Emergency hysterectomy in a tertiary care hospital: indications, surgical outcomes and challenges: a 2-year retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION: emergency hysterectomy (EH) remains a life-saving procedure in cases of life-threatening obstetric hemorrhage and other gynaecological emergencies. We aim to determine the indications, surgical outcomes and challenges of EH in our tertiary centre. METHODS: an ethically approved retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study on all EHs performed at a tertiary hospital during the period of 1(st) January 2018 to 31(st) December 2019 was conducted. Medical records of eligible patients were retrieved, reviewed and analysed using frequencies and percentages and then summarized in tables. RESULTS: there were 146 EHs over the two year period. The age of participants ranged from 19 to 59 years, with a mean of 34.3 years (SD = 6.06). SD: standard deviation.The main indication for EH was primary postpartum haemorrhage (PPH): 73.28% (n = 110/146). The other indications were uterine perforation with necrosis: 8.9% (n = 13/146), secondary postpartum haemorrhage: 4.8% (n = 7/146), choriocarcinoma and pelvic abscess: 2.74% (n = 4/146) each and broad ligament haematoma: 2.06% (n = 3/146). There were 3.42% (n = 5/146) which were classified as ‘others **’: two cases of ovarian cyst torsion; one case of placental site tumour; one case of incomplete septic abortion; one case of bulky multinodular fibroid uterus with severe unremitting lower abdominal pain.The most common indication for the subgroup of hysterectomy due to PPH was uterine atony 54.20% (n = 60/110), followed by ruptured uterus20.56% (n = 23/110) and then, morbidly adherent placenta 14.95% (n = 16/110). Placenta accreta constituted 62.5% (n = 10/16) of the morbidly adherent placenta.There were 91.78% (n=134/146) total abdominal hysterectomies and 8.22% (n = 12/146) subtotalhysterectomies. About eighty percent 79.45% (n = 116/146) of the surgeries required general anaesthesia, 15.07% (n = 22/146) required regional anaesthesia whilst 5.48% (n = 8/146) were started as regional anaesthesia but were converted to general anaesthesia.There were no associated intraoperative complications in 96.60% (141/146) of the cases. The most frequent intraoperative complications included bowel injury 2.04% (3/146), bladder injury 0.68% (1/146) and maternal death 0.68% (1/146).Twoof the three bowel injuries required bowel resection and anastomosis. Most of the surgeries 89.73% (n = 131/146) were performed by skilled doctors above the level of a Specialist. Major challenges faced include delayed referral of patients to the tertiary centre for prompt management and lack of quick access to blood products. CONCLUSION: emergency hysterectomy is performed in women who are relatively young with primary postpartum haemorrhage as the commonest indication but there are other non-obstetric indications for this emergency surgery. Though a challenging procedure, it is safe in the hands of a skilled surgical team.