Uterine and ovary blood flow after uterine desarterialization

Background: The aim of this article is to compare the effect of uterine desarterialization (UD) and hypogastric arteries ligature (HAL) in uterine and ovarian blood flow indirectly measured with the pulsatility index (PI).

Methods: Women in which UD or HAL was carried out for obstetric hemorrhage control were studied. Control group were puerperal women in which no UD or HAL was carried out. In all them uterine and ovarian blood flow was evaluated with the PI measured with Doppler ultrasound at 48 hours, 15 days and at 6 weeks after the procedure. Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison between the groups and Wilcoxon test for comparisons inside each group.

Results: Thirteen patients with UD, 11 with HAL and 10 without any procedure were studied. Uterine arteries PI, was significantly greater at 48 hr and at 15 days in the UD group and at 48 hr, 15 days and 6 weeks in the HAL group when compared with the control group. No differences were found in PI between UD and HAL groups. Ovarian PI was significantly greater in the groups with UD and HAL when compared with the control group at 48 hr, 15 days and 6 weeks, and lower in UD group when compared with HAL groups at 15 days and six weeks.

Conclusions: Both procedures showed significant decrease in the uterine blood flow, but the ovarian flow was more restricted with HAL.