Embolization of iatrogenic uterine pseudoaneurysm

Abstract

Uterine artery pseudoaneurysms (UAPs) are rare vascular lesions that may be life threatening if not diagnosed and properly treated. The clinical presentation of UAPs includes a spectrum of symptoms that are often associated with other and more frequent gynecologic/obstetric pathologies, both with and without vaginal bleeding, and may span from postpartum hemorrhage to the absence of symptoms. We report cases of two patients with UAP, both of whom were diagnosed with ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced computed tomography and successfully treated with transcatheter embolization. The first patient presented delayed hypovolemic shock following surgery for endometriosis, whereas the second patient suffered from postpartum hemorrhage after cesarean section. Diagnosis of UAPs relies on noninvasive imaging; transcatheter arterial embolization is an effective treatment to control bleeding in both hemodynamically stable and unstable patients.

Keywords

• postoperative pelvic hemorrhage
• postpartum hemorrhage
• uterine artery embolization
• uterine pseudoaneurysm