Calcified Abdominal Pregnancy with 17 Years of Evolution : A Case Report

Abstract

Background: Calcified abdominal pregnancy (lithopedion) is a rare phenomenon and there are less than 300 cases reported in the medical literature. We report here a rare case of long-standing abdominal pregnancy diagnosed with computerized tomography. Case presentation: In this case, a 42-year-old Ethiopian woman presented to the outpatient department of Mekane Selam Hospital with intermittent longstanding abdominal pain that is worsened over the last 2 weeks. She had her only pregnancy 17 years earlier. She came to our hospital with pain and a tumoral mass of approximately 20 centimetres in diameter. Complementary examinations (abdominal X-ray, ultrasonography, and computerized tomography)was done. The final assessment was abdominal pregnancy with calcification (lithopedion) and she was counselled about the condition and management. Surgical intervention was decided but she refused the operation due to fearing surgical complications. Conclusion: Abdominal pregnancy a serious condition with significant maternal and perinatal mortality. The diagnosis of the disease was missing during antenatal care. Good history taking and physical examination are very important in this case, and also imaging studies is vital. Due to the absence of adequate medical attention for clinicians and health workers, we suggest that the clinicians should be alert in the diagnosis of this disease.