Laparoscopic management of an abdominal pregnancy

A 34-year-old woman was admitted at 6-weeks gestation with a suspected ectopic pregnancy. At diagnostic laparoscopy the fallopian tubes were normal, but there was a 2-cm haemorrhagic mass adherent to the omentum. This was removed laparoscopically using bipolar diathermy and scissors. Histology revealed a haemorrhagic mass containing chorionic villi and syncytiotrophoblast. The woman made an uneventful post-operative recovery. The pathogenesis of abdominal pregnancies is discussed, as well as the importance of comprehensive inspection of the peritoneal cavity at diagnostic laparoscopy.