Place of embolization of the uterine arteries in the management of post-partum haemorrhage: a study of 12 cases.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the current place of embolization of the uterine arteries in the treatment of severe post-partum haemorrhages.


METHODS
A retrospective study of 13,160 deliveries in a level III maternity unit between January 1996 and December 2001. Five hundred and forty-nine post-partum haemorrhages were diagnosed. Seventeen (0.13%) patients had a haemorrhage which did not respond to treatment using obstetric manoeuvres and uterotonic drugs. Twelve patients aged between 19 and 34 years old benefited from embolization of the uterine arteries. Nine patients had delivered by Caesarian section and three vaginally. The aetiologies found were uterine atony (n=8), placenta praevia (n=1), placenta accreta (n=1), abruptio placentae (n=1) and uterine myomas (n=1).


RESULTS
The success rate of embolization was 91.6%. One failure, resulting from cardiovascular shock during the procedure, led to the patient being transferred as an emergency to the operating theatre for a haemostasis hysterectomy. It was due to placenta increta. No maternal deaths were reported. No complications because of the technique used were noted. One patient successfully delivered, following a normal pregnancy, one year after embolization.


CONCLUSIONS
Embolization of the uterine arteries is indicated in severe post-partum haemorrhage, irrespective of the aetiology or the type of delivery. It should be offered as soon as primary management measures undertaken for haemorrhage are judged as ineffective. Its place in the treatment strategy, is in all cases before embarking on surgery, which is the final recourse in the case of failure. It is a fairly uninvasive procedure, which preserves the potential for future pregnancies.
Tourné
Gaudérique
G
Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproduction Medicine, Saint Etienne University Hospital, Hôpital Nord, 42055 Cedex 2, Saint Etienne, France. gauderique@mageos.com
Collet
Frédérique
F
Seffert
Pierre
P
Veyret
Charles
C
D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries; D002585:Cesarean Section; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006473:Postpartum Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000150:complications; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply*