Lack of experience is a main cause of maternal death in placenta accreta spectrum patients.

INTRODUCTION: Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is a serious condition with a mortality as high as 7%. However, the factors associated with this type of death have not been adequately described, with an almost complete lack of publications analyzing the determining factors of death in this disease. The aim of our work is to describe the causes of death related to PAS and to analyze the associated diagnosis and treatment problems. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is an inter-continental, multicenter, descriptive, retrospective study in low- and middle-income countries. Maternal deaths related to PAS between January 2015 and December 2020 were included. Crucial points in the management of PAS, including prenatal diagnosis and details of the surgical treatment and postoperative management, were evaluated. RESULTS: Eighty-two maternal deaths in 16 low- and middle-income countries, on three continents, were included. Almost all maternal deaths (81 cases, 98.8%) were preventable, with inexperience among surgeons being identified as the most relevant problem in the process that led to death among 87% (67 women) of the cases who had contact with health services. The main cause of death associated with PAS was hemorrhage (69 cases, 84.1%), and failures in the process leading to the diagnosis were detected among 64.6% of cases. Although the majority of cases received medical attention and 50 (60.9%) were treated at referral centers for severe obstetric disease, problems were identified during treatment in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of experience and inadequate surgical technique are the most frequent problems associated with maternal deaths in PAS. Continuous training of interdisciplinary teams is critical to modify this tendency.

Abducens Nerve Palsy In Gestational Hypertension: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Headache, blurring of vision, and confusion are common neurologic symptoms of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, whereas abducens nerve palsy during pregnancy is an extremely rare condition. CASE: A 28-year-old woman with gestational hypertension presented isolated sixth cranial nerve palsy after delivery. Neither simple resonance nor angioresonance showed alterations. No other specific pathology was found. Symptoms of abducens nerve palsy resolved spontaneously. CONCLUSION: Abducens nerve palsy is an unusual condition. We present a review of the literature finding eight documented cases of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy associated with sixth nerve palsy. This case is the ninth reported case.

A nationwide survey of centers with multidisciplinary teams for placenta accreta patient care in Colombia, observational study.

INTRODUCTION: MAP is associated with severe morbidity and maternal mortality. Therefore, it requires that patients with this condition to be attended in centers that have trained personnel and specific infrastructure. We aimed to identify the hospitals in Colombia that count on the minimum amount of medical specialties to manage this pathological condition and describe their general care practices. METHODOLOGY: Observational study in 87 obstetric tertiary care centers in Colombia. The requested information was collected using a predesigned survey, applied to the reported hospitals, and stored in an electronic database. RESULTS: Eighty-six hospitals were identified as possessing the capacity to care for women with accreta, of which 71 provided information (82.55% compliance). Although 83.09% of hospitals choose to treat patients with accreta, only 36.6% has a fixed group of specialists, 32.21% did not have interventional radiology, 25.36% did not have a blood bank, and 67.79% did not have intraoperative cell recovery devices; 77.46% of the surveyed hospitals had cared for five or fewer patients with accreta per year. CONCLUSION: Most hospitals manage a low number of MAP cases per year, which are handled by shift specialists and not by a fixed group of professionals, which increases the difficulty of achieving expertise.

Arterial thrombosis after REBOA use in placenta accreta spectrum: a case series.

BACKGROUND: The use of resuscitative endovascular balloon of the aorta (REBOA) is a useful strategy for bleeding control in placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) management. The incidence of complications associated with this procedure is variable. We report three cases of arterial thrombosis associated with REBOA, and we also analyze the factors that facilitated its occurrence. CASE REPORT: Three women with PAS, presented common femoral and external iliac arterial thrombosis after REBOA use. Among the contributing factors probably associated with thrombosis, we identified the absence of ultrasound guidance for vascular access and the not using of heparin during aortic occlusion. CONCLUSIONS: REBOA use is not exempt from complications and must be performed by experienced groups applying strategies to reduce the risks of complications.

Geographic variation in management of patients with placenta accreta spectrum: An international survey of experts (GPASS).

OBJECTIVE: To describe global geographic variations in the diagnosis and management of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS). METHODS: An international cross-sectional study was conducted among PAS experts practicing at medical institutions in member states of the United Nations. Survey questions focused on diagnostic evaluation and management strategies for PAS. RESULTS: A total of 134 centers participated. Participating centers represented each of the United Nations' designated regions. Of those, 118 (88%) reported practicing in a medium-volume or high-volume center. First-trimester PAS screen was reported in 35 (26.1%) centers. Respondents consistently implement guideline-supported care practices, including utilization of ultrasound as the primary diagnostic modality (134, 100%) and implementation of multidisciplinary care teams (115, 85.8%). Less than 10% of respondents reported routinely managing PAS without hysterectomy; these centers were predominantly located in Europe and Africa. Antepartum management and availability of mental health support for PAS patients varied widely. CONCLUSION: Worldwide, there is a strong adherence to PAS care guidelines; however, regional variations do exist. Comparing variations in care to outcomes will provide insight into the clinically significant practice variability.

Timing of delivery for placenta accreta spectrum: the Pan-American Society for the Placenta Accreta Spectrum experience.

BACKGROUND: The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine recommends cesarean delivery with potential hysterectomy scheduled in the late preterm period between 34 0/7 and 35 6/7 weeks of gestation for prenatally suspected placenta accreta spectrum. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate clinical compliance with the recommended delivery timing window for placenta accreta spectrum and its impact on maternal and neonatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective multicenter review of data from referral centers within the Pan-American Society for Placenta Accreta Spectrum. Patients with placenta accreta spectrum with both antenatal diagnosis and confirmed histopathologic findings were included. We investigated adherence to the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine-recommended gestational age window for delivery, and compliance was further stratified by scheduled and unscheduled delivery. We compared the outcomes for patients with scheduled delivery within vs immediately 2 weeks outside the recommended window. RESULTS: Among 744 patients with a prenatal diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum and placental histopathologic confirmation, 488 (66%) had scheduled delivery. Among all prenatally diagnosed placenta accreta spectrum patients, 252 (39%) delivered within the recommended window of 34 0/7 and 35 6/7 weeks gestation. For the subgroup of patients who underwent scheduled delivery (n=426), 209 (49%) had delivery in this window, 120 (28%) delivered before 34 weeks, and 97 (23%) delivered at or later than 36 weeks. In the patients with scheduled delivery, 27% of placenta accreta spectrum patients with accreta delivered in the 2 weeks immediately after the recommended window (36 0/7-37 6/7 weeks), and 22% of placenta accreta spectrum pregnancies with increta/percreta delivered in the 2 weeks immediately before the recommended delivery (32 0/7-33 6/7 weeks). The maternal outcomes among those who delivered within the recommended range vs those delivering 2 weeks before and after the recommended range were similar, regardless of placenta accreta spectrum severity. CONCLUSION: Less than half of placenta accreta spectrum patients had scheduled delivery within the recommended gestational age of 34 0/7 to 35 6/7 weeks. The reasons for deviation from recommendations and the risks and benefits of individualized timing of delivery on the basis of risk factors and predicted outcomes warrant further investigation.

Resective-reconstructive treatment of abnormally invasive placenta: Inter Institutional Collaboration by telemedicine (eHealth).

Introduction: Resective-reconstructive treatment of an abnormally invasive placenta, also known as conservative surgical management, allows a comprehensive treatment of the pathology in only one surgery; however, this alternative is not generally included in international consensus, as it requires specific training. Here, we report our experience of this type of treatment and its plausibility after training facilitated by interinstitutional collaboration via telemedicine.Materials and methods: A total of 48 women who were diagnosed with abnormally invasive placenta, before and after changes due to the resection-reconstruction protocol were included in the study.Results: In total, 14 conservative reconstructive procedures were performed with outcomes of a lower rate of bleeding, reduced transfusions and complications, and a shorter duration of hospitalization than women with hysterectomy.Conclusion: Conservative surgical management is a safe alternative when implemented at specialized centers by trained groups of professionals. Interinstitutional collaboration, using appropriate telemedicine is a safe and effective alternative to enable training in resective-conservative management of abnormally invasive placenta.

All maternal deaths related to placenta accreta spectrum are preventable: a difficult-to-tell reality.

BACKGROUND: Most maternal deaths related to postpartum hemorrhage are preventable. In most cases, placenta accreta spectrum is the principal cause of severe postpartum hemorrhage; however, there are few studies about maternal deaths, probably because of the legal implications of "problems" in the management of patients who have died. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify the problems or "delays" in the care of patients who die because of placenta accreta spectrum in Latin America. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective, descriptive, observational multicentric study in Latin American hospitals was conducted. The care of patients who died from placenta accreta spectrum was investigated under a "delay" study model that included delays related to patients, institutions, and healthcare providers. Centers of excellence standards of care were taken into account, and 2 analysis moments were included: an initial analysis for each local care group in the place where maternal death occurred and another analysis that included the main researcher. All information were collected through a predesigned survey and discussed by telephone. RESULTS: Overall, 52 patients in 10 Latin American countries were included, with options for improvement identified in all cases. The most prevalent type of delay was associated with health providers (98% of cases), followed by health institutions (96% of cases) and patients (63% of cases). Each hospital's analysis group defined maternal death as avoidable in all cases and determined that the interventions needed to improve the outcome would present low, moderate, and high difficulties in 28.8%, 48.1%, and 34.8% of cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: All maternal deaths related to placenta accreta spectrum were potentially preventable, and 76.9% of cases were avoidable by low to moderate complexity interventions.

Dangerous shortage of blood banks as an indirect effect of SARS-CoV-2: An obstetrics perspective.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the frequency of blood donation (BD) in a Latin American hospital and how the social isolation policy implemented during the pandemic jeopardizes the quality of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) care due to shortages at blood banks (BB). METHODS: A retrospective, descriptive study was conducted, lasting for 31 months, including the start of the pandemic. Frequency of BD and the use of obstetric emergency services was observed. RESULTS: A direct relationship was observed between the pandemic and a decrease in BD. Although emergency obstetric visits decreased, the frequency of deliveries and cases of PPH remained unchanged. After applying strategies to promote voluntary BD, a very slight increase was observed in the frequency of BD, with a negative indicator persisting between donation and blood demand. CONCLUSION: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to shortages at BBs. In this context, typical measures to encourage an altruistic attitude toward BD have not had a significant impact. As causes of PPH continue, quality of care may be affected by the current situation at BBs. Governments and institutions must implement new strategies to motivate BD.