A case is described of profuse uterine bleeding with a dislodged Multiload Cu 250 intrauterine device (IUD). Multiple blood transfusions were necessary, and ultimately, an emergency hysterectomy was performed.
Bilateral ligation of the internal iliac artery with or without ligation of the ovarian arteries was carried out in 17 patients who had life-threatening pelvic haemorrhage; 14 were due to obstetric haemorrhage, 2 followed abdominal hysterectomy and 1 intractable haemorrhage associated with carcinoma of the cervix. The procedure was successful in arresting the haemorrhage in 13 patients but 4 needed hysterectomy in spite of the ligation; 1 patient died from disseminated intravascular coagulation following surgery and 1 had cardiac arrest due to extensive blood loss during surgery and died 12 hours later. A review of the literature, a brief description of the procedure and its indications are discussed.