Management of postpartum haemorrhage with uterine balloon tamponade: The way forward

Abstract

Uterine balloon tamponade has rapidly gained popularity in the management of postpartum haemorrhage. It is a conservative method often utilised before embarking on advanced surgical interventions. The mechanism of action, complications and long-term outcomes are discussed.

ebb^® Complete Tamponade System: effective hemostasis for postpartum hemorrhage

“…When initially introduced, balloon tamponade for control of PPH was mostly promulgated as a secondary or tertiary intervention in the treatment cascade and, in almost all cases, was recommended after the failure of uterotonic agents. 2 , 24 However, the body of clinical experience and the introduction of dedicated, condition-specific balloon systems such as ebb now recommend that balloon tamponade should be considered much earlier in the treatment course, 25 perhaps as a first-line intervention working in concert with prostaglandin administration. 10 , 26 Indeed, Barinov et al 27 recently reported that introduction of balloon tamponade as a first-line therapy in combination with treatment of coagulopathy resulted in a significant reduction in the number of peripartum hysterectomies compared to standard treatment that did not include balloon tamponade.…”

Bimanual examination for clot evacuation: a retrospective cohort study of women with postpartum haemorrhage after vaginal delivery

“…Women with severe PPH may require intensive care unit (ICU) admission, surgical interventions for bleeding control (e.g. uterine evacuation, intrauterine balloon tamponade, repair of cervical lacerations and other trauma, or more invasive therapy such as uterine or internal iliac artery ligation, B-Lynch suture insertion or hysterectomy), and transfusion of blood products [5]. Because the rate of PPH has been increasing in well-resourced countries, attention has been focussed on strategies to improve how PPH is managed on labour and delivery units [6][7][8].…”