Abstract
BACKGROUND: The spontaneous rupture of an artery aneurysm during the perinatal period is considered a serious complication associated with the physiological alteration by pregnancy and delivery. The rupture of an ovarian artery aneurysm is rare and leads to rapid retroperitoneal hemorrhage. Here, we report one case complicated by postpartum hypertensive disorder of pregnancy associated with massive bleeding into retroperitoneal cavity by the spontaneous rupture of ovarian artery aneurysm after caesarean section, and reviewed previous literature. CASE PRESENTATION: A 41-year-old Japanese woman was referred to our hospital four days after undergoing cesarean delivery because of hemorrhagic shock with abdominal and right flank pain. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed a large retroperitoneal hematoma. Angiography showed a ruptured right ovarian artery aneurysm, anastomosing with a dilated uterine artery. She was successfully treated with transcatheter arterial embolization. She was diagnosed with postpartum hypertensive disorder of pregnancy 3 days after the embolization. CONCLUSION: The rupture of ovarian aneurysm can occur during the perinatal period, although it has not been widely understood among obstetricians. Multiparity and hypertensive disorder of pregnancy might be risk factors for the rupture of an ovarian aneurysm. Early diagnosis and therapy, such as transcatheter arterial embolization in preparation for an emergency laparotomy, are crucially important for the management of this fatal disease.