Obstetric hemorrhage: prophylactic and emergency arterial catheterization and embolotherapy.

The role of arterial catheterization and embolotherapy was evaluated in 18 patients with postpartum hemorrhage or a risk of hemorrhage. Nine patients underwent emergency arterial catheterization for unanticipated postpartum hemorrhage due to uterine and vaginal tears and/or placental abnormalities. Bleeding was controlled with embolization with gelatin sponge in eight patients, while bleeding in one patient stopped spontaneously during angiography. Nine patients underwent prophylactic arterial catheterization before cesarean section or for abnormalities associated with risk of hemorrhage. Two subsequently underwent embolization before surgery, and embolization in two others was performed intraoperatively in response to serious bleeding. Bleeding in the other five was controlled by the usual surgical means. Arterial embolotherapy in these patients was an effective means of controlling postpartum hemorrhage. Prophylactic arterial catheterization has a role in patients with an increased risk for obstetric hemorrhage.