Massive hemorrhage during abdominal total hysterectomy in a patient with placenta percreta

A 33-year-old pregnant woman, who had undergone three previous cesarean sections and suspected of having placenta accrete, was scheduled for artificial abortion and abdominal total hysterectomy at 15 weeks gestation because of a probable high mortality rate. The general anesthesia was induced using fentanyl, propofol, and vecuronium and maintained with sevoflurane, fentanyl, and vecuronium, in combination with epidural anesthesia using ropivacaine. During the operation, we found that the placenta had penetrated into the posterior abdominal peritoneum and bladder wall. Sudden, massive hemorrhage was encountered when attempting to separate the placenta percreta. The massive hemorrhage, up to 11,054 ml, was controlled by transfusion, infusion, and temporary clamping of the bilateral common iliac arteries. Rapid infuser LEVEL1® and autologous blood recovery systems Electa® were also used. After the surgery, the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit intubated and was discharged on the 16th posteroperative day without any complications. Anesthesiologists should be prepared for massive hemorrhage in cases of abdominal total hysterectomy with suspected placenta percreta.