Two Case Studies on Inferior Mesenteric Artery Embolization for Primary Postpartum Hemorrhage

Area of Science:

• Interventional Radiology
• Vascular Imaging
• Maternal Health

Background:

• Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a major cause of maternal mortality worldwide.
• Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) is a recognized treatment for PPH.
• The inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) is an uncommon source of PPH.

Observation:

• This report details two PPH cases where the IMA was the bleeding source.
• Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) guided the identification of the IMA.
• The anatomical location of hematoma and extravasation on CECT were key diagnostic clues.

Findings:

• Prompt hemostasis was achieved in both patients using TAE of the IMA.
• CECT effectively identified the IMA as the culprit artery.
• TAE is a viable option even for rare arterial sources in PPH.

Implications:

• CECT plays a crucial role in diagnosing rare PPH bleeding sites.
• TAE can be successfully applied to embolize the IMA for PPH control.
• This approach broadens the scope of TAE in managing severe postpartum hemorrhage.