CULDOCENTESIS

Course overview

CULDOCENTESIS IS A PROCEDURE USED TO DIAGNOSE THE PRESENCE OF RUPTURED ECTOPIC PREGNANCY BY EVALUATING FOR HEMOPERITONEUM BY INSERTING A NEEDLE AND DRAWING BACK FLUID FROM THE POUCH OF DOUGLAS. ECTOPIC PREGNANCY REMAINS A LARGE CAUSE FOR EARLY MATERNAL MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY, AND CULDOCENTESIS IS ONE OF THE TOOLS THAT CAN BE USED FOR RAPID DIAGNOSIS ALTHOUGH IT HAS LARGELY BEEN REPLACED BY SONOGRAPHY, IT IS STILL REGULARLY PRACTICED IN SOME COUNTRIES. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, TREATING, AND MANAGING PATIENTS WHO UNDERGO CULDOCENTESIS.