Novel concepts and improvisation for treating postpartum haemorrhage: a narrative review of emerging techniques

Effectiveness of care bundles for prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Care bundles are a promising approach to reducing postpartum hemorrhage-related morbidity and mortality. We assessed the effectiveness and safety of care bundles for postpartum hemorrhage prevention and/or treatment.

DATA SOURCES

We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Maternity and Infant Care Database, and Global Index Medicus (inception to June 9, 2023) and ClinicalTrials.gov and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (last 5 years) using a phased search strategy, combining terms for postpartum hemorrhage and care bundles.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Peer-reviewed studies evaluating postpartum hemorrhage-related care bundles were included. Care bundles were defined as interventions comprising ≥3 components implemented collectively, concurrently, or in rapid succession. Randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials, interrupted time series, and before-after studies (controlled or uncontrolled) were eligible.

METHODS

Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2 (randomized trials) and ROBINS-I (nonrandomized studies). For controlled studies, we reported risk ratios for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences for continuous outcomes, with certainty of evidence determined using GRADE. For uncontrolled studies, we used effect direction tables and summarized results narratively.

RESULTS

Twenty-two studies were included for analysis. For prevention-only bundles (2 studies), low-certainty evidence suggests possible benefits in reducing blood loss, duration of hospitalization, and intensive care unit stay, and maternal well-being. For treatment-only bundles (9 studies), high-certainty evidence shows that the E-MOTIVE intervention reduced risks of composite severe morbidity (risk ratio, 0.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.50) and blood transfusion for bleeding, postpartum hemorrhage, severe postpartum hemorrhage, and mean blood loss. One nonrandomized trial and 7 uncontrolled studies suggest that other postpartum hemorrhage treatment bundles might reduce blood loss and severe postpartum hemorrhage, but this is uncertain. For combined prevention/treatment bundles (11 studies), low-certainty evidence shows that the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative care bundle may reduce severe maternal morbidity (risk ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.72). Ten uncontrolled studies variably showed possible benefits, no effects, or harms for other bundle types. Nearly all uncontrolled studies did not use suitable statistical methods for single-group pretest-posttest comparisons and should thus be interpreted with caution.

CONCLUSION

The E-MOTIVE intervention improves postpartum hemorrhage-related outcomes among women delivering vaginally, and the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative bundle may reduce severe maternal morbidity. Other bundle designs warrant further effectiveness research before implementation is contemplated.

A new step-wise surgical technique of knapsack-like uterine compression sutures for intractable postpartum hemorrhage in cesarean section

BACKGROUND

Intractable postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) during cesarean section has been a significant concern for obstetricians. We aimed to explore the effectiveness and safety of a new type of uterine compression suture, the step-wise surgical technique of knapsack-like sutures for treating intractable PPH caused by uterine atony and placenta factors in cesarean section.

METHODS

The step-wise surgical technique of knapsack-like sutures was established on the basis of the artful combination of vertical strap-like sutures and an annular suture-ligation technique. This novel surgical technique was applied to 34 patients diagnosed with PPH during cesarean section due to severe uterine atony and placental factors in our department. The hemostatic effects, clinical outcomes and follow-up visit results were all reviewed and analyzed.

RESULTS

This new uterine compression suture successfully stopped bleeding in 33 patients, and the effective rate was 97.06%. Only 1 patient failed and was changed to use bilateral uterine arterial embolization and internal iliac artery embolization. The follow-up visits indicated that 33 patients restored menstruation except for 1 who was diagnosed with amenorrhea. The gynecological ultrasound tests of all the patients suggested good uterine involutions, and they had no obvious complaints such as hypogastralgia.

CONCLUSIONS

This step-wise surgical technique of knapsack-like uterine compression sutures can compress the uterus completely. It is a technique that can conserve the uterus and fertility function without special equipment in caesarean section for PPH, with the characteristics of being safe, simple and stable (3 S) with rapid surgery, reliable hemostasis and resident doctor to operation (3R).