Isolated fallopian tube torsion in an adolescent: a diagnostic challenge

Torsion of the fallopian tube without ovarian involvement is an extremely rare event and often difficult to diagnose, but noteworthy, cause of lower abdominal pain. The authors describe a case related to a 14- year-old adolescent with acute lower abdominal pain and vomiting presented to the gynaecological emergency department. Blood tests exhibited modest biochemical parameters of inflammation and a transvaginal ultrasound showed a left adnexal tubular cystic mass with normal ovarian appearance. A diagnostic laparoscopy revealed an isolated fallopian tube torsion. The tube was able to be untwisted with restoration of pelvic anatomy and the follow-up was uneventful. The authors describe a challenging diagnosis in an adolescent in which delayed intervention could compromise her reproductive future. Tubal torsion should however be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of lower abdominal pain in women of all ages

The impact of chorionicity on maternal and fetal outcomes

Background: Women carrying twin pregnancies receive extensive antenatal counselling on fetal risks, but less is known about whether the presence of two placentas confers dissimilar maternal risks. We pretend to determine the impact of chorionicity on the maternal and fetal outcome, evaluating the possibility of finding the association between complications and the presence of two placental masses.Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study of 550 twin pregnancies monitored at a level-3 hospital, between January 2004 and December 2018.Results: Of the 550 pregnancies, 419 (76.2%) were bichorionic and 131 (23.8%) were monochorionic. Caesarean delivery was more frequent in monochorionic group (70.2% vs. 61.8%, p=0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the proportion of adverse maternal outcomes between bichorionic and monochorionic pregnancies, despite a trend towards higher proportions in bichorionic group. Regarding fetal outcomes, monochorionic twins were delivered earlier (mean gestational age of 34+4 weeks vs. 35+1 weeks, p=0.04) and the proportion of preterm delivery cases between 32+0 and 36+6 weeks was higher in monochorionic pregnancies (72.5% vs. 54.9%, p=0.002). Stillbirth of one or both twins was more frequent in monochorionic group (3.1% vs. 0.5%, p=0.03).Conclusions: The presence of two placental masses does not seems to confer an increase in maternal risks, despite a trend towards higher proportions of adverse outcomes in bichorionic pregnancies. However, monochorionicity is associated with an increase in fetal risks, particularly prematurity. Counselling and monitoring of bichorionic or monochorionic pregnancies may be identical with respect to maternal risks, but chorionicity should be considered when evaluating fetal risks