Extratubal secondary trophoblastic implants: clinicopathologic correlation and review of the literature

Abstract

Extratubal secondary trophoblastic implants (ESTI) are a rare complication of conservative laparoscopic procedures for tubal ectopic pregnancies. These implants present with persistent beta-hCG titers postoperatively and are probably the result of disruption of the ectopic pregnancy at salpingostomy or morcellation of the fallopian tube at salpingectomy. We describe the case of a 32-year-old woman who underwent a laparoscopic salpingectomy for a tubal ectopic pregnancy that was complicated postoperatively by peritoneal ESTI including extensive omental implants. Intraoperatively the lesions appeared as 0.3 cm red-black nodules and, microscopically, consisted of degenerating chorionic villi associated with implantation changes in the surrounding tissue. To the pathologist unaware of the clinical entity of ESTI, these lesions may present a diagnostic challenge.