Xiao-Ming Zhu

Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is a late serious complication of cesarean section. There has been an increase in the incidence of CSP worldwide in recent years. It’s a life-threatening condition because of the high risk of uncontrolled hemorrhage and uterine rupture. The mechanism of CSP is still unclear. The endometrial receptivity might be different in the cesarean scar between CSP and normal pregnancies. Endometrial expression of integrin β3 and LIF positively correlates with endometrial receptivity and embryo implantation. The purpose of the study is to explore the mechanism of CSP. The EnVision two-step immunohistochemical staining technique was used to detect the expression of integrin β3 and LIF in the decidua of women with CSP (20 cases) and normal pregnancies (20 cases). The distribution and staining intensity of integrin β3 and LIF in the two groups were observed. Observation of the staining were done using microscope within five randomly selected high-power fields (HPF, 10 × 40). All data analyses were conducted with SPSS 17.0 and the statistical significance was set at P <0.05. The decidua in the different parts of both two groups that stained with the anti-integrin β3 and anti-LIF antibody: most of the integrin β3 and LIF positive cells were located in glandular epithelium. The expression intensity of integrin β3 in the cesarean scar in CSP group was significant higher than the uterine cavity in CSP group and the cesarean scar in normal pregnancy group. It’s similar with the uterine cavity in normal pregnancy group. The expression intensity of LIF in the cesarean scar in CSP group was significant higher than the uterine cavity in CSP group and the cesarean scar in normal pregnancy group. It’s significant lower than the uterine cavity in normal pregnancy group. The decidual integrin β3 and LIF might play an important role in the mechanism of CSP. The increase expression of integrin β3 and LIF in the cesarean scar decidua might be associated with embryo implantation in cesarean scar. The occurrence of CSP might be related to the changes of endometrial receptivity in local cesarean scar.

To compare the clinical effects of dilatation and curettage (D&C) regimen and operative hysteroscopy coupled with curettage regimen in the treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) following preventive uterine artery embolization (UAE). Thirty-three women were treated with D&C after UAE (group A) and 33 women were treated with operative hysteroscopy coupled with curettage after UAE (group B). The clinical outcomes of the two groups were compared. There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to the success rate, the intraoperative blood loss, the hysterectomy rate, the hospitalization time, the decline of serum β-hCG after surgery, the time of serum β-hCG resolution, the time of vaginal bleeding after surgery, the time to CSP mass disappearance, and the subsequent intrauterine pregnancies. The hospitalization cost in group B was higher than group A. Both D&C and operative hysteroscopy coupled with curettage were successful in terminating a CSP. Hysteroscopy coupled with curettage regimen did not have significant advantages and good prognosis in dealing with the gestational sac type of CSP following preventive UAE compared with D&C regimen. Treatment should be individualized and several conditions must be considered.

There are more and more women with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). The mechanism of RSA is still unclear. Immunological factors have been postulated to play a role in the etiology of RSA. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen-presenting cells in the immune system, and the decidual DCs may take part in the occurrence of RSA. The difference in maturity status of decidual DCs among women with RSA and women with normal pregnancies is worthy of studying for its application to prevention and therapy. The EnVision two-step immunohistochemical staining technique was used to detect the expression of CD83 and CD1a in the decidua of women with RSA (30 cases) and normal pregnancies (30 cases). The maturity status, distribution and quantity of DCs in the two groups were observed. Observation of the staining and cell counting were done using microscope within 30 randomly selected high-power fields (HPF, 40 × 10). All data analyses were conducted with SPSS 17.0 and the statistical significance was set at P <0.05. The decidua from the two groups contained DCs that stained with the anti-CD83 and anti-CD1a antibody. Most of the decidual CD83+DCs from two groups were located in the stroma. There were more CD83+DCs clustered with other DCs in the stroma from women with RSA than normal pregnancies. Most of the CD1a+DCs in the decidua from the two groups are located close to maternal glandular epithelium. No difference in the location of CD1a+DCs was found in the decidua between two groups. The number of decidual CD83+DCs was statistically significantly higher in RSA women than in normal early pregnant women (14.20 ± 13.34/30 HPF versus 4.77 ± 2.64/30 HPF; t = 3.800, P = 0.001). The number of CD1a+DCs in the decidua was statistically significantly lower in RSA women compared with normal early pregnant women (3.97 ± 3.75/30 HPF versus 7.60 ± 6.08/30 HPF; t = 2.786, P = 0.008). These findings suggest that the increase in the number of mature DCs and the decrease in the quantity of immature DCs in the decidua may be related to RSA. The maturation of decidual DCs may play an important role in the pathogenesis of RSA.

To report the clinical characteristics, pathologic findings and treatments of a patient with a Caesarean scar choriocarcinoma. A 22-year-old woman had a diagnosis of primary gestational choriocarcinoma in a uterine Caesarean scar misdiagnosed as a normal Caesarean scar pregnancy. The patient underwent selective uterine artery embolization coupled with methotrexate arterial injection, along with dilatation and curettage of the uterine Caesarean scar. Finally, she received eight courses of multiagent chemotherapy. The reproductive function of the patient was preserved. Primary gestational choriocarcinoma out of the uterine corpus is a rare disease. A Caesarean scar choriocarcinoma is an extremely unusual example of this entity because of its unique position. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of this phenomenon. Our experience and a literature review suggest that a clinical diagnosis of a primary gestational choriocarcinoma of the uterine Caesarean scar is difficult to make, and uterine artery embolization is beneficial to prevent massive bleeding before curettage.