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.