so very soon after delivery. We would respectfully suggest that the fetomaternal haemorrhage is not necessarily due to the choriocarcinoma since this condition occurs in pregnancies with an apparently normal placenta. Another extraordinary case was reported in this journal 30 years ago in which the diagnosis of choriocarcinoma with pulmonary and vaginal metastases was made at 21 weeks’gestation in a 16‐year‐old primigravida who soon thereafter died undelivered from respiratory failure and haemoptysis (A). At autopsy, macroscopic examination of the placenta showed no evidence of mole or myometrial invasion. However, serial sections of the placenta revealed an area of trophoblastic hyperplasia and sections from the corresponding area of the uterine wall showed‘much trophoblast in the myometrial venous spaces'. When it comes to choriocarcinoma, in particular, there is nothing new under the sun!