Selective arterial embolization as a first-line treatment for postpartum hematomas

Postpartum hematomas are a potentially serious obstetric complication for which management options are not standardized. We report successful treatment of a large postpartum hematoma using arterial embolization as primary approach.

A 29-year-old woman at term gestation underwent vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery. Two hours later, marked rectal pain developed. Examination revealed a large left vaginal hematoma and no obvious bleeding sites. Computed tomography demonstrated a 10-cm supralevator hematoma and extrauterine arterial bleeding. Angiography revealed contrast extravasation from a branch of the left internal pudendal artery. Selective embolization of this branch stopped the bleeding. The patient was discharged on the third postpartum day. Eight weeks after delivery, there was no evidence of the hematoma.

Arterial embolization can be used as a first-line treatment for large postpartum hematomas.