Management of postpartum hemorrhage with intrauterine balloon tamponade using a condom catheter in an Egyptian setting

Objective: To evaluate uterine balloon tamponade using a condom catheter for the management of early postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Methods: In a prospective observational study at Menoufia University Hospital, Shebin Elkom, Egypt, women with early PPH were enrolled between May 2011 and September 2012. Uterine balloon tamponade with a condom catheter was applied in women who were unresponsive to uterotonics and bimanual compression; patients with successful catheter placement were included in analyses. The primary outcome was successful control (reduction or cessation) of bleeding. Results: A condom catheter was successfully placed for 50 of the 151 women enrolled. The overall success rate of the procedure was 96% (48/50). The condom catheter was successful in all 28 cases of atonic PPH after vaginal or cesarean delivery. It successfully controlled PPH due placental site bleeding in 20 (91%) of 22 patients with placenta previa and a well-contracted uterus. Conclusion: Condom balloon catheter was found to effectively control PPH. The procedure is simple, inexpensive, and safe, and can preserve reproductive capacity, as well as saving the life of the mother. (C) 2016 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.