Use of balloon tamponade in management of severe vaginal postpartum hemorrhage and vaginal hematoma: a case series.

Severe vaginal lacerations and hematomas can be serious, life-threatening complications of vaginal delivery. The management is usually limited to suturing and vaginal packing with gauze. After a vaginal delivery vaginal tissues can be edematous, friable and very difficult to suture. Vaginal balloon tamponade can be a solution in difficult cases of intractable vaginal hemorrhage or occult vaginal bleeding causing vaginal hematoma. We describe the use of a new balloon device for vaginal hemostasis in 4 cases to treat bleeding and prevent hematoma formation from postpartum vaginal lacerations. According to our experience, the use of this balloon tamponade system in treating severe vaginal postpartum hemorrhage seems to be safe, effective and well tolerated by the patients.