[Expansion dilatation balloons for cervical ripening in obstetric practice]. / Utilisation des ballonnets de dilatation cervicale en obstétrique.

During recent decades, mechanical devices have been substituted by pharmacological methods. Their place in the therapeutic arsenal remains important with a renewed obstetrical interest for these devices. Due to a lack of data they are still not recommended as first-line. This review thus attempted to examine the use of expansion dilatation balloons (Foley catheter and double-balloons) to analyze their effectiveness in case of native uterus and previous cesarean section. Twenty-seven clinical trials had compared balloons catheter and prostaglandins in patients without a history of uterine scar. The risk of cesarean section did not differ. Mechanical methods seemed to be more effective in achieving delivery within 24hours, with fewer episodes of excessive uterine contractions, but they necessitated more oxytocin during labor. Ten clinical trials analyzed dilatation balloons in patients with previous cesarean section. More than 70% women had favorable cervical ripening (Bishop score>6), and vaginal delivery was reported between 35 and 70% of patients. The risk of uterine rupture was low between 0.64 and 0.72%, with neither increased risk of severe neonatal and maternal morbidity nor increased risk of infectious morbidity. Mechanical methods are effective and safe for third trimester cervical ripening, mainly in women with previous cesarean section. Potential advantages may include wide availability and reduction of some of the side effects.

Double-balloon catheter and sequential vaginal prostaglandin E2 versus vaginal prostaglandin E2 alone for induction of labor after previous cesarean section.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of inducing labor using a double-balloon catheter and vaginal prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) sequentially, in comparison with vaginal PGE2 alone after previous cesarean section. METHODS: A total of 264 pregnant women with previous cesarean section undergoing labor induction at term were included in this prospective multicentre cohort study. Induction of labor was performed either by vaginal PGE2 gel or double-balloon catheter followed by vaginal PGE2. The primary outcome measure was the cesarean section rate. RESULTS: The cesarean section rate was 37 % without any statistically significant difference between the two groups (PGE2: n = 41, 37 % vs. balloon catheter/PGE2: n = 41, 42 %; P = 0.438). The median (range) number of applications of PGE2 [2 (1-10) versus 1 (0-8), P < 0.001] and the total amount of PGE2 used in median (range) mg [2 (1-15) vs. 1 (0-14), P = 0.001] was less in the balloon catheter/PGE2 group. Factors significantly increasing risk for cesarean section were "no previous vaginal delivery" (OR 5.391; CI 2.671-10.882) and "no oxytocin augmentation during childbirth" (OR 2.119; CI 1.215-3.695). CONCLUSIONS: The sequential application of double-balloon catheter and vaginal PGE2 is as effective as the sole use of vaginal PGE2 with less applications and total amount of PGE2.

Double balloon catheter for induction of labour in Chinese women with previous caesarean section: one-year experience and literature review.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of double balloon catheter for induction of labour in Chinese women with one previous caesarean section and unfavourable cervix at term. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: A regional hospital in Hong Kong. PATIENTS: Women with previous caesarean delivery requiring induction of labour at term and with an unfavourable cervix from May 2013 to April 2014. MAJOR OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was to assess rate of successful vaginal delivery (spontaneous or instrument-assisted) using double balloon catheter. Secondary outcomes were double balloon catheter induction-to-delivery and removal-to-delivery interval; cervical score improvement; oxytocin augmentation; maternal or fetal complications during cervical ripening, intrapartum and postpartum period; and risk factors associated with unsuccessful induction. RESULTS: All 24 Chinese women tolerated double balloon catheter well. After double balloon catheter expulsion or removal, the cervix successfully ripened in 18 (75%) cases. The improvement in Bishop score 3 (interquartile range, 2-4) was statistically significant (P<0.001). Overall, 18 (75%) cases were delivered vaginally. The median insertion-to-delivery and removal-to-delivery intervals were 19 (interquartile range, 13.4-23.0) hours and 6.9 (interquartile range, 4.1-10.8) hours, respectively. Compared with cases without, the interval to delivery was statistically significantly shorter in those with spontaneous balloon expulsion or spontaneous membrane rupture during ripening (7.8 vs 3.0 hours; P=0.025). There were no major maternal or neonatal complications. The only factor significantly associated with failed vaginal birth after caesarean was previous caesarean section for failure to progress (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study using double balloon catheter for induction of labour in Asian Chinese women with previous caesarean section. Using double balloon catheter, we achieved a vaginal birth after caesarean rate of 75% without major complications.

[Balloon catheter for cervical ripening on scarred uterus with unfavorable cervix: multicenter retrospective study of 151 patients]. / Maturation du col utérin défavorable par ballonnet supra-cervical sur utérus cicatriciel : étude rétrospective multicentrique de 151 patientes.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate safety and efficacy of balloon catheter for labor induction in women with previous cesarean section. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a multicenter retrospective cohort study, 151 patients were included with the following criteria: pregnancy over 37 weeks, singleton, vertex presentation, previous caesarean section with unique transversal segmentary incision, medical indication for induction of labor, unfavorable cervix with Bishop score inferior to 7, no premature rupture of membranes. Balloon catheter used for cervix ripening, is inflated from 30 to 80 mL of sterile of NaCl and is left until 24 hours. RESULTS: Overall rate of vaginal delivery was 53.7% (81/151). Labor began before balloon catheter removal for 58 out of 151 (38.4%) with vaginal delivery for 75% (42/58). Best prognosis factors for vaginal delivery were spontaneous labor after balloon removal (P=0.004) and anterior vaginal delivery (P=0.03). Side effects were rare bleeding or PROM, but didn't prevent continuing ripening labor. Other morbidity consisted in two uterus ruptures (1.2%) without maternofetal incidence. CONCLUSION: Supracervical balloon is a safe and efficiency method for inducing labor on scarred uterus with unfavorable cervix with low side effects.

[Cervical ripening with balloon catheter for scared uterus: a three-year retrospective study]. / Maturation cervicale par sonde à ballonnet sur utérus cicatriciel : étude rétrospective sur trois ans.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate, for women with scared uterus, the mechanical cervical ripening with balloon catheter. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of our practice of ripening for scared uterus from january 2010 to august 2012. Feasibility, Bishop's score, birth modalities and complications for mothers and babies during this ripening were studied. RESULTS: Thirty-nine medical files were analysed. All patients could have mechanical ripening independently of the internal os status (open or not). The cervical ripening with balloon catheter improved Bishop's score before induction of labour, from 3.54 ± 1.23 to 5.38 ± 1.47 (p=0.02). 64.1% of women had a vaginal delivery. Concerning the predictive factors for vaginal delivery, we only found significant influence of a body mass index less than 30kg/m² (p=0.03). We didn't find any maternal or neonatal complications in our population. CONCLUSION: Mechanical ripening for scared uterus seems to be a useful option to improve vaginal delivery without increasing maternal and foetal morbidity. Anyway, these results have to be confirmed by a randomized controlled trial on a specific scared uterus population.