EMERGENCY CERVICAL CERCLAGE - A RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW OF 51 CASES

Fifty-one patients underwent emergency cervical cerclage using Shirodkar or McDonald suture for incompetent cervix diagnosed during pregnancy. Fifteen patients had only sonographic evidence of cervical incompetence (group I). Eighteen patients had cervical dilation of less than 3 cm (group II), and 18 patients had cervical dilation of 3 cm or more (group III). Perinatal mortality was 0%, 50%, and 55.6%, respectively. The median length of time gained with the cerclage was 16 weeks in group I, 1.8 weeks in group II, and 1 week in group III. Twelve infants required prolonged stay in the neonatal intensive care nursery because of prematurity. Six of 30 surviving infants had some abnormal physical findings at the time of initial discharge from the nursery. Premature rupture of membranes was the most common perioperative and postoperative complication. Chorioamnionitis developed in 17 of the 51 cases. Maternal complications included cervicovaginal fistula, deep vein thrombophlebitis, and pulmonary edema.