Prophylactic uterine artery embolization in first-trimester cervical pregnancy termination with placenta accreta: A case report

Case Rep Womens Health. 2023 Oct 11:39:e00554. doi: 10.1016/j.crwh.2023.e00554. eCollection 2023 Sep.

Abstract

The current standard treatment for placenta accreta is a hysterectomy, which carries a significant risk of hemorrhage. Although prophylactic uterine artery embolization (UAE) is established as an effective means of minimizing perioperative bleeding, there are few reports of its use early in pregnancy with invasive placenta. A 45-year-old woman, gravida 6, para 1, at 11 weeks of gestation presented with heavy, painless uterine bleeding and was diagnosed with a spontaneous abortion complicated by cervical pregnancy and placenta accreta. The patient underwent bilateral UAE followed by gravid hysterectomy. This case report encourages prophylactic UAE prior to abdominal hysterectomy in patients with early gestational cervical pregnancy and placenta accreta to minimize blood loss during surgery.

Keywords: Cervical pregnancy; Placenta accreta; Postpartum hemorrhage; Spontaneous abortion; Uterine artery embolization.

Publication types

  • Case Reports