CO2 laser laparoscopic salpingotomy for treatment of tubal ectopic pregnancies: potential limitations

Linear salpingotomy was performed on 16 patients using the CO2 laser laparoscopically directed. Median operating time was 60 minutes (range 40-100) and all patients were discharged on the first postoperative day. There were 4 patients in whom persistence of trophoblast activity was detected, 2 of whom were treated surgically and 2 by oral methotrexate therapy. Conservative techniques for the treatment of ectopic pregnancy have proliferated since 1953 being made possible because of the early presentation of patients and the more sensitive methods of intrauterine pregnancy detection. In the past decade laser technology has been added to the armamentarium of infertility surgeons and there have been 2 reports of its successful use in cases of ectopic pregnancy. The present study aimed to examine the application of this technique in our patient population and to investigate any associated problems.