The use of the condom-catheter for the treatment of postpartum haemorrhage - the Sokoto experience

Abstract

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the most common cause of maternal mortality globally. In about 50% of cases PPH is due to uterine atony. When conservative and medical methods of treating PPH due to uterine atony fail, surgical intervention is required to save the woman's life. As an alternative in such cases, intrauterine tamponade has been used successfully to stop bleeding, thus avoiding surgery. We report four cases of PPH due to uterine atony in which intrauterine tamponade with an inflated condom was effective in arresting haemorrhage. We advocate the use of a similar device in carefully selected cases, especially in low-resource settings.