Abstract

PIP: Experience with laparoscopic tubal sterilization by electrocoagulation alone or in addition to induced abortion in 300 patients is reported. Abortion was performed in 150 patients, either by vacuum aspiration (98%) or by intravenous infusion of prostaglandin F2alpha. Operation time for tubal ligation alone averaged about 40 minutes; for tubal sterilization and abortion, about 50 minutes. Patients undergoing sterilization alone could be released from the hospital after 1-2 days while abortion patients were hospitalized longer. In 16 cases other operations were also performed on the basis of laparoscopic findings. Complications included hemorrhage (6 cases) and possible pulmonary embolism (1 case). Pregnancy occurred in 1 patient about 5 months after operation and was apparently due to operator error, since no evidence of scar tissue could be found on the intact left tube.