Lithopedion in a Geriatric Patient

Ricaurte-Sossa, Andrés; Bolaños, Henry; Ricaurte-Fajardo, Andrés; Burgos, Ángela Camila; García, Valentina Herrera; Muñoz, Paola; Rosselli, Diego

doi:10.1055/s-0038-1676038

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Though most medical texts reported that there are no classic clinical signs or symptoms [ 2 , 9 ] to aid in the diagnosis of a lithopedion and the majority of cases are discovered during routine imaging or unrelated surgical procedures, the late diagnosis reflects a failure of history taking on the part of the healthcare professionals. In most reported cases, the affected women were aware that they had experienced a pregnancy that did not conclude with the birth of a child or even the passage of blood and tissue to suggest a miscarriage [ 1 – 7 , 9 – 15 ]. The occurrence of the condition itself reflects lack of access to healthcare, due to multifactorial and intersecting social and structural factors, including poverty, geography, health literacy and awareness, distrust, and discrimination in healthcare.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fewer than 300 cases have been reported since the discovery of a case in France in 1582 [ 3 – 6 ]. It occurs in an estimated 1.5 to 1.8% of extrauterine pregnancies and in 0.00045% of all pregnancies [ 7 ]. Cases have been reported in women between the ages of 23 to 100 years with an estimated interval of retention of 4 to 60 years [ 3 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cases have been reported in women between the ages of 23 to 100 years with an estimated interval of retention of 4 to 60 years [ 3 ]. When fetal demise ensues and the fetus is too large to be reabsorbed, the immune system considers it as a foreign body and induces calcium-rich substance deposition thereby turning the fetus into stone [ 7 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A 50-year-old refugee woman with a lithopedion and a lifetime of trauma: a case report

Sous

Soipe

et al. 2023

BMC Women's Health

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Background Lithopedion is a term that refers to a fetus that has calcified or changed to bone. The calcification may involve the fetus, membranes, placenta, or any combination of these structures. It is an extremely rare complication of pregnancy and can remain asymptomatic or present with gastrointestinal and/or genitourinary symptoms. Case presentation A 50-year-old Congolese refugee with a nine-year history of retained fetus after a fetal demise was resettled to the United States (U.S.). She had chronic symptoms of abdominal pain and discomfort, dyspepsia, and gurgling sensation after eating. She experienced stigmatization from healthcare professionals in Tanzania at the time of the fetal demise and subsequently avoided healthcare interaction whenever possible. Upon arrival to the U.S., evaluation of her abdominal mass included abdominopelvic imaging which confirmed the diagnosis of lithopedion. She was referred to gynecologic oncology for surgical consultation given intermittent bowel obstruction from underlying abdominal mass. However, she declined intervention due to fear of surgery and elected for symptom monitoring. Unfortunately, she passed away due to severe malnutrition in the context of recurrent bowel obstruction due to the lithopedion and continued fear of seeking medical care. Conclusion This case demonstrated a rare medical phenomenon and the impact of medical distrust, poor health awareness, and limited access to healthcare among populations most likely to be affected by a lithopedion. This case highlighted the need for a community care model to bridge the gap between the healthcare team and newly resettled refugees.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A 50-year-old refugee woman with a lithopedion and a lifetime of trauma: a case report

Sous

Soipe

et al. 2023

BMC Women's Health

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“…When a dead fetus is too big to become reabsorbed by the mother’s body, the immune system treats it as a foreign body. This induces calcium-rich substance deposition on the fetus that will, in due course, turn the fetus body into stone [5].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neglected intrauterine fetal demise for more than two decades leading to the development of a lithopedion: a case report

et al. 2019

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BackgroundLithopedion is a word derived from the Greek words lithos, meaning stone, and paidion, meaning child, to describe a fetus that has become stony or petrified. Lithopedion is a rare complication of pregnancy which occurs when a fetus dies and becomes too large to be reabsorbed by the body. This entity in rare circumstances can be challenging for physicians to diagnose since it has a range of clinical manifestations.Case presentationWe present a case of a 55-year-old, gravida IV para III, Ethiopian woman from Ethiopia with a retained fetus and vesicovaginal fistula after an obstructed labor and a neglected intrauterine fetal demise of approximately 22 years. The diagnosis was confirmed by suggestive clinical history, physical examination findings, and an abdominopelvic computed tomography scan. Laparotomy and removal of the lithopedion was done and our patient was sent to a fistula hospital for vesicovaginal fistula repair.ConclusionThis case is a rare phenomenon in which the dead fetus remained in the uterus for a long time after a neglected obstructed labor and uterine rupture.

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