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Counsel of perfection:
Ectopic until proven otherwise.

This is not a perfect world.

No mention of examination in your case. Was she examined? Would it make
any difference if there was no guarding / lateralizing signs /
tachycardia?
If I couldn't persuade anyone to scan this woman before she left, I
would not sleep easy until she returned for an early (24hours?)
outpatient scan.

Russian roulette springs to mind, but I suspect the odds of an ectopic
are a lot, LOT rarer than 1 in 6 in this case.
What is an "acceptable" risk to take with this woman's life and
fallopian tubes? Does it depend on who you ask? Is there a place for
serum beta-hCG +/- progesterone to risk-stratify? Were they done?

?SAH can be an equally problematic differential, with lots of more
common non-sinister alternatives, and equally devastating results if
sent home. A consultant neurosurgeon I know says if ANY suspicion of
SAH, scan (CT/LP).
A consultant O&G I know, says a similar thing regarding ectopics and
USS.

Perhaps my approach is coloured by the fact that both myself and a
Consultant I have worked for have had near misses with ??ectopics, and a
nursing colleague once spent a few months on ITU after a late-diagnosed
ectopic. Are these bad reasons to be cautious?

Goat



In message <[log in to unmask]>, Craig Ellis
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>Young woman, 6-7 weeks pregnant, no scan. presents with crampy lower abdo
>pain and frequency. no dysuria, no bleeding. no fever. Urine +ve for
>protein, blood, leuks and nitrates.
>
>Would anyone scan her to confirm an IUP or would you be happy to treat the
>UTI and send her home to follow-up with GP
>
>Im reviewing a case - you can guess what happened.
>
>From the info I have I wouldnt have. Would any of you?
>
>Craig
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Surf the net and talk on the phone with Xtra JetStream @
>http://xtra.co.nz/jetstream

--
Goat