Luteoma of Pregnancy Presenting as Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy: A Case Report

Luteoma of pregnancy is a rare, benign neoplasm arising from the ovary, which occurs due to pregnancy-induced hormones.This rare ovarian lesion was first described by Sternberg and Barclay in 1966. Our case is unusual as the ovarian mass was misdiagnosed as ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Only three such cases have been previously reported in the literature. A 28-year-old multigravida with three months of amenorrhea presented with vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, and gradually increasing vertigo for six days with increased intensity in the last four hours. On examination, she was conscious and oriented, clinically moderate pallor was present, her pulse rate was 112 beats per minute (bpm), and her blood pressure (BP) was 98/68 mm Hg. On abdominal examination, there was no palpable abdominal mass, but left iliac fossa guarding and tenderness were present. On per-vaginal examination, the uterus was eight weeks in size, the right fornix was free, the left fornix was full and tender, and cervical motion tenderness was present. Her urine pregnancy test was positive. Transvaginal sonography was performed in the emergency setting, which showed a bulky uterus with thickened endometrium and a non-visualized right ovary, and the left ovary was seen adjacent to a hyperechoic collection in the pouch of Douglas of size 3.5×3.5×1.8 cm, likely organized hematoma; there was free fluid in the pouch of Douglas, and left forniceal tenderness was also present. In view of the clinical evidence of tachycardia and hypotension, an exploratory laparotomy was performed for suspected ruptured ectopic pregnancy, and the ovarian mass was excised. The histopathological examination (HPE) of the ovarian mass showed findings suggestive of luteoma of pregnancy. There is an extreme paucity of literature on luteoma of pregnancy. That, along with the rarity of the lesion, results in it often not being kept in mind as a differential diagnosis on clinical or radiological examination, thereby leading to more aggressive management. Obstetricians and gynecologists need to be aware of this condition so that it is kept as a differential diagnosis in patients presenting with adnexal masses. A vigilant outlook will help in preventing unnecessary radical surgery during pregnancy, thereby preserving the ovary and reducing morbidity in these young females.