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A retrospective comparative study evaluating the efficacy of adding intra-arterial methotrexate infusion to uterine artery embolisation followed by curettage for cesarean scar pregnancy

Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics volume 297, pages 1205–1211 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

The study aimed to compare the efficacy of intra-arterial methotrexate (MTX) infusion combined with uterine artery embolisation (UAE) and uterine curettage with that of UAE and curettage without MTX infusion for the treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP).

Methods

In this retrospective study, data of CSP patients admitted from January 2011 to July 2015 were obtained from electronic patient records. Clinical information at baseline and after treatment were extracted and analyzed.

Results

A total of 93 CSP patients were included, with 57 patients receiving UAE followed by curettage (UC) and 36 patients receiving intra-arterial MTX infusion followed by UAE and curettage (MUC). The baseline characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups. Without additional intervention, 32 (88.9%) patients were successfully treated by MUC, and 49 (86.0%) patients were successfully treated by UC, defined by discontinued ectopic conceptus growth, normalized serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) level, ceased vaginal bleeding and preservation of uterus, with no significant difference between the two groups. Additionally, intra-operative blood loss volume and post-operative bleeding events were not significantly different between the two groups. However, serum β-hCG decline on the first day after surgery was significantly promoted, and the hospitalization length and the time needed for serum β-hCG normalization were significantly shortened by addition of intra-arterial MTX infusion.

Conclusions

Adding intra-arterial MTX to UAE and curettage significantly promoted post-operative recovery, though success rate and bleeding events were not significantly affected, suggesting that addition of intra-arterial MTX might not be necessary.

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Funding

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81601238), and Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health and family planning (20164Y0251).

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Planning, The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China

    Ling Gao, Yan-yan Hou, Feng Sun, Wei Xia, Yi Yang & Qin-fang Chen

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tong Ji University, Shanghai, 201214, China

    Xiao-cui Li

  3. The Second Clinical Medical College, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300270, China

    Tian Tian

Authors
  1. Ling Gao
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  2. Yan-yan Hou
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  3. Feng Sun
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  4. Wei Xia
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  5. Yi Yang
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  6. Tian Tian
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  7. Qin-fang Chen
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  8. Xiao-cui Li
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Contributions

LG: collected and analyzed the data, drafted the manuscript; YYH: collected the data and analyzed the data; FS: analyzed the data and reviewed the draft; WX: analyzed the data; YY: prepared figures and tables; TT: prepared figures; QFC: supervised the study, reviewed and edited the manuscript; XCL: designed the study, supervised the study, reviewed and edited the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Qin-fang Chen or Xiao-cui Li.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declared that they had no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study before treatment.

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Cite this article

Gao, L., Hou, Yy., Sun, F. et al. A retrospective comparative study evaluating the efficacy of adding intra-arterial methotrexate infusion to uterine artery embolisation followed by curettage for cesarean scar pregnancy. Arch Gynecol Obstet 297, 1205–1211 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-018-4686-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-018-4686-8

Keywords

  • Cesarean scar pregnancy
  • Uterine artery embolisation
  • Methotrexate
  • Fertility
  • Uterine curettage