[The ovary after ovariotexy]

After reviewing the technique of the operation the authors report on the results of 25 cases of ovariotexy. This procedure of surrounding and placing the ovary extraperitoneally has been practised with the idea of performing a reversible sterilisation. Only 2 pregnancies resulted. 18 cases were reviewed after a certain interval of time (a mean of 2 1/2 years). 5 cases of dysmenorrhoea and 2 cases of cystic changes in the ovaries occured. 6 patients who before ovariotexy had regular cycles and were free of all symptoms and of all neuro-psychiatric treatment retained their regular cycles, controlled biologically. 6 further patients who had regular cycles but had a neuro-psychiatric history were seen of whom 4 kept to more or less regular cycles. The 6 patients who had irregular cycles did not change their cycles, but one only, who was 39 years of age, clinically and biologically produced the menopausal syndrome. The reversibility of the procedure has not been tested. Ovariotexy is not without risks, but these seem to be lessened when the operation is carried out on ovaries that are anatomically and functionally normal.