Retained Placental Fragments After Delivery
A fragment of placenta can remain adherent to the uterine wall after birth, shown here as a real 3D uterine cavity you can orbit and cut away.
- ~2%: Occurrence rate (of vaginal deliveries)
- <30 min: Normal 3rd stage (placental delivery window)
- Uterine: Cavity involved (wall attachment site)
- Exam + US: Detection method (visual and ultrasound check)
How fragments stay behind
Incomplete separation leaves fragment tissue attached to the uterine wall, visible here as glowing amber blobs inside the cavity.
The Thirty-Minute Delivery Time Threshold
Placenta undelivered past thirty minutes is classified as retained — tracked in 3D by the amber/red progress ring above the uterus.
- 30 min: Threshold (active management guideline)
- With time: Risk rises (longer retention, more risk)
- Continuous: Monitoring (vitals and bleeding watch)
- Escalate: Action point (call for intervention team)
Why timing matters
Delay past thirty minutes raises hemorrhage probability sharply, the same risk formula as the 2D version driving both scenes.
Continued Bleeding and Infection Risk
Retained tissue blocks contraction, causing ongoing blood loss and infection, rendered as falling red particles inside the cavity.
- Hemorrhage: Main risk (postpartum blood loss)
- Infection: Secondary risk (endometritis from retained tissue)
- Reduced: Uterine tone (atony from incomplete emptying)
- Rising: Urgency (with time and blood loss)
Bleeding mechanism
The fragment prevents full contraction, vessels stay open and bleed into the cavity.
Manual or Instrumental Removal Procedure
Clinician removes retained tissue manually or with instruments under anesthesia — a probe sweeps through the 3D cavity, shrinking the fragment.
- Manual / D&C: Method (hand or curettage removal)
- OR / bedside: Setting (depends on severity)
- Often used: Anesthesia (for pain control)
- Full evacuation: Goal (empty uterine cavity)
Removal technique
A gentle sweep or curettage clears remaining placental fragments from the cavity wall.
Ultrasound Confirmation of Complete Evacuation
Ultrasound scan confirms the uterine cavity is fully cleared, shown as a sweeping green scan plane through the empty 3D cavity.
- Ultrasound: Confirmation tool (post-procedure imaging)
- Empty cavity: Target (no residual tissue seen)
- Vitals check: Follow-up (monitor bleeding trend)
- Resolved: Outcome (complication addressed)
Confirming success
A clean scan sweep confirms no fragments remain in the cavity.
Successful evacuation lowers bleeding and infection risk quickly — the same underlying risk model as the 2D simulator, in genuine 3D space.