Incidence, Indications, Risk Factors, and Outcomes of Emergency Peripartum Hysterectomy Worldwide: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the incidence, indications, risk factors, outcomes, and management of emergency peripartum hysterectomy globally and to compare outcomes among different income settings. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Emcare databases up to December 10, 2021. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: Update of a systematic review and meta-analysis (2016). Studies were eligible if they reported the incidence of emergency peripartum hysterectomy, defined as surgical removal of the uterus for severe obstetric complications up to 6 weeks postpartum. Title and abstract screening and full-text review were performed using Endnote data-management software. Of 8,775 articles screened, 26 were included that were published after 2015, making the total number of included studies 154. A subanalysis was performed for the outcomes of interest per income setting. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: The meta-analysis included 154 studies: 14,409 emergency peripartum hysterectomies were performed in 17,127,499 births in 42 countries. Overall pooled incidence of hysterectomy was 1.1 per 1,000 births (95% CI 1.0-1.3). The highest incidence was observed in lower middle-income settings (3/1,000 births, 95% CI 2.5-3.5), and the lowest incidence was observed in high-income settings (0.7/1,000 births, 95% CI 0.5-0.8). The most common indications were placental pathology (38.0%, 95% CI 33.9-42.4), uterine atony (27.0%, 95% CI 24.6-29.5), and uterine rupture (21.2%, 95% CI 17.8-25.0). In lower middle-income countries, uterine rupture (44.5%, 95% CI 36.6-52.7) was the most common indication; placental pathology (48.4%, 95% CI 43.5-53.4) was most frequent in high-income settings. To prevent hysterectomy, uterotonic medication was used in 2,706 women (17%): 53.2% received oxytocin, 44.6% prostaglandins, and 17.3% ergometrine. Surgical measures to prevent hysterectomy were taken in 80.5% of women, the most common being compressive techniques performed in 62.6% (95% CI 38.3-81.9). The most common complications were febrile (29.7%, 95% CI 25.4-34.3) and hematologic (27.5%, 95% CI 20.4-35.9). The overall maternal case fatality rate was 3.2 per 100 emergency peripartum hysterectomies (95% CI 2.5-4.2) and was higher in lower middle-income settings (11.2/100 emergency peripartum hysterectomies 95% CI 8.9-14.1) and lower in high-income settings (1.0/100 emergency peripartum hysterectomies 95% CI 0.6-1.6). CONCLUSION: Substantial differences across income settings exist in the incidence of emergency peripartum hysterectomy. Women in lower-income settings have a higher risk of undergoing emergency peripartum hysterectomy and suffer more procedure-related morbidity and mortality. The frequency of emergency peripartum hysterectomy is likely to increase in light of increasing cesarean delivery rates.

The Spontaneous Uterine Rupture in Labor: When to Expect the Unexpected.

Uterine rupture is a potentially life-threatening complication that is typically seen in pregnant females who have undergone prior uterine surgeries such as cesarean sections. This usually occurs when the uterine myometrium is weakened and thus is more prone to stress during labor. In an unscarred uterus, the incidence of uterine rupture is lower. Risk factors in the unscarred uterus include trauma, obstructed labor, high parity, placental abnormalities, operative deliveries, and imprudent use of uterotonic medications. This case report describes a situation in which uterine rupture occurred in the absence of the common risk factors. With prompt recognition of clinical signs, quick assembly of a team, and emergent interventions, this patient and her infant survived. The goal of this report is to educate clinicians on the occurrence of uterine rupture in an unscarred uterus and how to recognize and manage this complication.

Pelvic packing in the treatment of severe postpartum posthysterectomiam hemorrhage.

INTRODUCTION: Pelvic packing (PP) as a simple method of "damage control surgery" in severe abdominopelvic hemorrhage in gynecological and obstetric surgery after emergency obstetrics or gynecological hysterectomy. OBJECTIVE: To present the case of successful PP as a simple and effective method in refractory pelvic bleeding after emergent peripartum hysterectomy and severe obstetric shock with consumptive coagulopathy. CASE REPORT: Acording to laboratory findings and clinical condition in a 30-year-old (G2 P2) parturient, it was most likely an obstetric embolism with uterine rupture as the cause of severe postparum hemorrhage with disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and obstetrics hemorrhagic shock development in the described case. Pelvic packing after postpartum hysterectomy was the definitive minimally invasive and simple hemostatic procedure. CONCLUSION: The use of pelvic packing and obstetrics skills should be included in the protocol as a necessary, life-saving, and uncomplicated vital indication procedure.

Complete Cervicouterine Dissociation After Repeat Cesarean Sections: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: The number of cesarean deliveries (CDs) has extremely increased in the last decades. Although it is a common and relatively safe surgical procedure, there are several potential complications. To the best of our knowledge, complete cervicouterine dissociation after several CDs has not been reported before in the medical literature. CASE REPORT: A 28-year-old woman with a history of 6 CDs presented with abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding. The patient's most recent CD happened three weeks before the current presentation. Transabdominal ultrasonography examination and magnetic resonance imaging revealed the absence of continuity with the uterine cervix and corpus with associated pelvic hematoma. Laparotomy findings confirmed the imaging findings, and the displaced uterine corpus was removed with the evacuation of the associating pelvic hematoma. CONCLUSION: Uterine dehiscence and rupture are among the relatively common complications of CD. Uterine rupture and dehiscence are focal disorders, and complete cervicouterine dissociation has not been seen before. Multiple CDs are among the risk factors for complete cervicouterine dissociation, and abnormal uterine bleeding is the most common symptom. Imaging findings allow a quick and definitive diagnosis, and surgical intervention may be planned accordingly based on the imaging findings.

Uterine rupture after previous caesarean section with hysterotomy above the lower uterine segment.

Background Spontaneous uterine rupture is a severe pregnancy complication. Several risk factors have been described, especially for women with a previous caesarean section. Method We reported two cases of uterine rupture (UR) occurring outside of labour in patients with a history of caesarean section (CS) due to placenta previa. Results: The current study evaluates how a higher hysterotomy, combined with some risk factors, can increase the prevalence of UR in the subsequent pregnancy. Conclusion This study supports that a careful evaluation of risk factors can identify patients who need a specific follow up to early diagnose and treat UR and thus improve the maternal-fetal outcome.

[Traumatic uterine rupture in gemelli pregnant woman causing emergency hysterectomy].

This is a case report of a 30-year-old gemelli pregnant woman in gestation week 15 and 6 days, who was admitted to a local hospital after being involved in a high impact motor vehicle accident. Traumatic uterine rupture was suspected and the patient was immediately operated with exploratory laparotomy. Emergency hysterectomy was performed, hence the pregnancy was terminated. This case is a rare obstetric trauma situation, and prompt diagnosis is life-saving.

Surgical uterus-preserving therapy after uterine rupture and haemorrhage due to placenta percreta in the first trimester following embolisation of the uterine arteries and B-Lynch suture in a previous pregnancy.

A woman in her early 30s in the 11 2/7 week of pregnancy was admitted with severe abdominal pain and emesis. One year prior, the patient had undergone hysteroscopic adhesiolysis to treat Asherman syndrome resulting from a prior pregnancy. Examination of the patient revealed a haemoperitoneum and an intact intrauterine pregnancy. Laparoscopic adhesiolysis and haemostasis was performed and the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit. Subsequent examination due to persistent abdominal pain revealed an occult iatrogenic perforation of the uterus and placenta percreta with spontaneous uterine rupture. Although treatment for placenta percreta has generally been hysterectomy, in this case, the rupture and perforation sites were resected, representing successful fertility preserving management for this oft-overlooked pregnancy complication.

Robotic vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic myomectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a novel, minimally invasive technique for performing myomectomy, a fertility-sparing procedure. DESIGN: This technique was developed based on similar techniques for other surgeries that showed a benefit. Liu et al. (1) described vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES) for myomectomy, in which a 6-cm myoma was resected transvaginally. An anterior colpotomy was made, and single-site surgical skills were used to perform the entire myomectomy without an abdominal incision and with minimal blood loss (1). Another study showed that this technique was also feasible in 8 patients with type 3-7 myomas, and the patients were discharged within a day (2). Robotic vNOTES surgery has been performed for various gynecologic procedures, including hysterectomy, sacrocolpopexy, and the resection of endometriosis (3-6). One study showed that robotic vNOTES was a viable alternative to traditional vNOTES for hysterectomy, with no differences in operative time, the length of hospital stay, postoperative pain levels, or conversions (3). This study in fact proposed that robotic vNOTES was beneficial because of the opportunity to use wristed instruments to increase an otherwise limited range of motion. Another study showed that if surgeons already have significant experience with laparoscopic single-site and abdominal robotic surgeries, only 10 cases of robotic vNOTES and 10-20 port placements with robotic docking are needed to become proficient in robotic vNOTES (7). Another study showed that robotic vNOTES was a safe and feasible approach for the treatment of endometriosis with hysterectomy and the resection of endometriosis, which may be technically challenging because of distorted anatomy or scar tissue due to endometriosis (4). This video demonstrates a robotic vNOTES for myomectomy, a novel, minimally invasive technique for performing myomectomy. Vaginal surgery is the preferred route for hysterectomy compared with other techniques, and this parallel can also be made for other gynecologic procedures, including myomectomy (8). The vaginal approach is preferred for hysterectomy because it is associated with shorter hospital stays and operative time as well as faster recovery. Given these factors, the vaginal approach is preferred over the more traditional umbilical or abdominal laparoscopy. However, visualization and fine movement can be difficult in vaginal surgery, given the lack of space. Robotic techniques in place of traditional or vaginal laparoscopy do not require the surgeon to have a large amount of space to make fine movements because the camera and small robotic instruments are docked close to the tissue. This allows for precision while suturing and performing more layers in the myometrium after myomectomy. This is more difficult to achieve with traditional umbilical laparoscopy and may potentially reduce the risk of uterine rupture in future pregnancies. Given the advantages of the robotic and vaginal approaches, the robotic vNOTES route was pursued for this procedure because it combines the benefits of robotic and vaginal surgeries and can be considered as a feasible alternative to open, vaginal, or laparoscopic techniques. SETTING: Academic-center hospital. PATIENT(S): A 28-year-old presented with heavy periods and pelvic pain. Imaging showed a large, 8-cm posterior fibroid, and the patient strongly desired a fertility-sparing approach. INTERVENTION(S): Robotic vNOTES for myomectomy for the 8-cm posterior uterine fibroid. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Feasibility and safety of using this technique for myomectomy. RESULT(S): Robotic vNOTES is a feasible option for performing minimally invasive myomectomy. In this technique, a posterior horizontal colpotomy was made and a gel port was placed through the incision. The DaVinci Robot was docked, and myomectomy was performed using single-incision surgical techniques. The uterine serosa was closed with the V-Loc suture, and an interceed adhesion barrier was placed over the incision. The surgeon should take care to notice that the entire surgery is essentially performed "upside down" compared with the traditional abdominal laparoscopic approach. With this change in perspective, the surgeon should have a very good understanding of the vaginal anatomy and the expected location of the uterine artery, ureter, and rectum to avoid any damage to surrounding structures (the uterus) or increased blood loss. The fibroid was morcellated out of the vagina using The Extracorporeal C-Incision Tissue Extraction technique, and the posterior colpotomy was closed (9). The patient was discharged for home on the same day, with minimal blood loss. A prelabor cesarean section was recommended for all future pregnancies to reduce the risk of uterine rupture. The rate of uterine rupture after myomectomy is approximately 0.6% (10). However, the rate of uterine rupture after classical cesarean section is approximately 1%-12% (11). Given that the incision made was similar to the classical incision, except on the posterior uterus, prelabor cesarean section was recommended, although the uterine cavity was not entered. CONCLUSION(S): In this video, we demonstrate a myomectomy performed using the robotic vNOTES technique. The traditional vNOTES technique for myomectomy has been previously described (1); however, this technique can be very burdensome for suturing and does not allow for precision, and performing multiple layers is challenging. However, the robotic vNOTES approach solves this issue and can allow the surgeon to perform very precise suturing. While choosing the ideal patient for this procedure, the preoperative considerations include the desire for future fertility, the size and location of the fibroid, ideally 1 large posterior fibroid, and adequate space for vaginal port placement. This technique combines the advantages of both vaginal and robotic surgeries while maintaining low blood loss, and patients may be discharged for home on the same day.

First-trimester uterine rupture: a case report and systematic review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to present a case of first-trimester uterine rupture and perform a systematic review to identify common presentations, risk factors, and management strategies. DATA SOURCES: Searches were performed in PubMed, Ovid, and Scopus using a combination of key words related to "uterine rupture," "first trimester," and "early pregnancy" from database inception to September 30, 2020. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: English language descriptions of uterine rupture at ≤14 weeks of gestation were included, and cases involving pregnancy termination and ectopic pregnancy were excluded. METHODS: Outcomes for the systematic review included maternal demographics, description of uterine rupture, and specifics of uterine rupture diagnosis and management. Data were extracted to custom-made reporting forms. Median values were calculated for continuous variables, and percentages were calculated for categorical variables. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist for case reports and case series. RESULTS: Overall, 61 cases of first-trimester uterine rupture were identified, including our novel case. First-trimester uterine ruptures occurred at a median gestation of 11 weeks. Most patients (59/61 [97%]) had abdominal pain as a presenting symptom, and previous uterine surgery was prevalent (44/61 [62%]), usually low transverse cesarean delivery (32/61 [52%]). The diagnosis of uterine rupture was generally made after surgical exploration (37/61 [61%]), with rupture noted in the fundus in 26 of 61 cases (43%) and in the lower segment in 27 of 61 cases (44%). Primary repair of the defect was possible in 40 of 61 cases (66%), whereas hysterectomy was performed in 18 of 61 cases (30%). Continuing pregnancy was possible in 4 of 61 cases (7%). CONCLUSION: Uterine rupture is an uncommon occurrence but should be considered in patients with an acute abdomen in early pregnancy, especially in women with previous uterine surgery. Surgical exploration is typically needed to confirm the diagnosis and for management. Hysterectomy is not always necessary; primary uterine repair is sufficient in more than two-thirds of the cases to achieve hemostasis. Continuing pregnancy, although uncommon, is also possible.

Successful conservative management of a spontaneous hemorrhagic uterine rupture at 18 weeks of gestation.

Prelabor uterine rupture is a very rare complication of pregnancy that in most cases occurs when there is a history of uterine surgery. Maternal and neonatal morbidity is significant. Most often, the pregnancy must be terminated to rescue both the mother and the newborn, if possible. We report the case of a patient who had a pre-labor uterine rupture at 18 weeks of gestation (WG) complicated by massive hemoperitoneum. Emergency surgery with conservative management allowed the pregnancy to continue until 32+3 WG. In very rare situations of uterine rupture at a very early term, conservative management appears to be an acceptable solution to allow the pregnancy to continue until a sufficient gestational age to limit complications related to prematurity.

Ruptured uterus: Frequency, risk factors and feto-maternal outcome: Current scenario in a low-resource setup.

INTRODUCTION: Pakistan is among the countries with the highest maternal death rates. Obstetric hemorrhage accounts for 41% of these deaths. Uterine rupture is a grave obstetric emergency with high maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. It is important to identify its frequency and associated risk factors to formulate programs for its prevention and management. This study aimed to assess the frequency, associated risk factors, fetomaternal outcomes, and management of women with the ruptured uterus at our hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: It was a retrospective study of 206 women to review data collected from cases of uterine rupture managed at the WCTH Bannu, Pakistan from October 2016 to October 2018. A structured proforma was designed and used to extract data from operating theatre registers and the hospital medical records. In our hospital, there is a strong system of maintaining all information of the patients related to demographics, obstetric information, operative notes, and postoperative course during their hospital stay in the patient's charts. Detailed information on operative procedures is further maintained in the operation theater register and all these registers are checked in the weekly statistical meetings to ensure proper documentation. Data was entered and analyzed in SPSS package version 21 (IBM Corp.; Armonk, NY, USA). Frequency and percentages were calculated for the categorical variables. For inferential statistics, chi-square or Fischer exact tests were used. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The overall incidence of the ruptured uterus was 1.71%. The important etiological factors were grand multiparity 62 (35.2%), obstructed/neglected labour 58 (32.9%), injudicious use of Oxytocin 56 (31.8%) and prostaglandins 26 (14.7%), previous cesarean section 35 (19.8%) and previous pelvic surgery (0.5%). Hysterectomy was done in 80.6% of cases, 34 (19.2%) patients underwent uterine repair and 4.5% had bladder repair. The mortality rate was 21%, mainly due to irreversible shock or disseminated intravascular coagulation. Perinatal mortality was 91.4%. Duration of surgery more than two hours and presentation to the hospital at night time was significantly associated with poor maternal outcome (p = 0.00). CONCLUSION: Uterine rupture is a preventable obstetric emergency associated with high fetomaternal morbidity and mortality. The main causes were grand multigravidity, obstructed labour, previous C-sections and injudicious use of oxytocin and prostaglandins. Women with prolonged surgery and admission at night time had a poor maternal outcome.

Spontaneous complete uterine rupture with protrusion of foetal limbs at the third trimester following laparoscopic cornuostomy: A case report.

RATIONALE: Spontaneous complete uterine rupture during gestation is rare and has no specific symptoms; however, it is a life-threatening event for both the fetus and mother. The rupture typically happens in labor and is uncommon before labor. Herein, we present the case of a woman, encountering complete rupture at third trimester followed by laparoscopic cornuostomy. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 26-year-old woman presented with acute right lower abdominal pain at 33 weeks and 5 days of gestation. DIAGNOSES: We made a diagnosis of threatened uterine rupture. INTERVENTION: Urgent cesarean section performed. Exploration of the uterine dehiscence wound demonstrated that the myometrium was completely ruptured at the primary laparoscopic surgical scar with a defect of 40 mm, and live birth and preservation of the uterus was achieved. OUTCOME: On the third day of operation, she had a good recovery and was discharged. After a 6-week postpartum follow-up, she displayed a good level of rehabilitation. LESSONS: Pregnancy after laparoscopic cornuostomy should be treated as high-risk gestation and the rupture during gestation of the uterine scar should be suspected once lower abdominal pain occurred. Swift diagnosis and prompt intervention play a crucial role in saving the lives of the fetus and the mother.

Laparoscopic management of suspected postpartum uterine rupture: a novel approach.

BACKGROUND: Exploratory laparotomy is considered the gold standard treatment for women with suspected uterine rupture. We aimed to investigate the feasibility and safety of laparoscopy as an alternative for laparotomy for the management of hemodynamically stable women with suspected postpartum uterine rupture. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a case series study including all women who were diagnosed with postpartum uterine rupture following vaginal delivery in a university-affiliated tertiary hospital, between November 2012 and July 2021. Until 2016, all women with suspected post-partum uterine rupture underwent laparotomy. Following 2016, a new tailored protocol based on laparoscopy for the management of postpartum uterine rupture in hemodynamically stable women was implemented. A comparison was made between women who underwent emergent laparoscopy to laparotomy. RESULTS: During the study period 17 women were diagnosed with postpartum uterine rupture. From January 2012 to January 2016, four cases of uterine rupture were diagnosed, all of whom underwent laparotomy. Since 2016, thirteen cases of uterine rupture were diagnosed, of whom seven women (54%) underwent laparoscopy and 6 (46%) laparotomy. The median time interval from delivery to surgery was 70.5 min IQR (40-179) in the laparotomy group and 202 min IQR (70-485) in the laparoscopy group. The median operative time for laparoscopic surgery was 80 min (IQR 60-114) and 78 min (IQR 58-114) for the laparotomy group. Four women who underwent laparotomy (40%) and one who underwent laparoscopy (14.2%) were admitted to the intensive care unit following surgery. Blood products transfusion was required in six women who had laparotomy (60%) and one who had laparoscopy (14.2%). Median hospitalization period was 5 d IQR (4-5) in the laparotomy group as compared to 3 d IQR (3-4) in the laparoscopy group. There were no conversions to laparotomy in the laparoscopy group. CONCLUSIONS: In hemodynamic stable women laparoscopic surgery for suspected postpartum uterine rupture is feasible and safe.

Induction of labour in patients with prior caesarean births or uterine surgery.

The current evidence favours trial of labour after one caesarean in the absence of any other contraindications, recognizing that risks with both trial of labour after caesarean (TOLAC) and elective repeat caesarean section (ERCS) birth are relatively uncommon. When the need for induction of labour (IOL) following a previous caesarean arises, shared decision-making should be based on the current available evidence. This approach, however, needs to be tailored, taking into account the individual's history, initial examination and response to the ongoing process of induction to optimize the maternal and foetal outcomes. This paper aims to review the evidence and provide guidance on decision making surrounding labour induction in a pregnancy following a prior caesarean or uterine surgery.