Pune: Rare 1 in 1,00,000 Pregnancy Complication Treated Successfully at Sassoon Hospital

Pune, 3rd February 2025: A 26-year-old woman, who was in the early stages of pregnancy, underwent a rare and complex laparoscopic surgery at Sassoon General Hospital after doctors discovered she had a unicornuate uterus with a rudimentary horn—a rare congenital anomaly that occurs in only 1 in 1,00,000 pregnancies.

The woman, a first-time mother-to-be, had initially taken a urine pregnancy test that confirmed her pregnancy, bringing joy to her and her family. However, when she went for a dating scan at a local clinic, doctors detected a right adnexal unruptured ectopic pregnancy with cardiac activity. Seeking further medical management, she was referred to Sassoon General Hospital.

The medical team planned a laparoscopic right-sided salpingectomy to remove the ectopic pregnancy. However, upon inserting the supra-umbilical port, they made a surprising discovery—the patient had a unicornuate uterus with a non-communicating rudimentary horn, where the pregnancy had been conceived.

This rare condition raises a unique medical question—how did conception take place if the rudimentary horn lacked any direct connection to the uterus or cervix? Doctors explained that fertilization likely occurred via transperitoneal migration of sperm or a fertilized ovum, a phenomenon seen in rare cases.

A team of skilled doctors, including Dr. Sanjaykumar Tambe, Dr. Sunil Patil, Dr. Yuga Jamdade, Dr. Priyanka Walke, and Dr. Ishaan Padore, successfully performed a laparoscopic resection of the rudimentary horn, preventing potentially life-threatening complications.

Had the pregnancy continued undiagnosed, the woman risked a rupture of the uterine horn, which could have led to a critical medical emergency. Fortunately, an early ultrasound diagnosis, though not entirely accurate, played a crucial role in identifying the anomaly.

While the patient faced an unexpected medical challenge, she was fortunate that timely intervention prevented a dangerous rupture. With a successful surgery and recovery, doctors at Sassoon General Hospital extended their best wishes for her future health and fertility.