[Emergency cerclage:10 years experience at the ABC Hospital]

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the success of emergency cerclage procedures and neonatal outcome at the ABC Hospital.

Material and methods: A retrospective analysis between January 1, 1991 and December 31, 2000 was carried out. Gestational age at the time of the procedure was recorded, as well as the average time in gestational weeks after the procedure, maternal complications and neonatal outcome.

Results: Seven patients were included with dilatation of the internal cervical of 3 cm o more and membranes protruding to the vagina in all cases. Patients with uterine activity, a cerclage procedure in a previous pregnancy, and corioamnioitis were excluded. The average gestational age for the procedure was 23.3 weeks. The average length of duration of the current pregnancy after the procedure was 5.4 weeks; with 58.3% of live newborns recorded.

Conclusions: The emergency cerclage procedure continues to be a heroic attempt to continue the pregnancy. By the results published in the literature, it can be stated that the prolongation of pregnancy is highly variable with neonatal survival rate between 12-73%.