Immediate postpartum curettage: accelerated recovery from severe preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the ability of immediate postpartum curettage to accelerate maternal recovery from severe preeclampsia.


METHODS
Thirty-two parturients with severe preeclampsia were randomly assigned to either undergo ultrasound-directed curettage following delivery or to have no curettage.


RESULTS
Subjects who underwent immediate postpartum curettage had a significantly decreased mean arterial pressure at each 2-hour point for the first 24 hours compared with those who were not curetted (P < .0002). The mean urine output after uterine curettage was significantly greater during each 4-hour interval of the first 24 hours postpartum compared with controls (P < .0002). The platelet count increased in the curettage group from 12 to 24 hours following curettage, whereas controls exhibited a decrease in the platelet count from 12 to 24 hours (P < .0003).


CONCLUSIONS
Immediate puerperal uterine curettage of the parturient with severe preeclampsia appears to accelerate disease recovery with no apparent adverse sequelae.
Magann
E F
EF
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson.
Martin
J N
JN
Isaacs
J D
JD
Perry
K G
KG
Martin
R W
RW
Meydrech
E F
EF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003475:Curettage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010976:Platelet Count; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000502:physiology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014599:Uterus / Q000601:surgery*