A Case of Lethal Abdominal Compartment Syndrome due to Rapidly Expanding Ovarian Small Cell Carcinoma Pulmonary Type

Abstract

A 53-year-old woman presented with a rapidly growing pelvic mass suspected to be endometrial cancer due to endometrial biopsy showing grade 1 endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Due to severe aortic valve stenosis, she underwent a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for surgical optimization for a planned total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and tumor debulking. She was discharged on dual antiplatelet therapy with plans for future surgery, but was readmitted with abdominal distension, constipation, and urinary retention. The pelvic mass seen on prior imaging studies had increased in size. Unanticipated asystole cardiac arrest occurred two days after readmission, which on autopsy was found to be secondary to abdominal compartment syndrome from a rapidly enlarging ovarian small cell carcinoma pulmonary type.

Abdominal Compartment Syndrome Due to Large Ovarian Cystadenoma: A Case Report

“…Gynecologic conditions are considered an unusual etiology for the abdominal compartment syndrome with a limited number of reports in the literature [ 4 , 5 ]. For example, Sieloff et al reported a lethal case of abdominal compartment syndrome due to rapidly enlarging ovarian carcinoma whose management was delayed because of the patient’s comorbidities and the atypical presentation with the absence of abdominal pain [ 5 ]. It should be noted that patients with abdominal compartment syndrome are typically very ill and are unable to convey their clinical symptoms.…”