Purpose To evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic balloon occlusion of the infrarenal abdominal aorta among women with pernicious placenta previa and placenta accreta.
Methods This retrospective study included 110 patients with pernicious placenta previa and placenta accreta. The control group consisted of 55 patients who underwent cesarean section alone, and the study group included 55 patients who underwent precesarean prophylactic balloon occlusion of the infrarenal abdominal aorta. In addition, both of the groups were further divided according to FIGO clinical grading standards. Prevention of hysterectomy was the primary outcome evaluated. The secondary outcomes included operative duration, estimated blood loss, blood transfusion, intensive care unit admission, total hospital stay (days), and puerperal morbidity, and these data were compared between the two groups. Additionally, the neonatal outcomes were compared.
Results There were no significant differences in maternal and neonatal outcomes in the PAS 2 and PAS 3 groups (P > 0.05). However, in the PAS 4 and PAS 5 groups, the amount of bleeding in the study group was significantly less than that in the control group (3533.3 ± 2391.4 vs 4293.6 ± 1235.4, P < 0.05), and the total hysterectomy rate was also lower (7.8% vs 13.2%, P < 0.05).
Conclusion Precesarean infrarenal abdominal aortic balloon occlusion is an effective and safe option for treating pernicious placenta previa and placenta accreta and can effectively reduce the risk of hysterectomy and intraoperative blood loss in women with PAS grade 4-5.