Logothetopulos pack for the management of uncontrollable postpartum hemorrhage

Abdomino-pelvic packing revisited: An often forgotten technique for managing intractable venous obstetric haemorrhage

BACKGROUND

Surgical packing should not be seen as a 'bail out' for the less skilled obstetrician who is unable to control obstetric haemorrhage using conventional techniques. Rather, this should be considered in cases of coagulopathy or where haemorrhage persists from raw surfaces, venous plexuses and inaccessible areas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data from seven women who underwent abdomino-pelvic packing for intractable postpartum bleeding were collected. The primary outcome was success of intra-abdominal packing and secondary outcomes included estimated blood loss, units transfused, length of stay and postoperative complications.

RESULTS

All seven women (median age 39 years, interquartile range (IQR) 3.25) had caesarean section deliveries with median estimated blood loss of 5521.4 mL (IQR 4475) and median of 6.9 (IQR 4.75) units transfused. Abdomino-pelvic packing was successful in all cases including in three women who had continued bleeding after peripartum hysterectomy. In the remaining four, bleeding stopped with packing, enabling the uterus to be conserved. The median number of packs inserted was 6.1 (IQR 4.2) and median shock index at time of decision to pack was 0.98 (IQR 0.13). The median pack dwell time was 30.8 h (IQR 24), while median length of stay following removal was 48 h (IQR 2.14).

CONCLUSION

Intractable bleeding in these seven cases was successfully controlled by abdomino-pelvic packing, allowing supportive correction of hypothermia, tissue acidosis, coagulopathy and hypovolemia. The technique of packing is an essential skill in managing massive obstetric haemorrhage, in addition to uterine balloon tamponade, compression sutures and peripartum hysterectomy.

Pelvic Packing for Intractable Obstetric Hemorrhage After Emergency Peripartum Hysterectomy: A Review

Importance

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. Even after emergency peripartum hysterectomy (EPH), bleeding may occur in the setting of acquired coagulopathy. This type of bleeding resistant to clipping, ligating, or suturing could be successfully controlled with a pelvic packing.

Objective

This review provides an overview of the different pelvic packing techniques used after the failure of an EPH to control severe PPH. It aims to highlight the outcome of patients after packing, the morbidity and complications of packing, the timing and indications of packing, and finally the optimal duration of packing.

Evidence Acquisition

Literature relating to pelvic packing after EPH in a PPH setting was reviewed.

Results

Packing techniques can be divided into 2 types: pads or roller gauze and balloon pack. The overall success rate was as high as 78.8% with a mortality rate of 12.5%. No major morbidity related to the pelvic packing was documented. The optimal duration of packing is in the range of 36 to 72 hours.

Conclusions

Pelvic packing should be part of the armamentarium available to the obstetrician whenever intractable pelvic hemorrhage is encountered. It is quite simple and quick to perform and requires no special medical materials, the rate of complications is very low, and the success rate is high.

Relevance

The pelvic packing should be particularly useful in developing countries where more advanced technologies such as selective arterial embolization are not always available. In developed countries, the pelvic packing may be a valuable temporary measure pending transport to a tertiary care facility.

Maternal outcome after abdominal packing for uncontrolled postpartum hemorrhage despite peripartum hysterectomy

Background

Intra-abdominal packing is a possible option for persistent bleeding following hysterectomy for postpartum hemorrhage. However, to date, only very limited data about maternal outcome after intra-abdominal packing for surgically uncontrolled hemorrhage following hysterectomy are available. The objective of the current study was to estimate maternal outcome after intra-abdominal packing following unsuccessful peripartum hysterectomy for postpartum hemorrhage.

Methods

A questionnaire was mailed to all maternity units performing more than 850 deliveries per year. Inclusion criteria were: all cases of abdominal packing performed following unsuccessful peripartum hysterectomy for postpartum hemorrhage between 2003 and 2013. The primary outcome was success of intra-abdominal packing, defined as the arrest of hemorrhage with no need of additional procedure.

Results

The total number of deliveries during the study period that occurred in the 51 participating centers was 1,430,142. The centers reported a total of 718 (1 per 2000 deliveries) peripartum hysterectomies for PPH and 53 abdominal packings performed after unsuccessful peripartum hysterectomy (about 1 per 14 hysterectomies). A median of 5 [IQR 3–7] pads were used for packing. Abdominal packing was removed after a median of 39.5 hours [IQR 24–48]. The success rate of abdominal packing was 62% (33/53). Among the 20 (38%) women in whom bleeding did not stop following the use of abdominal packing, 6 required a second surgical intervention, 6 a pelvic artery embolization and the 8 other women had “only” further intensive resuscitation and pharmacological treatments. Finally, mortality rate was 24% (13/53).

Conclusion

Our results suggest that abdominal packing, used for duration of 24 to 48 hours, seems to be an option as an ultimate procedure to control persistent life-threatening postpartum hemorrhage following peripartum hysterectomy.

Abdominal pregnancy: Methods of hemorrhage control

Abdominal pregnancy is an extremely rare form of ectopic pregnancy, mostly occurring secondarily after tubal rupture or abortion with secondary implantation anywhere in the peritoneal cavity. Massive intra-abdominal hemorrhage is a life threatening complication associated with secondary abdominal pregnancy. Various methods and techniques have been reported in the literature for controlling hemorrhage. Here, we report a case of massive intraperitoneal haemorrhage following placental removal controlled by abdominal packing and review the literature for diagnostic and management challenges.

Use of the Bakri postpartum balloon in a patient with intractable pelvic floor hemorrhage: when other methods failed to stop postcesarean bleeding, physicians tried something new

Massive pelvic floor hemorrhage is a potentially life-threatening condition associated with complicated obstetrical and gynecological procedures. Sometimes, the bleeding cannot be controlled by conventional methods. This report demonstrates the effectiveness of the Bakri balloon as a pelvic pressure pack for the control of intractable pelvic floor hemorrhage following cesarean section.

An Effective Pressure Pack for Severe Pelvic Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate our experience with the "pelvic pressure pack," a surgical technique for controlling posthysterectomy bleeding.

METHODS

This is an observational descriptive report of cases collected by the authors during the years 1968-2006. Packs were constructed of various materials (eg, pillow cases, gauze sheets, plastic X-ray cassette drapes, or orthopedic stockings) filled with gauze rolls introduced abdominally and exiting the vagina.

RESULTS

We report 11 new cases (10 obstetric and one gynecologic). Massive red blood cell transfusion and coagulopathy occurred in all cases. The pelvic pressure pack successfully controlled bleeding in 82% (9 of 11) of cases. Postoperative febrile morbidity occurred in most cases. There were no maternal deaths.

CONCLUSION

In the contemporary management of posthysterectomy bleeding, the pelvic pressure pack appears to be a valuable surgical option, affording correction of coagulopathy and further stabilization. Given near-universal postoperative febrile morbidity in our series, prophylactic broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy should be strongly considered. We believe all obstetrician-gynecologists should be familiar with this simple, potentially life-saving technique.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

[Value of pelvic tamponade in persistent hemorrhage afer hemostasis hysterectomy]

Obstetrical hemorrhage is a severe complication with vital prognosis at stake. Treatment depends on aetiology: a surgical procedure may be indicated initially or after failure of medical management. Radical treatment with hemostasis hysterectomy is generally successful. However, in case of persistent hemorrhage after hysterectomy, other means are available such as pelvic tamponade.