Perimortem cesarean section after severe injury: what you need to know [review] Review uri icon
Overview
abstract
  • When pregnant patients are involved in traumatic incidents, the trauma clinician encounters two patients-both the mother and the unborn child. Advanced trauma life support dictates that the first priority is the life of the mother; however, there are rare situations where to provide the greatest chance of survival for both the mother and baby, an emergency cesarean section (perimortem cesarean delivery [PMCD]) must be performed. The decision to perform this procedure must occur quickly, and the reality is that a board-certified obstetrician is rarely present, particularly in rural areas. In this review, we provide a rationale for why trauma clinicians should be conversant with PMCDs, present the specific time limitations for performing a PMCD, and discuss the technique to perform a successful PMCD that makes it distinctly different from an elective cesarean delivery. Finally, we will discuss some things that a trauma program can do proactively in an obstetrical resource-poor area of the country to prepare for the rare instances where these procedures are necessary.

  • Link to Article
    publication date
  • 2024
  • Research
    keywords
  • Critical Care
  • Delivery, Obstetric
  • Injuries
  • Pregnancy
  • Surgery
  • Additional Document Info
    volume
  • 97
  • issue
  • 5