Uterine artery embolization for the management of secondary postpartum haemorrhage associated with placenta accreta

Embolization of the hypogastric artery after surgical ligation: A case series of two patients

INTRODUCTION

The increasing incidence of obstetric complications, such as post-partum hemorrhage in the case of placenta accreta spectrum, calls for innovative and adapted therapeutic approaches. This presentation highlights the effectiveness of arterial embolization of the hypogastric artery, properly known as the internal iliac artery, in managing obstetric bleeding, even after initial surgical ligation. An approach never described in the literature.

PRESENATION OF CASES

1st Case: A 38-year-old patient, in her fourth pregnancy with two previous caesarean sections, was admitted for moderate metrorrhagia at 19 weeks gestation. Ultrasound showed a monofetal pregnancy at 17 WG with a 6 cm placental abruption and an anterior placenta with accretion signs. An emergency subtotal hysterectomy with triple Tsirulsikov arterial ligation was performed after transfusion. Due to persistent bleeding, bilateral hypogastric artery ligation and abdominal packing were added, but without improvement. The patient was referred for embolization after hemodynamic stabilization. The procedure was carried out successfully and no complications were reported. 2nd Case: A 35-year-old patient with vaginal bleeding from placenta accreta at 25 WG required hemostasis hysterectomy. Despite the procedure, bleeding continued, leading to bilateral hypogastric artery ligation and pelvic packing. The patient was hemodynamically stabilized and transferred for hypogastric artery ligation, which was successfully performed without complication.

DISCUSSION

The role of interventional radiology in managing postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is well established, with substantial literature supporting the benefits of uterine artery embolization as a lifesaving and often uterine-sparing procedure in PPH. While its indication for prevention is well-known, what about post-operatively? Our experience indicates that consulting a radiologist specializing in pelvic embolization can yield satisfactory outcomes despite technical difficulties.

CONCLUSION

Embolization of the hypogastric arteries as well as embolization followed by surgical ligation of these arteries have been well described in the literature, the originality in our case reports is the embolization performed after surgical ligation which has not been described before according to our knowledge and which despite its technical difficulty can be a satisfactory alternative for the control of post-partum hemorrhage.

High-intensity focused ultrasound in management of placenta accreta spectrum: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive procedure that has been studied in the management of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS).

OBJECTIVE

To appraise HIFU in the management of PAS and highlight the restrictions on converting uterus-preserving studies into evidence-based practice.

SEARCH STRATEGY

A search on Scopus, Cochrane, PubMed and Web of Science was conducted from date of inception to January 2020.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Studies on using HIFU in the management of PAS were eligible. Review articles, conference papers, and case reports were excluded.

DATA COLLECTION

A standardized sheet was used to abstract data from eligible studies. CON-PAS registry was used to include studies on other conservative modalities.

RESULTS

Four studies were eligible (399 patients). Average residual placental volume was 61.74 cm³ (6.01-339 cm³ ). Treatment was successful in all patients. Normal menstruation recovered after 48.8 days (15-150 days). No major complications were encountered. Sixty-one studies were retrieved from the CON-PAS registry; uterine artery embolization (23 studies), balloon placement (15 studies), compression sutures (10 studies), placenta in situ (7 studies), and uterine resection (6 studies) were successful in 83.7%, 92.9%, 87.9%, 85.2%, and 79.3% of cases, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

HIFU may fit certain clinical situations in the management of PAS. A global research strategy is recommended to incorporate conservative approaches within a comprehensive management protocol.

Gynecological Malignancies: Bail-Out Interventional Radiology Treatments

Interventional radiology presents nowadays a relevant role in the management of gynecological malignancies, especially in advanced stages where conventional surgery may be contraindicated. Progression to multiorgan failure may be related to cancer disease extension or, more acutely, to concomitant infections, bleedings or thromboembolic complications. Infiltration of adjacent organs, as ureters and biliary ducts, ascites and pelvic collections often occur in advanced stages: considering the clinical fragility of these patients, percutaneous procedures are frequently applied. Regarding hemorrhagic complications, bleeding may occur into the tumor itself, due to cancer tissue erosion and vessels infiltration, or may be related to iatrogenic vascular lesions consequent to surgery, mini-invasive procedures and chemoradiotherapy; embolization represents a bail-out treatment in both acute and chronic scenarios. Aim of this paper is to review interventional radiology procedures in patients affected by gynecological malignancies in advanced stages not suitable for surgery.

The role of interventional radiology in the management of abnormally invasive placenta: a systematic review of current evidences

Abnormally invasive placenta (AIP) is a potentially severe condition. To date, arterial embolization in women with postpartum hemorrhage due to AIP is the treatment option for which highest degrees of evidence are available. However, other techniques have been tested, including prophylactic catheter placement, balloon occlusion of the iliac arteries and abdominal aorta balloon occlusion. In this systematic review, we provide an overview of the currently reported interventional radiology procedures that are used for the treatment of postpartum hemorrhage due to AIP and suggest recommendations based on current evidences. Owing to a high rate of adverse events, prophylactic occlusion of internal iliac arteries should be used with caution and applied when the endpoint is hysterectomy. On the opposite, when a conservative management is considered to preserve future fertility, uterine artery embolization should be the preferred option as it is associated with a hysterectomy rate of 15.5% compared to 76.5% with prophylactic balloon occlusion of the internal iliac arteries and does not result in fetal irradiation. Limited data are available regarding the application of systematic prophylactic embolization and no comparative studies with arterial embolization are available.

Estimation of fetal radiation absorbed dose during the prophylactic use of aortic occlusion balloon for abnormally invasive placenta

PURPOSE

Abnormally invasive placenta is an important cause of maternal morbidity, and its primary complication is massive bleeding. Strategies for preventing bleeding include arterial endovascular occlusion. One concern with the use of intra-arterial occlusion balloons is radiation exposure to the fetus, which occurs while determining balloon position. In this study, we sought to determine the radiation absorbed dose by the fetus during intra-aortic occlusion balloon placement in patients with abnormally invasive placenta.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We estimated the fetal absorbed dose and the entrance skin dose in the vaginal fundus and lumbar skin, respectively, using thermoluminescent dosimeter crystals, during intra-aortic balloon positioning using the mobile X-ray image intensifier system (C-arm) in digital radiography mode, directly in surgery room, without transfer to angiographic suite. We also performed a mannequin-based simulation to validate the entrance skin dose measurement technique.

RESULTS

Ten women undergoing surgical management of an abnormally invasive placenta, in whom the location of the intra-aortic occlusion balloon was verified using plain radiography with C-arm in the surgery room, were included in the study. Following maternal and fetal radiation exposure, the entrance skin dose and radiation absorbed dose by the fetus were 1.31 ± 0.96 mGy and 0.27 ± 0.28 mGy, respectively, with radiation exposure durations of <1 s.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no complications with the use of REBOA, the radiation absorbed dose by the fetus, entrance skin dose, and duration of radiation exposure during intra-aortic occlusion balloon placement were lower than those reported for other vascular occlusion techniques, being this a safe procedure.

Intermittent aortic balloon occlusion combined with cesarean section for the treatment of patients with placenta previa complicated by placenta accreta: A retrospective study

AIM

To compare the efficacy of cesarean section (CS) combined with intermittent aortic balloon occlusion with that of CS alone for treating patients with placenta previa complicated by placenta accreta.

METHODS

Forty-five patients with placenta previa complicated by placenta accreta who underwent CS were retrospectively studied. Twenty-two patients had undergone CS combined with intermittent aortic balloon occlusion (combination group) and 23 patients received conventional hemostatic support only (control group). The postpartum hemorrhage, transfusion requirements, operation time and recovery time, and the ability to preserve the uterus and fertility were analyzed.

RESULTS

Intermittent aortic balloon occlusion significantly decreased the volume of blood loss in the combination group relative to the control group (597 ± 359 mL vs 2687 ± 575 mL; P < 0.001), and transfusion requirements were also reduced (498 ±195 mL vs 2390 ±789 mL; P <0.001). We observed shorter operation time in the combination group relative to the control group (63.8 ± 12.3 min vs 118.8 ± 22.4 min; P < 0.001), and fewer patients required uterine cavity stuffing followed by uterine artery embolization (n = 2 vs n = 10; P <0.05), uterine artery ligation (n = 1 vs n = 9; P < 0.05), and hysterectomy (n = 0 vs n =7; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Intermittent aortic balloon occlusion may control postpartum hemorrhage in pregnancies complicated by placenta accreta, and improve the postoperative conditions.

Retrospective analysis of placenta previa with abnormal placentation with and without prophylactic use of abdominal aorta balloon occlusion

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of prophylactic abdominal aorta balloon occlusion in cases of placenta previa with abnormal placentation.

METHODS

In a retrospective study, data were analyzed for patients who had placenta previa with placenta accreta and underwent elective cesarean delivery (>34 weeks) with or without temporary aortic balloon occlusion at a center in Zhengzhou, China, between October 2015 and September 2016. The primary clinical outcomes were operative time, estimated blood loss, intraoperative blood transfusion volume, hemoglobin, hysterectomy, and hospitalization.

RESULTS

Among 69 eligible women, 38 had temporary balloon occlusion, and 31 had no balloon occlusion. Operative time, blood transfusion volume, change in hemoglobin, hysterectomy, and length of hospitalization did not differ. Although mean blood loss did not differ, fewer patients in the balloon group than the non-balloon group had an estimated blood loss of more than 1000 mL (24 [63%] vs 28 [90%]; P=0.009). In terms of different placental types, the estimated blood loss among women with placenta accreta and placenta increta was lower in the balloon group than in the non-balloon group (P<0.001 and P=0.01, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Prophylactic balloon occlusion of the abdominal aorta reduced bleeding after cesarean delivery for women with abnormal placentation.

Short & long term adverse outcomes after arterial embolisation for the treatment of postpartum haemorrhage: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Arterial embolisation (AE) plays a major role in current practice in the management of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) that fails to respond to conservative treatment. While its benefit is well known, long-term outcomes of AE have been poorly investigated. The objective of this review is to assess its potential complications and long-term effects on the patients' quality of life.

METHODS

Using the terms "embolisation" and "postpartum haemorrhage", we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline and PubMed for published studies. We limited the search to articles in English and French reporting "complications", "fertility", "menstruation" or "menstrual cycle" in humans. To ensure completeness, the references of extracted articles and review articles were also searched.

RESULTS

The fertility rate in patients attempting another pregnancy reaches 70-80 %. Pregnancies following AE for PPH are not associated with a higher rate of intrauterine growth restriction. Pathological placentation (placenta accreta/increta/percreta) occurs more frequently after AE than in the general population. Psychological wellbeing, post-traumatic stress and sexual dysfunction after a life-threatening PPH requiring AE will require further investigation.

CONCLUSION

AE does not appear to adversely affect menstrual cycle, fertility and subsequent pregnancies, but may affect placentation. The experience of a life-threatening PPH, however, might prevent couples from pursuing another pregnancy.

KEY POINTS

• Embolisation for PPH does not adversely affect menstrual cycle and fertility • Experience of life-threatening PPH might prevent couples from pursuing another pregnancy • Pathological placentation seems to occur more frequently after embolisation for PPH.