Treatment of severe postpartum hemorrhage by uterine artery embolization

Objective:To investigate the value of interventional radiology in severe postpartum hemorrhage.Methods:14 cases of severe postpartum hemorrhage were chosen to be catheterized of bilateral arteries using seldinger technique,and gelfoam was injected into arteries for embolization after angiogeaphy.Results:In 12 of 14 cases,bleeding ceased completely and no serious complications occurred.While 1 case had hysterectomy and 1 case gave up treating for complications such as MODS,hepatic coma.Conclusion:Uterine arterial embolization is a safe and effective procedure and offers patients a fertility-preserving alternative to hysterectomy for treatment of severe postpartum hemorrhage.