Histopathology indicates lymphatic spread of a pelvic retroperitoneal ectopic pregnancy removed by robot-assisted laparoscopy with temporary occlusion of the blood supply

Retroperitoneal ectopic pregnancies are extremely rare and a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge as an early diagnosis is difficult and all treatments entail a risk for severe bleeding. We present a case of a live completely retroperitoneal ectopic pregnancy in the right obturator fossa. Following 3D color Doppler vaginal ultrasonography to evaluate the relation to larger blood vessels the pregnancy was completely removed by robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery. The hypogastric artery was temporarily occluded by removable vessel clips. Time for surgery was 126 minutes, no bleeding occurred. The postoperative course was uneventful and s-beta hCG normalized in five weeks. Histopathology of the intact specimen showed trophoblast surrounded by lymphatic tissue. We believe robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery is a feasible and safe technique for surgery of retroperitoneal ectopic pregnancies with similar or other locations allowing occlusion of the main supplying artery. Lymphatic spread may explain retroperitoneal ectopic pregnancies.