"Suction Tube Uterine Tamponade" for treatment of refractory postpartum hemorrhage: Internal feasibility and acceptability pilot of a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To assess feasibility and acceptability of a novel, low-cost "Suction Tube Uterine Tamponade" (STUT) treatment for refractory postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).

Methods: We allocated patients with refractory PPH by randomly ordered envelopes to STUT or routine uterine balloon tamponade (UBT, Ellavi free-flow system) in 10 hospitals in South Africa. In the STUT group, a 24FG Levin stomach tube was inserted into the uterine cavity and vacuum created with a vacuum pump or manual vacuum aspiration syringe.