Brett D. Einerson

Does a postpartum hemorrhage patient safety program result in sustained changes in management and outcomes

We sought to determine whether the introduction of a postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) safety program was associated with changes in clinical practice and outcomes, and to examine whether these changes were sustained over time. In August 2008, a multidisciplinary PPH patient safety program was implemented at our single tertiary care hospital. We performed a cohort study of all women with PPH from August 2007 through December 2011. Changes in clinical practice and outcomes were compared before and after the intervention. Shewhart charts were used to examine sustainability of these changes over time. During the study period 52,819 women delivered, and 3105 (5.9%) experienced PPH. After the introduction of the program there was a significant increase in the use of uterotonic medications (P < .001), intrauterine balloon tamponade (P = .002), B-Lynch suture placement (P = .042), uterine artery embolization (P = .050), and cryoprecipitate use (P = .0222). Concomitantly, the number of days between admissions to the intensive care unit for PPH increased.

New gestational weight gain guidelines: an observational study of pregnancy outcomes in obese women.

In 2009, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) revised their pregnancy weight gain guidelines, recommending gestational weight gain of 11–20 pounds for women with prepregnancy BMI >30 kg/m2. We investigated the potential influence of the new guidelines on perinatal outcomes using a retrospective analysis (n = 691), comparing obese women who gained weight during pregnancy according to the new guidelines to those who gained weight according to traditional recommendations (25–35 pounds). We found no statistical difference between the two weight gain groups in infant birth weight, cesarean delivery rate, pregnancy‐related hypertension, low birth weight infants, macrosomia, neonatal intensive care unit admissions, or total nursery days. Despite showing no evidence of other benefits, our data suggest that obese women who gain weight according to new IOM guidelines are no more likely to have low birth weight infants. In the absence of national consensus on appropriate gestational weight gain guidelines, our data provide useful data for clinicians when providing evidence‐based weight gain goals for their obese patients.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Morcellation Hysterectomy for Myomas

STUDY OBJECTIVE To estimate the cost-effectiveness of eliminating morcellation in the surgical treatment of leiomyomas from a societal perspective. DESIGN Cost-effectiveness analysis. DESIGN CLASSIFICATION Not applicable. SETTING A theoretical cohort of women undergoing hysterectomy for myoma disease large enough to require morcellation. PATIENTS None. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS A decision analysis model was constructed using probabilities, costs, and utility data from published sources. A cost-effectiveness analysis analyzing both quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and cases of disseminated cancer was performed to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of eliminating morcellation as a tool in the surgical treatment of leiomyomas. Costs and utilities were discounted using standard methodology. The base case included health care system costs and costs incurred by the patient for surgery-related disability. One-way sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the effect of various assumptions. MAIN RESULTS The cost to prevent 1 case of disseminated cancer was

The association between intrauterine balloon tamponade duration and postpartum hemorrhage outcomes

10 540 832. A strategy of nonmorcellation hysterectomy via laparotomy costed more (

Placenta previa and maternal hemorrhagic morbidity

30 359.92 vs

Is There an Association Between Indication for Intrauterine Balloon Tamponade and Balloon Failure

20 853.15) and yielded more QALYs (21.284 vs 21.280) relative to morcellation hysterectomy. The ICER for nonmorcellation hysterectomy compared with morcellation hysterectomy was

A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Morcellation Hysterectomy for Fibroids.

2 184 172 per QALY. Health care costs (prolonged hospitalizations) and costs to patients of prolonged time away from work were the primary drivers of cost differential between the 2 strategies. Even when the incidence of occult sarcoma in leiomyoma surgery was ranged to twice that reported in the literature (.98%), the ICER for nonmorcellation hysterectomy was

Magnetic resonance imaging is often misleading when used as an adjunct to ultrasound in the management of placenta accreta spectrum disorders

644 393.30. CONCLUSIONS Eliminating morcellation hysterectomy as a treatment for myomas is not cost-effective under a wide variety of probability and cost assumptions. Performing laparotomy for all patients who might otherwise be candidates for morcellation hysterectomy is a costly policy from a societal perspective.

Hyperglycosylated hCG and Placenta Accreta Spectrum

Background: Intrauterine balloon tamponade is an effective treatment for postpartum hemorrhage when first‐line treatments fail. The optimal duration of intrauterine balloon tamponade for management of postpartum hemorrhage is unclear. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine whether intrauterine balloon tamponade removal >12 hours of duration is associated with postpartum hemorrhage–related clinical outcomes. Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study of women with postpartum hemorrhage from 2007 through 2014 who underwent intrauterine balloon tamponade. We excluded failures of intrauterine balloon tamponade (intrauterine balloon expulsion with duration <2 hours or if hysterectomy was required prior to planned intrauterine balloon removal). Patients who underwent intrauterine balloon tamponade for 2–12 hours were compared with those who underwent intrauterine balloon tamponade for >12 hours. Examined postpartum hemorrhage–related clinical outcomes included estimated blood loss after intrauterine balloon tamponade placement, blood product transfusion, use of adjuvant measures to control postpartum hemorrhage after intrauterine balloon tamponade (either uterine artery embolization or hysterectomy), and maternal intensive care unit admission. Secondary outcomes examined included postpartum fever and hospital length of stay. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to control for confounding variables. Results: Of 274 eligible women, 206 (75%) underwent intrauterine balloon tamponade for >12 hours and 68 (25%) underwent intrauterine balloon tamponade for 2–12 hours. The median estimated blood loss after intrauterine balloon tamponade placement (190 vs 143 mL, P = .116) as well as the frequencies of blood product transfusion (62.1% vs 51.5%, P = .120), transfusion of ≥4 U of packed red blood cells (17.0% vs 14.7%, P = .659), uterine artery embolization (15.1% vs 16.2%, P = .823), hysterectomy (0.0% vs 1.5%, P = .248), and intensive care unit admission (8.7% vs 7.4%, P = .721), was not statistically different between the groups, and this lack of association persisted in multivariable regressions. Intrauterine balloon tamponade duration >12 hours was associated with a higher frequency of postpartum fever (27% vs 15%, P = .047) and a longer mean hospital length of stay (3.7 vs 3.1 days, P = .002). After adjusting for variables that differed statistically between groups, the difference in length of stay associated with intrauterine balloon tamponade duration was no longer present, but the association between intrauterine balloon tamponade duration >12 hours and postpartum fever persisted (odds ratio, 2.33, 95% confidence interval, 1.07–5.11). Including chorioamnionitis as an independent variable in a post hoc multivariable analysis diminished the association between intrauterine balloon tamponade >12 hours and postpartum fever (adjusted odds ratio, 2.04, 95% confidence interval, 0.92–4.53). Conclusion: There are no significant differences in postpartum hemorrhage–related outcomes associated with intrauterine balloon tamponade duration >12 hours compared with removal 2–12 hours. If ongoing hemorrhage has abated, it is reasonable to consider the removal of an intrauterine balloon by 12 hours after its initial placement.

Transfusion Preparedness Strategies for Obstetric Hemorrhage: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Abstract Objective: Placenta previa is associated with maternal hemorrhage, but most literature focuses on morbidity in the setting of placenta accreta. We aim to characterize maternal morbidity associated with previa and to define risk factors for hemorrhage. Methods: This is a secondary cohort analysis of the NICHD Maternal–Fetal Medicine Units Network Cesarean Section Registry. This analysis included all women undergoing primary Cesarean delivery without placenta accreta. About 496 women with previa were compared with 24,201 women without previa. Primary outcome was composite maternal hemorrhagic morbidity. Non-hemorrhagic morbidities and risk factors for hemorrhage were also evaluated. Results: Maternal hemorrhagic morbidity was more common in women with previa (19 versus 7%, aRR 2.6, 95% CI 1.9–3.5). Atony requiring uterotonics (aRR 3.1, 95% CI 2.0–4.9), red blood cell transfusion (aRR 3.8, 95% CI 2.5–5.7), and hysterectomy (aRR 5.1, 95% CI 1.5–17.3) were also more common with previa. For women with previa, factors associated with maternal hemorrhage were pre-delivery anemia, thrombocytopenia, diabetes, magnesium use, and general anesthesia. Conclusion: Placenta previa is an independent risk factor for maternal hemorrhagic morbidity. Some risk factors are modifiable, but many are intrinsic to the clinical scenario.