Cornual Leiomyoma And Patent Tube

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Author Information

Jagtap V^*, Valvi D^**, Parulekar S V^***

(*Third Year resident, **Assistant Professor, ***Professor and Head, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seth G. S. Medical college and KEM hospital, Mumbai, India.)

Abstract

Leiomyomas are the commonest tumors of benign origin in females. Usually a leiomyoma does not cause infertility, unless it obstructs the fallopian tubes. We present a case in which the fallopian tube was patent despite the presence of a cornual leiomyoma.

Introduction

Leiomyomas are benign monoclonal tumors originating from smooth muscle cells of myometrium of uterus.[1] Its incidence varies from 35% to 80% depending upon age and ethnicity.[2] Leiomyomas may be seen in up to 10% of women with infertility. However only up to 2.5% cases of infertility show leiomyoma as the only cause of infertility with all other possible factors ruled out.[3] Usually a leiomyoma does not cause infertility, unless it obstructs the fallopian tubes. This may occur with a large leiomyoma or multiple leiomyomas which alter the normal pelvic anatomy, or a cornual location which causes obstruction of a fallopian tube, the other fallopian tube being obstructed due to any other reason. We present a case of infertility in which in which a fallopian tube was patent despite the presence of a leiomyoma exactly medial to the origin of the tube.

Case Report

A twenty eight year old woman, married since four years presented for management of primary infertility. She had regular and normal menstrual cycles with no medical or surgical comorbidity. All her pre-operative investigations for fitness for anesthesia, thyroid function test, serum prolactin levels, Pap smear and her husband’s semen analysis were within normal limit. Hence she was posted for diagnostic hystero-laparoscopy with chromopertubation and uterine curettage. Hysteroscopy showed normal findings and on laparoscopy uterus, bilateral ovaries and fallopian tubes were normal. Only incidental finding was a small 1.5×2 cm cornual leiomyoma on left side. On chromopertubation dye spillage was present bilaterally. The patient made an uneventful recovery.

Figure 1. Left cornual leiomyoma (arrows). Remaining pelvic findings are normal.

Discussion

Leiomyoma may cause infertility due to obstruction of the fallopian tubes, as with large or multiple leiomyomas which alter the pelvic anatomy, or cornual location of the leiomyoma which can obstruct only one fallopian tube. A cornual leiomyoma may also cause tubal ectopic pregnancy. Other causes of infertility due to uterine leiomyomas include distortion of the uterine cavity, inflammation of endometrium, interference with implantation, altered tubal contractility, cervical obstruction or due to obstruction of proximal tubal end.[4] Lower fertility rates are seen with submucous leiomyomas but not with subserosal or intramural leiomyomas.[5]

A cornual leiomyoma can be dignosed with ltrasonography, aided by hysterosalpingography or sonohysterography. Comuterized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging are not necessary. The diagnosis can be confirmed by laparoscopy, and the tubal patency can be tested at that time with chromopertubabtion, as in the case presented. This patient had a cornual leiomyoma and the fallopian tube appeared to arise right from its lateral aspect. The leiomyoma was large enough to obstruct the fallopian tube. However the tube was found to be patent on chromopertubabtion. This highlights the point that the mere presence of a cornual leiomyoma should not lead to the presumption that the fallopian tube on that side would be obstructed. This patient remains at risk of development of a tubal ectopic pregnancy on that side. No active management is required in such a case. She was counseled about the risk of development of an ectopic pregnancy and advised to report if she missed a period and developed lower abdominal pain, fainting, or vaginal bleeding. Other treatment options for cornual leiomyomas include GnRH agonists to reduce size of the fibroid,[6] myomectomy with tubal reimplantation (more of historical importance) and in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, in case the other fallopian tube is obstructed too.

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr Rashmi Prasad for taking the operative photograh.

References

1. Leppert PC, et al. A new hypothesis about the origin of uterine fibroids based on gene expression profiling with microarrays. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2006;195:415-420.
2. Day Baird D, Dunson DB, et al. High cumulative incidence of uterine leiomyoma in black and white women: ultrasound evidence. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003; 188:100-107.
3. Buttram VC Jr, Reiter RC. Uterine leiomyomata: Etiology, symptomatology and management. Fertil Steril. 1981;36:433–445.
4. ASRM Practice Committee. Myomas and Reproductive functions. Fertil Steril. 2008;90(3)Suppl 3: S126-130.
5. Pritts E, Parker W, et al. Fibroids and infertility: an updated systematic review of the evidence. Fertil Steril 2009,91:1215-1223.
6. Gardner RL, Shaw RW. Cornual fibroids: a conservative approach to restoring tubal patency using gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist(goserelin) with successful pregnancy. Fertil Steril 1989,52(2):332-4.

Citation

Jagtap V, Valvi D, Parulekar SV. Cornual Leiomyoma And Patent Tube.  JPGO 2016. Volume 3 No. 4. Available from: http://www.jpgo.org/2016/04/cornual-leiomyoma-and-patent-tube.html