Bilateral ligation of the anterior trunk of the internal iliac artery in uterine atony secondary to uterine inversion: case report

Abstract

Postpartum hemorrhage is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide. Uterine atony is the main cause, representing up to 90% of cases, and is a risk factor for uterine inversion. Morbidity and mortality occur in 41% of uterine inversion cases, including massive obstetric hemorrhage. Massive obstetric hemorrhage is a medical emergency that puts life and reproductive function at risk, and therefore, its treatment must be timely and immediate. If there is no favorable response with the initial measures, surgical intervention proceeds. When choosing the surgical procedure, priority should be given to the technique with the easiest access and which is the least invasive, the safest, and in which the surgeon has more experience. We present a case report with our technique of bilateral ligation of the anterior trunk of the hypogastric artery, after a uterine compression suture failed, with excellent results and preserved fertility in an adolescent patient. We describe the technique and the result. The response time of the uterus with normal tone was 5 minutes, and postligation bleeding was only 50 mL after the patient had bled 1200 mL without complications; thus, it is an adequate and cost-effective technique. The bilateral ligation of the anterior trunk of the hypogastric artery technique in the case of postpartum hemorrhage is an effective, safe, and fertility-preserving surgical procedure that constitutes an alternative to emergency obstetrical hysterectomy when other, less invasive methods have failed.

Keywords

• hypogastric artery ligature
• obstetrical hemorrhage
• uterine atony
• uterine inversion