Investigation of perioperative complications associated with use of uterine compression sutures

To assess the association between use of uterine compression sutures (UCSs) and postoperative complications.

In a retrospective analysis, data were reviewed from cesarean deliveries at a medical center in Osaka, Japan, between January 2011 and March 2016. The deliveries were divided into elective and emergency cesarean groups. For each group, data on postoperative complications were compared between patients with UCSs and those without UCSs but at least 1500 mL of blood loss.

Data from 158 patients were included in the study. No severe complications were observed. Among the patients who underwent elective cesarean, no differences were observed between the UCS and non-UCS groups in the frequency of postoperative endometritis (3/28 [10.7%] vs 6/54 [11.1%]; P=0.957) or ileus (2/28 [7.1%] vs 3/54 [5.6%]; P=0.776). After emergency cesarean, postoperative endometritis was significantly more common in the UCS than in the non-UCS group (8/39 [20.5%] vs 4/37 [10.8%]; P=0.021), but the frequency of ileus did not differ (1/39 [2.6%] vs 2/37 [5.4%]; P=0.61).

Use of UCSs during emergency cesarean delivery might increase the risk of postoperative endometritis.