Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-55f67697df-2mk96 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-05-09T02:10:08.823Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Case 54 - A 25-Year-Old at 40 Weeks’ Gestation with Broad Ligament Extension during Cesarean Delivery

from Section 6 - Intrapartum/Delivery

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2025

Peter F. Schnatz
Affiliation:
The Reading Hospital, Pennsylvania
D. Yvette LaCoursiere
Affiliation:
University of California, San Diego
Christopher M. Morosky
Affiliation:
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Jonathan Schaffir
Affiliation:
The Ohio State University College of Medicine
Vanessa Torbenson
Affiliation:
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
David Chelmow
Affiliation:
Virginia Commonwealth School of Medicine
Get access

Summary

Uterine extensions occur in <10% of cesarean deliveries, with extensions into the broad ligament being the least common. The highest rate of extensions at the time of a cesarean delivery are during the second stage of labor, ranging from 14 to 26%. If pushing lasts for >4 hours, that rate increases to 40%. These patients have a higher rate of postpartum hemorrhage, but there are no other risk factors clearly identified in the literature. Therefore, prevention of extensions is critical. This can be accomplished with a uterine incision that is expanded with a blunt, cephalad-caudad technique, as well as by using several evidence-based methods as detailed in Case 53. Visualization is key during management, and for this you may need additional help. Small, stable broad ligament hematomas can be monitored, whereas an expanding hematoma is an obstetric emergency, requiring pressure or rapid surgical management. If a hematoma expands despite an O’Leary stitch and uterotonics, IR consultation for embolization is a first-line intervention. If unavailable, it may be necessary to evacuate the hematoma and attempt to isolate the bleeding vessels for ligation. If the patient is unstable or the hematoma continues to expand, consider internal iliac artery/hypogastric artery ligation and/or hysterectomy. Finally, cystoscopy is necessary if the extension is near the ureter or the bladder.

Type
Chapter
Information
Pregnancy Complications
A Case-Based Approach
, pp. 165 - 167
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Bligard, KH, Durst, JK, Stout, MJ, et al. Risk Factors and Maternal Morbidity Associated with Unintentional Hysterotomy Extension at the Time of Cesarean Delivery. Am J Perinatol. 2019;36:10541059.Google ScholarPubMed
de la Torre, L, González-Quintero, VH, Mayor-Lynn, K, et al. Significance of Accidental Extensions in the Lower Uterine Segment during Cesarean Delivery. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2006;194:46.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sung, JF, Daniels, KI, Brodzinsky, L, et al. Cesarean Delivery Outcomes after a Prolonged Second Stage of Labor. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2007;197:e15.Google ScholarPubMed
Patel, SS, Koelper, NC, Srinivas, SK, et al. Adverse Maternal Outcomes Associated with Uterine Extensions at the Time of Cesarean Delivery. Am J Perinatol. 2019;36:785789.Google ScholarPubMed
Saad, AF, Rahman, M, Costantine, MM, Saade, GR. Blunt versus Sharp Uterine Incision Expansion during Low Transverse Cesarean Delivery: A Meta-analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2014;6:e1e11.Google Scholar
Pergialiotis, V, Mitsopoulou, D, Biliou, E, et al. Cephalad-Caudad versus Transverse Blunt Expansion of the Low Transverse Hysterotomy during Cesarean Delivery Decreases Maternal Morbidity: A Meta-analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021;225:e1e13.Google ScholarPubMed
Management of Obstetrical Hemorrhage. In: Cunningham, F, Leveno, KJ, Dashe, JS, et al. (eds). Williams Obstetrics, 26th ed. New York: McGraw Hill; 2022.Google Scholar
Broad Ligament Haematoma. In: Sharma, A (ed.). Labour Room Emergencies. New York: Springer; 2020. 395402.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wendel, PJ. Management of Broad Ligament Extension and Hematoma during a Cesarean Delivery. SASGOG Pearls of Exxcellence. https://exxcellence.org/list-of-pearls/management-of-broad-ligament-extension-and-hematoma-during-a-cesarean-delivery/ (accessed October 13, 2024).Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×