Bilateral internal iliac (hypogastric) artery ligation to control obstetric and gynecologic hemorrhage: A ten-year review at the community hospital level

Abstract

Bilateral internal iliac artery ligation was used to control life-threatening hemorrhage on 4 occasions in 30,948 obstetric and gynecologic admissions to a community hospital. The 4 cases are briefly presented. A further review of the experience of 265 physicains in the Southern California area, practicing at the community level and limiting their practice to obstetrics and gynecology, revealed that only 17 had performed the procedure during the same 10 year period. Opinions expressed in the literature that internal iliac artery ligation should be electively performed for teaching purposes are questioned; alternatives to this are suggested.