Random placenta margin incision for control hemorrhage during cesarean delivery complicated by complete placenta previa: a prospective cohort study

Abstract

Introduction: Complete placenta previa (CPP) is one of the most problematic types of abnormal placenta, which is further complicated by placenta accreta or percreta that can unexpectedly lead to catastrophic blood loss, infection, multiple complications, emergency hysterectomy, and even death. The present study aimed to assess the efficacy of random placenta margin incision in controlling intraoperative and total blood loss during cesarean section for CPP women.

Methods: A prospective cohort study, including a total of 100 consecutive pregnant women with CPP, was performed at a tertiary university-affiliated medical center between March 2016 and July 2017. All of them underwent random placenta margin incision, and intraoperative and total blood loss were analyzed. Through antenatal diagnosis using color Doppler, women were further divided into abnormally invasive placenta (AIP) and non-AIP groups, and anterior and posterior placenta groups. The protocol was registered with the Clinical Trial Registry under registration number NCT02695069.

Results: Mean maternal age and gestational age at delivery were 32.26 ± 5.03 years old and 36.21 ± 2.07 weeks, respectively. Total duration of the surgical procedure time was 52.50 (42.43–64.00) min. Median estimated intraoperation blood loss was 746.43 (544.44–1092.86) ml. Total blood loss was 875.00 (604.50–1196.67) ml, and 38 (38.0%) had post-partum hemorrhage. The change from baseline in the median hemoglobin level was −0.33 (6.00–13.20). No women underwent hysterectomy due to massive hemorrhage during the study period. No women had an intraoperative urinary bladder injury, postoperative wound infection, and required relaparotomy, owing to intra-abdominal bleeding. The median hospitalization time was 5.41 (4.18–7.58) d.

Conclusion: The random placenta margin incision may be a potentially valuable surgical procedure to control the volumes of intraoperative and postoperative blood loss and reduce the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage among women with complete placenta previa.

Keywords:

• Cesarean section
• complete placenta previa
• postpartum hemorrhage
• prospective cohort

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. Authors do not have a financial relationship with the organization that sponsored the research. Authors have had full control of all primary data and agree to allow the Journal to review their data if requested.