Uterine artery embolization in 15 cases of postpartum hemorrhage

Objective: To evaluate the value of uterine artery embolization in treating postpartum hemorrhage.Methods: Fifteen cases with postpartum hematorrhea were treated by Seldinger catheterization of uterine arteries,and the uterine arteries were embolized super selectively by gelatin sponge after the hemorrhagic site were found by digital subtraction angiography (DSA).Some bleeding patients were also operated by micro-wheel embolism.Results: Uterine artery angiography showed that uterine artery had been embolized and no extravasation of contrast agent.The hemorrhage came from one side or double sides of uterine artery as diffused or focal uterine cavity bleeding or branch bleeding of uterinecavity or significantly distorted uterine artery.DSA angiography showed that the bleeding of 13 cases were ceased completely after embolism while the others were decreased obviously and gradually ceased within one week after drug treatment.Conclusions: The method of using the uterine artery embolization to treat the postpartum hematorrhea has many advantages which stopping bleeding quickly,effective,suffering lightly with few complications.