TITLE:
Vacuum Delivery in a Tertiary Institution, in Northern Nigeria: A 5-Year Review
AUTHORS:
I. A. Yakasai, I. S. Abubakar, E. M. Yunus
KEYWORDS:
Vacuum, Maternal Complications, Fetal Outcome
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.5 No.4,
April
13,
2015
ABSTRACT: Background: There is a progressive
shift away from the use of forceps in favour of the vacuum extractor as the instrument
of choice for operative vaginal deliveries. The overall objective of this is to
improve safe motherhood by reducing the contribution of second stage of labour
complications to maternal mortality and morbidity. Objective: This study was
carried out to determine the incidence, indications, outcome and complications
of Ventouse delivery in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria. Materials
and Methods: This was a retrospective study carried out at the Aminu Kano
Teaching Hospital. The case notes of all parturients who had vacuum deliveries
in the hospital within January 2008 to December 2012 were retrieved from the
statistics unit of the hospital and analysed using SPSS. Results: 22,680
patients delivered in the hospital over this 5-year period. Ventouse was used
on 210 occasions giving an incidence rate of 0.9%. One hundred and eighty
(85.7%) had successful vacuum delivery. The failed extractions (14.3%) were
delivered by caesarean sections. The mean age of the patients was 29.4 years.
The mean parity was 2.2. Ninety (42.9%) were primipara while 120 (57.1%) were
multipara. The commonest indication for the vacuum delivery was prolonged
second stage of labour in 45.2% of cases. The commonest maternal complication
was primary postpartum haemorrhage (9.5%). Foetal complication occurred in
about 31% of vacuum deliveries, the commonest (18.1%), being cephalhaematoma.
Conclusion: The incidence rate of vacuum delivery is low. Thus, active training
in the art of vacuum assisted vaginal delivery is clearly needed during
residency.