Postcesarean wound infection: prevalence, impact, prevention, and management challenges Sivan Zuarez-Easton,1 Noah Zafran,1,2 Gali Garmi,1,2 Raed Salim1,2 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Emek Medical Center, Afula, 2Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common complications following cesarean section, and has an incidence of 3%–15%. It places physical and emotional burdens on the mother herself and a significant financial burden on the health care system. Moreover, SSI is associated with a maternal mortality rate of up to 3%. With the global increase in cesarean section rate, it is expected that the occurrence of SSI will increase in parallel, hence its clinical significance. Given its substantial implications, recognizing the consequences and developing strategies to diagnose, prevent, and treat SSI are essential for reducing postcesarean morbidity and mortality. Optimization of maternal comorbidities, appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis, and evidence-based surgical techniques are some of the practices proven to be effective in reducing the incidence of SSI. In this review, we describe the biological mechanism of SSI and risk factors for its occurrence and summarize recent key clinical trials investigating preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative practices to reduce SSI incidence. It is prudent that the surgical team who perform cesarean sections be familiar with these practices and apply them as needed to minimize maternal morbidity and mortality related to SSI. Keywords: cesarean section, management, surgical site infection

Placenta accreta is a severe pregnancy complication and is currently the most common indication for peripartum hysterectomy. It is becoming an increasingly common complication mainly due to the increasing rate of cesarean delivery. Main risk factor for placenta accreta is a previous cesarean delivery particularly when accompanied with a coexisting placenta previa. Antenatal diagnosis seems to be a key factor in optimizing maternal outcome. Diagnosis can be achieved by ultrasound in the majority of cases. Women with placenta accreta are usually delivered by a cesarean section. In order to avoid an emergency cesarean and to minimize complications of prematurity it is acceptable to schedule cesarean at 34 to 35 weeks. A multidisciplinary team approach and delivery at a center with adequate resources, including those for massive transfusion are both essential to reduce neonatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. The optimal management after delivery of the neonate is vague since randomized controlled trials and large cohort studies are lacking. Cesarean hysterectomy is probably the preferable treatment. In carefully selected cases, when fertility is desired, conservative management may be considered with caution. The current review discusses the epidemiology, predisposing factors, pathogenesis, diagnostic methods, clinical implications and management options of this condition.

To compare the tocolytic efficacy and tolerability of nifedipine with that of atosiban among pregnant women with preterm labor. Pregnant women admitted with preterm labor and intact membranes between 24 and 33 weeks 6 days of gestation, between January 2008 and December 2011, were randomly assigned to either atosiban or nifedipine treatment. Assigned treatment was planned for up to 48 hours. If progress was determined after 1 hour or more, a crossover of the study drugs was performed. The primary outcome was to estimate the tocolytic efficacy and tolerability profile that was assessed in terms of the proportion of women who were not delivered and did not require an alternate tocolytic agent within 48 hours. Secondary outcomes were gestational age at delivery and neonatal morbidity. Seventy-five women in the nifedipine group and 70 in the atosiban group were included and analyzed. Baseline demographic and obstetric characteristics were comparable. Forty-eight (68.6%) women allocated to atosiban and 39 (52%) to nifedipine did not deliver and did not require an alternate agent at 48 hours respectively (P=.03). At 7 days from enrollment, 55 (78.6%) women allocated to atosiban and 67 (89.3%) to nifedipine remained undelivered with or without a rescue agent (P=.02). Mean gestational age at delivery was 35.2 (±3.0) and 36.4 (±2.8) weeks among the atosiban and nifedipine groups, respectively (P=.01). Mean birth weight and neonatal morbidity were comparable. Atosiban has fewer failures within 48 hours. Nifedipine may be associated with a longer postponement of delivery. ClinicalTrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00599898.

Background: A prolonged latent phase is independently associated with an increased incidence of subsequent labor abnormalities. We aimed to compare between oxytocin augmentation, amniotomy and a combination of both on the duration of labor among women with a prolonged latent phase. Methods: Women with a singleton fetus in cephalic presentation who have a prolonged latent phase, were randomly allocated to amniotomy (group 1), oxytocin (group 2) or both (group 3). A group of women who progressed spontaneously without intervention composed the control group (group 4). The primary outcome was the duration of time from initiation of augmentation until delivery. Results: A total of 213 women were consented and randomized to group 1 (70 women), group 2 (72 women) and group 3 (71 women). Group 4 was composed from additional 70 women. A mean reduction of 120 minutes in labor duration was observed among group 3 compared to group 1 (p = 0.08) and 180 minutes compared to group 2 and 4 (p = 0.001). Women in group 3 had a shorter length of time from augmentation until the beginning of the active phase and a shorter first stage of labor than group 1 (p = 0.03), group 2 (p = 0.001) and group 4 (p = 0.001). Satisfaction was greater among group 3 and 4. Mode of delivery and neonatal outcome were comparable between the groups. Conclusion: Labor augmentation by combined amniotomy and oxytocin among women with a prolonged latent phase at term seems superior compared to either of them alone.