More hysterectomies can be averted with earlier uterine artery embolization

New research presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) annual scientific meeting has found early intervention with uterine artery embolization (UAE) can help women avoid hysterectomy due to severe bleeding after childbirth.

“These findings are important and may help more women avoid hysterectomy and other very serious complications of uncontrolled haemorrhage,” said lead author Younes Jahangiri (Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA), a resident interventional/diagnostic radiologist. “As the medical community looks for ways to provide better care for women to address maternal health and peri-partum care, this is one more option on the table that could help many women.”

The study was a retrospective review of 66 patients with a median age of 31 who underwent UAE for uncontrolled postpartum haemorrhage at a single, high-volume medical centre between 2014–2022. UAE successfully controlled postpartum haemorrhaging in 62 of the 66 patients (94%). Four patients required hysterectomies to stop the bleeding, all of whom lost at least 2,400ml blood prior to presentation for UAE and symptoms of diffuse intravascular coagulopathy, a clotting abnormality that can happen after large-volume haemorrhage due to rapid consumption of clotting factors.

Learn more here:

https://interventionalnews.com/more-hysterectomies-can-be-averted-with-earlier-uterine-artery-embolization-for-postpartum-haemorrhages/