Cervical tourniquet in case of uncontrollable haemorrhage during caesarean section owing to a placenta accreta

This case report describes a 38-year-old woman in whom a primary caesarean section for placenta previa was complicated by postpartum haemorrhage due to a placenta accreta. Despite tamponade with a Bakri balloon and placement of a B-Lynch suture, the amount of blood loss could not be effectively reduced. The blood loss was eventually minimised by the placement of a Penrose drain around the cervix as a cervical tourniquet. We think that a cervical tourniquet is an effective method of stopping haemorrhage during caesarean section, as shown in this case report, and we consider this technique to be a valuable addition to several existing methods through which fertility is preserved by preventing emergency hysterectomy.