Surgical Management of the Placenta Accreta Spectrum: An Institutional Experience

Uterus-preserving surgical management of placenta accreta spectrum disorder: a large retrospective study

BACKGROUND

The two-child policy implemented in China resulted in a surge of high-risk pregnancies among advanced maternal aged women and presented a window of opportunity to identify a large number of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) cases, which often invoke severe blood loss and hysterectomy. We thus had an opportunity to evaluate the surgical outcomes of a unique conservative PAS management strategy for uterus preservation, and the impacts of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in PAS surgical planning.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study, comparing the outcomes of a new uterine artery ligation combined with clover suturing technique (UAL + CST) with the existing conservative surgical approaches in a maternal public hospital with an annual birth of more than 20,000 neonates among all placenta previa cases suspecting of PAS between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2018.

RESULTS

From a total of 89,397 live births, we identified 210 PAS cases from 400 singleton pregnancies with placenta previa. Aside from 2 self-requested natural births (low-lying placenta), all PAS cases had safe cesarean deliveries without any total hysterectomy. Compared with the existing approaches, the evaluated UAL + CST had a significant reduction in intraoperative blood loss (β=-312 ml, P < .001), RBC transfusion (β=-1.08 unit, P = .001), but required more surgery time (β = 16.43 min, P = .01). MRI-measured placenta thickness, when above 50 mm, can increase blood loss (β = 315 ml, P = .01), RBC transfusion (β = 1.28 unit, P = .01), surgery time (β = 48.84 min, P < .001) and hospital stay (β = 2.58 day, P < .001). A majority of percreta patients resumed normal menstrual cycle within 12 months with normal menstrual fluid volume, without abnormal urination or defecation.

CONCLUSIONS

A conservative surgical management approach of UAL + CST for PAS is safe and effective with a low complication rate. MRI might be useful for planning PAS surgery.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR2000035202.

Expected Versus Unexpected Delivery for Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS) Disorders with Same Team in Single Tertiary Center

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the maternal and neonatal outcomes of expected and unexpected pathologically proven placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) cases in a single multidisciplinary center.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of 92 PAS cases from January 2011 until September 2021. Only cases with histopathologically invasive placentation were included in the study. The cases diagnosed at the time of delivery were defined as unexpected PAS (uPAS) and those diagnosed antenatally as expected PAS (ePAS). Maternal and neonatal outcomes of both groups were compared.

RESULTS

Thirty-five (38%) of 92 cases were in the uPAS group. Placenta previa and high-grade PAS (percreata) were significantly higher in the ePAS group (p=0.028, p<0.001; respectively). The mean packed red blood cell transfusion was significantly higher in the uPAS group (p=0.030) but transfusions of other blood products were similar in the two groups. There was no significant difference in intraoperative complication rates between the two groups. Preterm delivery (<37 weeks) was significantly higher in the ePAS group (p<0.001), but there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of adverse neonatal outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our single center data show that although ePAS cases include more highly invasive PAS cases, maternal hemorrhagic morbidity is lower than uPAS cases. Reducing maternal morbidity in PAS cases can be achieved by increasing antenatal diagnosis.

Implementation and Outcomes of a Model of Care for Placenta Accreta Spectrum in a Community-Based Private Practice

OBJECTIVE

 The aim of the study is to describe a model of care and outcomes for placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) implemented in the context of a community based non-academic health system.

STUDY DESIGN

 The program for management of PAS includes a multidisciplinary team approach with protocols for ultrasound assessment, diagnosis, and surgery. The program was implemented in the two largest private hospitals in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States. Maternal and fetal outcomes as well as cost were compared for histopathologic confirmed PAS cases before (2007-2014, n = 41) and after (2015-2017, n = 26) implementation of the PAS program.

RESULTS

 Implementation of the PAS program was associated with ICU admission reductions from 53.7 to 19.2%, p = 0.005; a decrease of 1,682 mL in mean estimated blood loss (EBL) (p = 0.061); a decrease in transfusion from 85.4 to 53.9% (p = 0.005). The PAS program also resulted in a (non-significant) decrease in both surgical complications from 48.8 to 38.5% (p = 0.408) and postoperative complications from 61.0 to 42.3% (p = 0.135). The total cost of care for PAS cases in the 3 years after implementation of the program decreased by 33%.

CONCLUSION

 The implementation of a model of care for PAS led by a perinatology practice at a large regional non-academic referral center resulted in reductions of ICU admissions, operating time, transfusion, selected surgical complications, overall postoperative complications, and cost.

KEY POINTS

· Implementation of a PAS care model resulted in reduced ICU admissions from 53.7% to 19.2%.. · Patient safety increased by reducing blood loss, transfusions and postoperative complications.. · This model decreased operating time, as well as total cost of care by 33%..

Treatment of Placenta Increta With High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation and Leaving the Placenta in situ: A Multicenter Comparative Study

Objective

To explore the feasibility of simple high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation for placenta increta.

Methods

Ninety-five patients after a vaginal delivery were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study, 53 patients were treated with simple HIFU ablation, and 42 patients were treated with HIFU followed by uterine curettage.

Results

All 95 patients were successfully treated with a single-session HIFU procedure, and in the control group, the necrotic placental tissue was removed with curettage. Vaginal hemorrhage did not occur in either group. The duration of bloody lochia was 25.9 ± 8.6 days in the sHIFU group and 24.2 ± 8.8 days in the control group (P > 0.05). The median serum human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) level was 3,222 mIU/mL and 2,838 mIU/mL in the sHIFU and control groups, respectively, which decreased and returned to normal within 30 days, and the differences were not significantly on comparing the blood HCG level in the two groups at 7, 15, and 30 days after HIFU (all P > 0.05). Decreased menstrual volume occurred in 85.71% of patients in the control group, which was higher than that in the sHIFU group (23.08%) (χ² = 6.839, P < 0.001). During 2–8 years of follow-up, six pregnancies occurred in the sHIFU group without any recurrence of placenta increta, three pregnancies occurred in the control group, and one patient developed a repeat placenta increta.

Conclusion

Simple HIFU treatment is safe and effective for postpartum placenta increta and leaving the placenta in situ. It is a promising option for patients who wish to preserve their fertility and conceive.

Informing the spectrum of approaches: Institutional review of placenta accreta spectrum disorders management

OBJECTIVE

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is a condition defined by abnormal adherence of the placenta. Cesarean hysterectomy is the preferred management, but practice patterns vary based on local resources and expertise. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical course of patients diagnosed antenatally with PAS who underwent surgical management in our centre.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective records review involving patients with an antenatal diagnosis of PAS between 2014 and 2019. The primary outcome was a composite score of maternal morbidity, and secondary outcomes were total estimated blood loss and composite neonatal morbidity. Patients were stratified based on the presence or absence of PAS on final pathology. Antenatal diagnosis by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was compared with final histologic diagnosis.

RESULTS

A total of 34 patients were diagnosed with PAS antenatally and managed at our institution. Final histology confirmed PAS in 29 patients. The overall composite morbidity rate was 44%, with no significant difference between patients with and without PAS on pathology (P = 0.355). Intraoperative blood loss was similar between the 2 groups (2374 ± 2212 mL vs. 1080 ± 852 mL; P = 0.232). The rate of composite neonatal morbidity was 47%. Ultrasound achieved a high positive predictive value in the diagnosis of PAS (96%) and more accurately predicted pathology than MRI.

CONCLUSIONS

PAS is associated with high rates of morbidity. Dissemination of our local experience serves to inform best practices in the management of this complex condition.

Maternal and neonatal outcomes in transverse and vertical skin incision for placenta previa : Skin incision for placenta previa

BACKGROUND

Placenta previa, a serious obstetric issue, should be managed by experienced teams. The safe and appropriate mode of delivery for placenta previa is by cesarean delivery. However, no studies were found comparing either maternal or neonatal outcomes for different skin incision in women with placenta previa. The aim of this study was to compare maternal and neonatal outcomes by skin incision types (transverse compared with vertical) in a large cohort of women with placenta previa who were undergoing cesarean delivery.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study carried out between January 2014 and June 2019. All pregnant women with placenta previa had confirmed by ultrasonologist before delivery and obstetrician at delivery. The primary outcome was the estimated blood loss during the surgery and within the first 24 hours postoperatively. Mean (standard deviation), median (interquartile range) or frequency (percentage) was reported to variables. Appropriate parametric and nonparametric tests were used to analyses.

RESULTS

The study included 1098 complete records, 332 (30.24%) cases in the vertical skin incision group and 766 (69.76%) cases in the transverse skin incision group. Those with vertical incision showed a higher percentage of preterm delivery, anterior placenta, abnormally invasive placenta, and history of previous cesarean delivery, and a lower percentage of first pregnancy, in vitro fertilization, and emergency cesarean delivery. After controlling for confounding factors, higher incidence of post-partum hemorrhage (OR 5.47, 95% CI 3.84-7.79), maternal intensive care unit (OR 4.30, 95% CI 2.86-6.45), transfusion (OR 5.97, 95% CI 4.15-8.58), and 5-min APGAR< 7 (OR 9.03, 95% CI 1.83-44.49), a more estimated blood loss (β 601.85, 95%CI 458.78-744.91), and a longer length of hospital stay after delivery (β 0.54, 95%CI 0.23-0.86) were found in the vertical skin incision group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrated that transverse skin incision group showed the better perinatal outcomes in women with placenta previa. Future collaborative studies are needed to be done by centers for placenta previa to have a better understanding of the characteristics and the outcomes of the disease in the choosing skin incision.

Placenta accreta spectrum disorders-experience of management in a German tertiary perinatal centre

PURPOSE

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders can cause major intrapartum haemorrhage. The optimal management approach is not yet defined. We analysed available cases from a tertiary perinatal centre to compare the outcome of different individual management strategies.

METHODS

A monocentric retrospective analysis was performed in patients with clinically confirmed diagnosis of PAS between 07/2012 and 12/2019. Electronic patient and ultrasound databases were examined for perinatal findings, peripartum morbidity including blood loss and management approaches such as (1) vaginal delivery and curettage, (2) caesarean section with placental removal versus left in situ and (3) planned, immediate or delayed hysterectomy.

RESULTS

46 cases were identified with an incidence of 2.49 per 1000 births. Median diagnosis of placenta accreta (56%), increta (39%) or percreta (4%) was made in 35 weeks of gestation. Prenatal detection rate was 33% for all cases and 78% for placenta increta. 33% showed an association with placenta praevia, 41% with previous caesarean section and 52% with previous curettage. Caesarean section rate was 65% and hysterectomy rate 39%. In 9% of the cases, the placenta primarily remained in situ. 54% of patients required blood transfusion. Blood loss did not differ between cases with versus without prenatal diagnosis (p = 0.327). In known cases, an attempt to remove the placenta did not show impact on blood loss (p = 0.417).

CONCLUSION

PAS should be managed in an optimal setting and with a well-coordinated team. Experience with different approaches should be proven in prospective multicentre studies to prepare recommendations for expected and unexpected need for management.

Surgical advances in the management of placenta accreta spectrum: establishing new expectations for operative blood loss

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether the implementation of our surgical approach, referred to in the text as Linear Cutter Vessel Sealing System (LCVSS) technique, will improve perioperative outcomes in patients with placenta accreta spectrum (PAS), specifically by reducing blood loss and blood transfusion rates at the time of cesarean hysterectomy (C-HYST). The LCVSS technique integrates the following: (1) hysterotomy performed using the Linear Cutter, (2) no placental manipulation, (3) cauterization of anatomically prominent vascular anastomosis using the handheld vessel sealing system, and (4) completion of bladder dissection until the cervico-vaginal junction before ligation and division of uterine arteries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study that analyzed perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing C-HYST for PAS at a tertiary care center from 1 July 2014 to 1 December 2019. Comparisons were performed between cases managed with the use of the LCVSS technique (designated as LCVSS cohort) and those managed without the use of the LCVSS technique (designated as no technique cohort). The primary outcomes were cumulative blood loss (CBL) and total perioperative blood transfusion of ≥4 and ≥6 units of PRBCs. The secondary outcomes were intra- and postoperative complications. Continuous and categorical variables were compared according to the sample size and distribution. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to predict confounders for blood transfusion of ≥4 units of PRBCs.

RESULTS

A total of 69 prenatally diagnosed PAS cases underwent C-HYST at the time of delivery. Forty-four cases that were performed using the LCVSS technique comprised the LCVSS cohort. The remaining 25 were marked as no technique cohort. CBL was significantly lower in the LCVSS cohort (1124 ml [300-4100] vs 3500 ml [650-10600]; p < .001). The rate of urinary tract injuries was similar (16%). The rate of postoperative complications and reoperation for intra-abdominal bleeding were lower but not significantly different in LCVSS cohort (9 vs 20% and 0 vs 8%, p = .26 and p = .12, respectively). There were no differences in neonatal outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Implementation of this advanced surgical approach for PAS management resulted in reduced blood loss and blood transfusion rates in comparison with no technique cohort.

Retrospective review of cesarean hysterectomy outcomes utilizing uterine intravascular interventions in a large, community-based healthcare setting

OBJECTIVE

To explore outcomes of women with planned cesarean hysterectomies, with or without use of internal iliac intravascular occlusive balloon catheter or uterine artery embolization (UAE).

STUDY DESIGN

We retrospectively reviewed adult women who underwent a planned cesarean hysterectomy, 2004-2019. All planned cases were included, regardless of indication. Planned surgeries were divided into three groups: balloon placement, UAE, or no intervention. Patients with balloon placement were further subdivided into: balloons placed but not deployed or balloons placed and deployed intraoperatively. Hemorrhage was defined as estimated blood loss (EBL) ≥1,500 mL. An adverse outcome was defined as one or more of the following: intensive care unit admission, thromboembolism, ureteral stent placement, amputation, or reoperation. Basic descriptive and inferential statistics were used to explore differences among groups and adverse outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 34 patients underwent planned cesarean hysterectomy. Ten patients (29.4%) had balloons placed, nine (26.5%) had UAE, and 15 (44.1%) had no intervention. Risk of hemorrhage was clinically higher among those with balloon placement (80% vs. 33% UAE vs. 60% no intervention; P = 0.14), with mean EBL (3,605.0 mL vs. 1,488.9 mL vs. 2,289.3 mL; P = 0.05) and mean transfusion requirements (9.3 units vs. 2.8 vs. 4.4; P = 0.01) being significantly higher. Adverse outcomes were also significantly higher among those with balloon placement (80.0% vs. 66.7% UAE vs. 20.0% no intervention; P ≤ 0.01). Of the ten patients with balloons placed, four were deployed. Among those with balloons placed and deployed, mean EBL (5,250.0 mL vs. 2,508.3 mL balloons placed but not deployed vs. 2,289.3 mL no intervention; P=0.04) and mean transfusion requirements (11 units vs. 7.5 units balloons placed but not deployed vs. 4.4 units no intervention; P = 0.05) were significantly higher. Adverse outcomes were also significantly higher among those who had balloons placed and deployed (100.0% vs. 66.7% balloons placed but not deployed vs. 20.0% no intervention; P ≤ 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Balloon placement, regardless of deployment, may not be beneficial to women undergoing a planned cesarean hysterectomy. Although UAE was also associated with adverse outcomes, it may be a better option for reducing intraoperative blood loss among patients with a planned cesarean hysterectomy.

A new conservative surgical approach for placenta accreta spectrum in a low-resource setting

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy and safety of a new surgical approach for uterine preservation among patients with placenta accreta spectrum in a low-resource setting.

METHODS

The present prospective cohort included 63 women diagnosed with placenta accreta spectrum undergoing cesarean deliveries who desired future fertility at the obstetrics department of Menoufia University Hospital from January 2018 to November 2019. Surgical management involved direct bilateral uterine arteries clamping below placental bed after broad ligament opening by round ligaments division and ligation and gentle downward dissection of vesical from myometrial tissues from lateral aspect toward trigone of the bladder. Outcomes included intraoperative and postoperative adverse events, hysterectomy rate, and postoperative hospitalization.

RESULTS

Mean operative blood loss was 1860 ± 537 mL (range, 1040-3111 mL) and the incidence of bladder and ureteric injuries were 6.3% (n = 4) and 0%, respectively. The mean length of hospital stay was 4.46 ± 1.39 days. Overall, 7 patients (11.1%) required postoperative blood transfusion, and 2 patients (3.2%) required ICU admission. Five patients required peripartum hysterectomy (7.9%).

CONCLUSION

Our conservative surgical approach is a safe alternative to peripartum hysterectomy with high uterine preservation rate, less intraoperative and postoperative morbidity and less need for blood transfusion in low resource settings.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT04161521.