EFFICACY OF INTRAUTERINE BALLOON TAMPONADE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF POSTPARTUM HAEMORRHAGE WHEN UTEROTONIC AGENTS FAIL

Abstract

Background: Globally, the biggest cause of maternal mortality in postpartum period is postpartum haemorrhage (PPH). A prophylactic uterotonic drug should be administered to all women undergoing delivery. It is advised to continue administering uterotonic medicines as "first-line" treatment if prevention fails and PPH develops. One known method for avoiding more intrusive methods for PPH is intrauterine balloon tamponade. Because it is easy to use and less intrusive, it is extensively used. But varied data has been reported before and there was limited studies done in local population before. Therefore, this study was conducted to acquire data for local population to get updated findings about more effective and successful method of cessation of blood loss i.e. PPH.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of intrauterine balloon tamponade in the management of postpartum haemorrhage when uterotonic agents fail.

Study design: Longitudinal study

Methodology: This longitudinal study was carried out at the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Lady Aitchison Hospital, Lahore from February to June, 2025. One hundred females were enrolled from post-delivery wards. Then females underwent balloon tamponade. The intrauterine balloon tamponade catheter was inserted and inflated. If bleeding stopped within fifteen minutes of the procedure, then efficacy was labelled. All the data was collected via proforma and analysed in SPSS.

Results: In this study, the median age of females was 27.00 (IQR: 6.00) years and most of them had age range 20-30 years (65%). The median gestational age at delivery was 40.00 (IQR: 100) weeks and mostly delivered after 39 weeks (85%). Out of 100 females, 88 (88%) females had spontaneous vaginal delivery while 12 (12%) females had induced labor. Out of 100 females, efficacy within 15 minutes was achieved in 90 (90%) females.

Conclusion: It has been concluded that intrauterine balloon tamponade is a useful and highly effective method to control blood loss in females with failed uterotonic agents.