Acquired enhanced myometrial vascularity/arteriovenous malformations occurred after unsuccessful pregnancies or treatment procedures that included uterine curettage, cesarean delivery, or cesarean scar pregnancy. Triage of patients for expectant treatment vs intervention with uterine artery embolization based on their clinical status, which was supplemented by objective measurements of blood velocity measurement in the arteriovenous malformation, appears to be a good predictor of outcome. Ultrasound evaluation of patients with early pregnancy failure and persistent bleeding should be considered for evaluation of a possible enhanced myometrial vascularity/arteriovenous malformation.

Objectives To evaluate the management, clinical courses, and outcomes of cesarean scar pregnancies diagnosed in the first trimester. Methods We identified 60 cases of cesarean scar pregnancies diagnosed between 5 and 14 weeks. Group A contained 48 patients with fetal/embryonic cardiac activity; group B comprised 12 patients without cardiac activity; and group C included 11 patients with cardiac activity who chose expectant management. Results Five of the 48 patients (10.4%) in group A were successfully treated for vaginal bleeding. Thirty‐three (68.7%) received methotrexate injections, and all had full resolution. Three (6.3%) required uterine artery embolization for late‐developing arteriovenous malformations. Ten of the 12 patients (83.3%) in group B were managed expectantly and had full recovery. Two of the 10 (20.0%) had arteriovenous malformations; 1 had unsuccessful uterine artery embolization followed by a hysterectomy, and the second requested a hysterectomy. Ten of the 11 patients (90.9%) in group C continued the pregnancies. One declined local injection. Four of the 10 (40.0%) delivered live offspring by successive elective cesarean deliveries. Three (30.0%) had hysterectomies for placenta percreta, and 1 did not have a hysterectomy after delivery. Five (50%) had second‐trimester complications, all leading to hysterectomies. Of the 60 patients, 20 (33.3%) had serious complications: 5 had arteriovenous malformations; 4 had uterine artery embolization; and 11 had hysterectomies. Conclusions A cesarean scar pregnancy is a serious complication for patients who have had cesarean deliveries. Counseling, treatment, and follow‐up are challenging for patients and caregivers. However, emerging data from different management approaches confirm that a cesarean scar pregnancy may progress and result in a live neonate at the expense of further fertility. This study confirmed that expectant management of a cesarean scar pregnancy is associated with a high risk of hysterectomy due to morbidly adherent placenta.

Catheter coatings have the potential to decrease infection and thrombosis in patients with chronic dialysis catheters. We report our midterm experience with a heparin-coated dialysis catheter. This retrospective, case-control study was approved by our Institutional Review Board. A total of 88 tunneled dialysis catheters were inserted over a 13-month period via the internal jugular vein. Thirty-eight uncoated split-tip catheters and 50 heparin-coated catheters were inserted. Primary catheter patency was compared between the two groups using the log rank test, with infection and/or thrombosis considered as catheter failures. Dialysis parameters during the first and last dialysis sessions, including pump speed, actual blood flow, and arterial port pressures, were compared using unpaired t-tests. Primary patency of the uncoated catheters was 86.0 +/- 6.5% at 30 days and 76.1 +/- 8.9% at 90 days. Primary patency of heparin-coated catheters was 92.0 +/- 6.2% at 30 days and 81.6 +/- 8.0% at 90 days (p = 0.87, log rank test). Infection requiring catheter removal occurred in four patients with uncoated catheters and two patients with heparin-coated catheters (p = 0.23). Catheter thrombosis requiring catheter replacement or thrombolysis occurred in one patient with an uncoated catheter and two patients with heparin-coated catheters (p = 0.9). No differences in catheter function during hemodialysis were seen between the two groups. In conclusion, the heparin-coated catheter did not show a significantly longer patency compared to the uncoated catheter. The flow characteristics of this device were comparable to those of the conventional uncoated catheter. A demonstrable benefit of the heparin-coated catheter in randomized trials is needed before a recommendation for routine implementation can be made.

CT-guided percutaneous drainage may be a helpful therapy in selected patients for the treatment of aortic aneurysm sac infections following EVAR.