A Retrospective Study on the Clinical Effect of Uterine Artery Embolization Combined with Cervical Double Balloon for Patients with Complete Placenta Previa Undergoing Pregnancy Termination in the Second Trimester

Abstract

Background Pregnancy termination in the second trimester is a complex and delicate situation for patients with complete placenta previa (CPP), which has less been reported. The objective of this research was to investigate and evaluate the clinical effect of uterine artery embolization(UAE) combined with cervical double balloon(CDB) for patients with CPP. Methods We conducted a retrospective study based on a large medical center. The medical records of patients who were diagnosed with CPP and treated UAE combined with CDB for termination in the second trimester in our hospital from January 2017 and March 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical outcomes were analyzed.Results A total of 11 patients with CPP were included in this study. Prenatal diagnosis of CPP was realized by trans-vaginal ultrasound. The average age was 34.2 years old, and the gestational week was 21.6 weeks. Of the selected patients, 3 cases (3/11) had previous caesarean delivery, 5 cases were at older maternal age (≥35 years old), 10 cases underwent emergency UAE for prenatal bleeding equal or up to 400 mL and 1 case underwent prophylactic UAE for placenta percreta, and all cases underwent CDB to promote cervical ripening. It was worth noting that 5 cases (5/11) of selected patients underwent curettage to take out fetus and placenta. The uterus preservation was achieved in all 11 patients. The complications associated with conservative management included prenatal hemorrhaging (10/11), blood transfusion (5/11), fever (2/11), and septicemia (1/11). The mean dilation of cervix was from 0cm to 1.9cm, the length of cervix was from 3.5cm to 0.6cm and the Bishop scores were from 1.5 to 7.3 after using CDB, the changes of cervical conditions were statistically significant (p＜0.05). The levels of WBC and CRP were higher after termination with medicine+UAE+CDB and/or curettage. Conclusion The adjuvant therapy of UAE, CDB, and/curettage step by step is a preferred choice for patients with CPP who underwent pregnancy termination in the second trimester.