Pneumoamnion and pregnancy loss after second-trimester laparoscopic surgery

BACKGROUND: Midtrimester laparoscopic surgery is considered safe; however, both maternal and fetal complications can occur. We report a case of midtrimester pregnancy loss with pneumoamnion after laparoscopic appendectomy. CASE: A young woman presented at 21 weeks' gestation with a 3-day history of nausea and severe abdominal pain. Diagnostic laparoscopy was performed with normal appendix and pelvic anatomy noted. Worsening pain prompted a repeat laparoscopic evaluation. A small defect in the uterine serosa was noted, which presumably resulted from inadvertent Veress needle injury. Abdominal computerized tomography was performed, which demonstrated a pneumoamnion. Spontaneous rupture of membranes and labor ensued, resulting in the delivery of a stillborn fetus. CONCLUSION: Inadvertent introduction of the Veress needle into the gravid uterus with subsequent pneumoamnion represents a catastrophic complication of midtrimester laparoscopic surgery. (C) 2002 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.