Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dr. Sundus
Etiology
Most of the blood loss occurs from the myometrial spiral arterioles and decidual veins that
previously supplied and drained the intervillous spaces of the placenta.
As the contractions of the partially empty uterus cause placental separation, bleeding occurs
and continues until the uterine musculature contracts around the blood vessels and acts as
a physiologic-anatomic ligature.
The four Ts
*Tone
Atony (over-distension/exhaustion/infection/distortion)
*Tissue
Retained POC
*Trauma
genital tract trauma (inversion/rupture/lacerations)
*Thrombin
Coagulation abnormalities (hereditary/acquired)
Failure of the uterus to contract after placental separation (uterine atony) leads to excessive
placental site bleeding. Other causes of postpartum hemorrhage are list below.
Causes of postpartum hemorrhage
1-Uterine atony
2- Genital tract trauma
3- Retained placental tissue
4- Low placental implantation
5- Uterine inversion
6- Coagulation disorders
Abruptio placentae
Inherited coagulopathy
UTERINE ATONY
The majority of postpartum hemorrhages (75% to 80%) are due to uterine atony. The
factors predisposing to postpartum uterine atony are shown below;
Treatment
**2 major components
Resuscitation
Identification and management of the underlying cause(s)
**Simultaneously and systematically
During the diagnostic workup of an established hemorrhage,
**the patient's vital signs must be monitored closely.
Hypotension is a very late sign and tachycardia, peripheral perfusion, skin colour and
urine output should be noted.
If the lower segment of the uterus or the cervix fills up with blood or clot it can cause vagal
stimulation producing a bradycardia this can mislead when there is no visible vaginal
bleeding and a vaginal examination should be done.
**Four units of packed red blood cells must be typed and cross-matched.
**Intravenous crystalloids (such as normal saline or lactated Ringer's solution) infused to
restore intravascular volume. Resuscitation with normal saline usually requires a
volume of three times the estimated blood loss.
UTERINE ATONY
If uterine atony is determined to be the cause of the postpartum hemorrhage,
continuous massage of the uterus with a rapid continuous intravenous infusion of
dilute oxytocin (40 to 80 U in 1 L of normal saline) should be given to increase
uterine tone.
If the uterus remains atonic and the placental site bleeding continues during the oxytocic
infusion, ergonovine maleate or methylergonovine, 0.2 mg, may be given
intramuscularly. The ergot drugs are contraindicated in patients with hypertension,
because the pressor effect of the drug may increase blood pressure to dangerous levels.
Analogues of prostaglandin F 2 given intramuscularly are quite effective in controlling
postpartum hemorrhage caused by uterine atony. The 15-methyl analogue (Hemabate)
has a more potent uterotonic effect and longer duration of action than the parent
compound. The expected time of onset of the uterotonic effect when the 15-methyl
analogue (0.25 mg) is given intramuscularly is 20 minutes, whereas when injected into
the myometrium it may take up to 4 minutes.
Failing these pharmacologic treatments, a bimanual compression and massage of the
uterine corpus may control the bleeding and cause the uterus to contract.
Uterine Message
Bimanual Compression
Although packing the uterine cavity is not widely practiced, it may occasionally control
postpartum hemorrhage and obviate the need for surgical intervention. The vital signs,
hematocrit, and fundal height should be monitored frequently while the packing is in
place, because continued bleeding will not be initially evident through the packing. The
packing may be removed in 1 to 24 hours. Usually, the bleeding will be controlled.
Recently rather than using a gauze pack, an inflatable balloon has the advantage of being
quick and expandable. Various balloon catheters have been reported for this technique
including the Sengstaken-Blakemore, but the urological Rusch balloon catheter is cheaper
and effective.
4
Whatever is used to pack the uterus, antibiotic cover should be given for the procedure and
until the pack/balloon is removed; and similarly the bladder should be catheterized until
the pack is removed.
If uterine bleeding persists in an otherwise stable patient, she could be transported to the
angiocatheterization laboratory, where radiologists can place an angiocatheter into the
uterine arteries for injection of thrombogenic materials to control blood flow and
hemorrhaging.
Operative intervention is a last resort. If the patient has completed her childbearing, a
supracervical or total abdominal hysterectomy is definitive therapy for intractable
postpartum hemorrhage caused by uterine atony.
Aortic compression If bleeding is out of control and the anaesthetist needs to stabilize the
patient, it is worth trying aortic compression while waiting for senior or specialist help to
arrive. The effect is dramatic and can be life-saving.
**If reproductive potential is important to the patient,then
Brace suture The B-Lynch brace suture, first described in 1997
can avoid hysterectomy in cases of bleeding from uterine atony. It aims to exert longitudinal
lateral compression to the uterus combined with a tamponade effect
ligation of the uterine arteries adjacent to the uterus will lower the pulse pressure distal to
the ligatures. This procedure is more successful in controlling uterine placental site
hemorrhage and is easier to perform than bilateral hypogastric artery internal iliac
artery ligation.
Cell salvage This technique of contemporary peri-operative autologous blood salvage and
retransfusion. It has an excellent safety record, is acceptable to Jehovahs witnesses and
avoids the risks associated with homologous blood transfusion. With the impending blood
shortages and the risk of post-transfusion infection, it is likely to be adopted in an
increasing number of obstetric units.
Activated factor VIIa The use of this novel, prohaemostatic agent has potential for treating
severe obstetric haemorrhage. Its use is
limited to patients with complicated coagulation disorders and should only be considered in
life-threatening bleeding.