American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists 1988 Membership Survey on Laparoscopic Sterilization

The 1988 Membership Survey of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL) indicated that the membership continues to perform fewer sterilizations than previously reported. The respondents reported performing 30,480 sterilizations, 41,160 diagnostic laparoscopies and 13,920 hysteroscopies. The distribution of laparoscopic sterilizations by method of tubal occlusion has not changed appreciably since 1985. Complications from diagnostic laparoscopy are consistently higher than those after sterilization; two deaths (4.8 deaths per 100,000 procedures) were identified after diagnostic laparoscopy and no deaths were reported after sterilization. The relative likelihood of ectopic pregnancy is substantially greater after coagulation procedures than after mechanical ones. The decrease in membership performance of laparoscopic sterilization is occurring at the same time as a relative increase in the performance of newer diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures.