[Diffuse cavernous myometric angiomatosis of the pregnant uterus and its clinical significance].

Sonography in the 5th month of pregnancy--the pregnancy itself appearing intact--revealed an enormous myometric angiomatosis affecting the body of the uterus. Hence, the size of the uterus in the 17th week of pregnancy equalled the size usually attained in the 36th week only. Tendency to collapse and pulselessness as a consequence of excessive haemorrhages into the enormously dilated veins was observed. The myometrium displayed varying intensity and was permeated by blood vessels of different sizes up to 1 cm diameter. Because of the extremely dangerous tendency of the uterine wall to break, hysterectomy was performed. The histological specimen showed a diffuse cavernous myometric angiomatosis of the body of the uterus and of the isthmus uteri. We believe that this extreme reaction of the veins during pregnancy is caused by a specifically acting agent and by a special disposition of the veins in the uterus. So far, only two cases have been described in literature (Halban, case 1 Kaufmann).