Reggio Emilia, Italy – In a medical first for the Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova in Reggio Emilia, a multidisciplinary team successfully performed a novel surgical intervention on a patient with placenta accreta, a rare and potentially life-threatening pregnancy complication. The procedure, completed in recent days, involved both the mother and newborn and both are currently in stable condition.
Placenta accreta occurs when the placenta abnormally implants into the uterine wall, making it difficult to deliver and increasing the risk of severe hemorrhage. This innovative approach to managing the condition is particularly significant, as it offers a potentially safer option for patients facing this complex obstetric challenge.
The surgical team, comprised of specialists in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Interventional Radiology, and Anesthesia and Resuscitation, utilized a technique involving prophylactic balloon embolization. This involves temporarily blocking blood vessels connected to the uterus to control bleeding during the procedure. “The risk in these cases is primarily of a hemorrhagic nature and is kept under control during the procedure thanks to the insertion of a balloon that temporarily closes the blood vessels connected to the uterus,” hospital officials explained.
According to hospital leadership, the success of the operation highlights the effectiveness of an integrated approach, bringing together diverse expertise to provide increasingly safe and personalized care for mothers and their babies. “We have long embarked on a path of innovation in the management of high-risk and highly complex pregnancies, as well as in conservative gynecology,” stated Lorenzo Aguzzoli, Director of the Gynecology and Obstetrics Structure. “These results are possible thanks to advanced techniques and integrated strategies, supported by clinical, technological and multidisciplinary innovation.”
Davide Fornaciari, the hospital’s General Director, added, “This result is the result of careful preparation and a high level of integration between skills. The professionalism and dedication of doctors, nurses, midwives, technicians and coordinators have paved the way for a complex procedure, a step forward in protecting maternal health.”
The hospital also noted the work of the RE-UNIT – Reggio Emilia Uterine Non Invasive Treatments group, a multidisciplinary project dedicated to developing and applying minimally invasive and non-invasive uterine treatments.
