Objective: To assess intravenous use of sulprostone (Nalador), a prostaglandin E2 analogue, is case of post-partum haemorrhage due to uterine atonia.
Materials and methods: A retrospective study on 315 cases of post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) from 1st January 1990 to 31st December 1992 in Baudelocque maternity. In 91 cases of PPH due to uterine atonia, usual oxytocin drugs were not sufficient and intravenous sulprostone was used. Characteristics of the patients, mode of sulprostone administration, side effects and treatment failures are reported.
Results: One or two dose of 500 micrograms were sufficient in 71% cases. Mean perfusion rate was 8.3 micrograms/mn. Success of treatment was 89% with few side effects (5.5%). No serious complication due to sulprostone was observed. Risk of treatment failure was 8.3 times greater when the delay between diagnosis of uterine atonia and sulprostone administration was more than 30 mn.
Conclusion: Prostaglandins treatment, and particularly sulprostone, could be used more frequently and earlier in case of PPH due to uterine atonia. Further controlled studies are necessary to know if they should be used as a first line treatment instead of oxytocin in this indication.