Anaes · Obstetric anaesthesia
Postpartum haemorrhage: uterotonic ladder, tranexamic acid, and massive obstetric haemorrhage
Also known as PPH anaesthesia · Massive obstetric haemorrhage · WOMAN trial TXA
Exam-exhaustive postpartum haemorrhage for fellowship: definitions and 4 Ts, uterotonic ladder with exact doses and contraindications, WOMAN trial tranexamic acid, fibrinogen-guided coagulation, cell salvage, massive obstetric haemorrhage protocol, placenta accreta spectrum, anaesthetic technique during surgical escalation, and SAQ/viva scaffolds.
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Target exams
Red flags
- Major obstetric haemorrhage from about 1.5 L — transfusion and shock-pack thinking starts here; massive is unit-defined ongoing bleeding with instability.
- TXA 1 g IV within 3 h (WOMAN) — do not omit.
- Fibrinogen falls early; treat low fibrinogen aggressively.
- Carboprost contraindicated in asthma.
- Hidden intra-abdominal bleeding after CS can present as shock with a contracted uterus.
Meet the patient
A 32-year-old para four woman delivers vaginally at 2am. The midwife calls you because the blood loss has passed a litre, the uterus is boggy, and the pressure is 84 over 50. She is pale, restless, and cold. Your registrar is reaching for the carboprost — but she is asthmatic, and that drug is bronchoconstrictive.[11]
Two questions decide the next twenty minutes of every PPH: what is bleeding, and is the team running the protocol yet? The four Ts answer the first; the named MOH activation answers the second. Hold those two and the ladder below slots into place.[12]
References16ShowHide
- [1]WOMAN Trial Collaborators Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum haemorrhage (WOMAN): an international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial Lancet, 2017.PMID 28456509
- [2]Mushambi MC, Kinsella SM, Popat M, et al. Obstetric Anaesthetists' Association and Difficult Airway Society guidelines for the management of difficult and failed tracheal intubation in obstetrics Anaesthesia, 2015.PMID 26449292
- [3]Frerk C, Mitchell VS, McNarry AF, et al. Difficult Airway Society 2015 guidelines for management of unanticipated difficult intubation in adults Br J Anaesth, 2015.PMID 26556848
- [4]Flick RP, Wilder RT, Pieper SF, et al. Risk factors for laryngospasm in children during general anesthesia Paediatr Anaesth, 2008.PMID 18315633
- [5]Mihara T, Uchimoto K, Morita S, Goto T The efficacy of lidocaine to prevent laryngospasm in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis Anaesthesia, 2014.PMID 24992191
- [6]Charbit B, et al. The decrease of fibrinogen is an early predictor of the severity of postpartum hemorrhage J Thromb Haemost, 2007.PMID 17087729
- [7]Dyer RA, et al. Oxytocin for labour and caesarean delivery: implications for the anaesthesiologist Curr Opin Anaesthesiol, 2011.PMID 21415725
- [8]Onwochei DN, et al. Uterotonics update Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol, 2024.PMID 39764811
- [9]Mousa HA, et al. Treatment for primary postpartum haemorrhage (Cochrane review) Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2003.PMID 12535465
- [10]Kirschen GW, et al. Eclampsia with RCVS: Postpartum seizure provoked by methergine Pregnancy Hypertens, 2022.PMID 35063759
- [11]Weir EK, et al. Bronchoconstriction and pulmonary hypertension during abortion induced by 15-methyl-prostaglandin F2alpha Am J Med, 1976.PMID 1274990
- [12]Günaydın B Management of Postpartum Haemorrhage Turk J Anaesthesiol Reanim, 2022.PMID 36511487
- [13]Dufour P, et al. The use of intravenous nitroglycerin for cervico-uterine relaxation: a review of the literature Arch Gynecol Obstet, 1997.PMID 9451516
- [14]Giancarelli A, et al. Hypocalcemia in trauma patients receiving massive transfusion J Surg Res, 2016.PMID 27083965
- [15]Durocher J, et al. High fever following postpartum administration of sublingual misoprostol BJOG, 2010.PMID 20406228
- [16]Pandit JJ, Andrade J, Bogod DG, et al. 5th National Audit Project (NAP5) on accidental awareness during general anaesthesia: summary of main findings and risk factors Br J Anaesth, 2014.PMID 25204697