Place of Culdocentesis in the Diagnosis of Ectopic Pregnancy

Abstract

false-negative and four false-positive results; only two unnecessary laparotomies were performed. It is suggested that culdocentesis has an essential place in the early diagnosis of doubtful or atypical ectopic pregnancy. It was simple, safe, and reliable. Owing to earlier diagnosis maternal mortality and morbidity and the duration of stay in hospital have all been reduced.

The early diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy

“…The vast majority of our patients gave a history of bleeding or brown discharge. This is not a universal finding and in another series 20-50 per cent of patients did not give a history of any abnormal bleeding or discharge (Lucas and Hassim, 1970) and 50 per cent of patients did not suspect pregnancy (Hallett, 1975). Lower abdominal pain was almost universal in our series.…”

“…This may be due to the fact that more young girls are having intrauterine contraceptive devices inserted as a means of contraception. Most series report the condition in the older age group, except a series from Zambia in which 70 per cent were under the age of 30 (Lucas and Hassim, 1970).…”

An Unusual Presentation of Bilateral Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy

“…The presentation was recurrent vomiting and ‘midcycle’ pain with an apparently normal menstrual cycle. In approximately 15% of cases, there is a history of a normal menstrual cycle 1,2 . This may be due to early decidual shedding in response to defective corpus luteum function or early bleeding from the site of implantation of the ectopic pregnancy at the time of an expected period.…”

Ectopic Pregnancy: Diagnostic Dilemma and Delay

“…T h e value of culdocentesis was not illustrated by this study as the procedure was rarely performed and the technique was not standardized. However, the accuracy of culdocentesis and abdominal paracentesis in the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy has been cited in the literature (3,7).…”