Outpatient laparoscopic sterilization with therapeutic abortion versus abortion alone

Records of 108 patients undergoing combined vacuum aspiration and laparoscopic sterilization in an outpatient surgical program were reviewed and compared with those of 195 patients who underwent abortion only in the same outpatient program. Mean operating time for the combined procedure was 30 minutes; total mean hospitalization time was 5 hours and 7 minutes. Complication rates for the combined procedure and for abortion alone were 9.2 and 7.2 per cent, respectively. Subsequent hospitalization was necessary for 4.7 per cent of patients undergoing the combined procedure and 3.1 per cent of those having abortion only. Laparoscopic sterilization has been found to add no significant morbidity but has markedly reduced cost and hospitalization for the patient desiring permanent contraception following first trimester abortion.