Radiology, Vol 188, 533-536, Copyright © 1993 by Radiological Society of North America
Complications of cesarean section: role of transperineal US
BS Hertzberg, JD Bowie and MA Kliewer
Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710.
The pelvic area was prospectively examined with transabdominal and
transperineal ultrasonography (US) in 22 patients referred for US
evaluation for possible complications of cesarean section. The region of
the uterine wound was seen with transabdominal US in all patients and with
transperineal US in 20. The two in whom transperineal US did not reveal the
lower uterus had undergone scanning with their bladders empty. Bladder flap
hematomas were revealed with transabdominal US in 10 patients and with
transperineal US in nine. Transabdominal and transperineal diagnoses
regarding bladder flap hematoma were in agreement in all 19 patients who
underwent transperineal US with a distended urinary bladder. With the
transabdominal approach, subfascial hematomas were seen in nine patients,
but none were revealed with the transperineal technique. In one patient, a
hematoma in the space of Retzius was seen only with transperineal US. These
findings indicate that transperineal US can complement transabdominal US in
evaluation for complications of cesarean section.
