Diagnosis and management of life-threatening hypermenorrhagia caused by uterine arteriovenous malformation secondary to surgical termination of pregnancy: video evidence!

A 23-year-old lady presented with a 10-month history of multiple episodes of prolonged and erratic menstrual bleeding having undergone a surgical termination of pregnancy. Initially, pelvic ultrasound and hysteroscopy were found to be normal and for many months she was treated pharmacologically for dysfunctional uterine bleeding. She also tried both a copper-coil and MIRENA intrauterine system, which were both expelled due to heavy bleeding characterised by 'a clot the size of two fists'. She required blood transfusions on multiple admissions, was forced to resign from her job and later became depressed. Under our care a transvaginal ultrasound scan showed a hypervascular region on the posterior uterine wall. An urgent hysteroscopy was performed due to her haemoglobin being 5.7 g/dl and revealed a pulsating lesion abutting the endometrium, which can be seen here on video. MR angiography confirmed an arteriovenous malformation and she was successfully treated with uterine artery embolisation.