Uterine arteries prophylactic occlusion balloon placement in pregnancies with placenta praevia

To evaluate the feasibility of uterine arteries prophylactic occlusion balloon placement (POBP) to reduce hemorrhagic complications associated with placenta praevia.

A retrospective analysis was carried out from January 2014 to November 2018. Only women with a diagnosis of placenta praevia and gestational age at delivery between 33 and 40 weeks were included. All women were diagnosed using transvaginal ultrasound scan (TVS) and confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). All women underwent uterine arteries POBP before caesarean delivery (CD). All patients underwent clinical and instrumental follow-up with semestral outpatient TVS for 2 years after the surgery.

Forty-eight pregnant women were recruited and analyzed. 32/48 patients (66%) had positive anamnesis for previous CDs. Mean blood loss was 510 ± 222 mL. 15/48 patients (31.6%) were supported with RBC concentrate transfusion. In 10 (20.8%) cases, an intrauterine haemostatic balloon (Bakri-Balloon, Cook Medical, Spencer, USA) was used to control the intra-operative hemorrhage. Hysterectomy was performed in eight cases (16.6%). No cases of hemodynamic instability or urinary complications were reported. No postoperative complications occurred. During follow-up, no long-term complications were observed and nine patients had a successful pregnancy.

Uterine arteries POPB is a promising technique that may be adopted in women with placenta praevia to prevent hemorrhagic complications.