Urgent care in gynaecology: Resuscitation and management of sepsis and acute blood loss

Sepsis and/or acute blood loss can be encoutered as an emergency condition in gynaecology, especially in women with ectopic pregnancy/miscarriage, acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)/tuboovarian abscesses, post-puerperal sepsis/haemorrhage and even in postoperative scenarios. If underestimated or suboptimally treated, both can lead to an inadequate tissue perfusion (defined as shock) and the development of multi-organ failure. Morbidity and mortality after development of one of the shock syndromes (septic or haemorrhagic) correlates directly with the duration and severity of the malperfusion. The patient's prognosis depends on a prompt diagnosis of the presence of shock and immediate resuscitation to predefined physiological end-points, often before the cause of the shock has been identified.In septic shock, hypotension is primarily treated with fluid administration and eventually vasopressors, if required, in order to improve the circulation. Timely administration of antibiotics, control of infectious foci, appropriate use of corticoids and recombinant human activated protein C, tight glucose control, prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis and stress ulcer prevention complete the therapy of septic shock.In haemorrhagic shock, the treatment primarily involves controlling haemorrhage, reversal of possible coagulopathy and administration of sufficient volumes of fluids and blood products to restore normal tissue perfusion.