[Second-trimester abortions induced by dinoprost]

The authors evaluated the usefulness of prostaglandin F2 alpha in inducing second trimester abortions in two consecutive groups of patients. Progressive and fractionated intracervical instillation of 10 ml of Tylose gel containing 10 mg of Prostine F2 alpha is the least traumatic method of uterine evacuation in the majority of cases (18 out of 24 cases). Advantages of this method consist of the ease with which it can be performed, that it may be repeated on subsequent days, and that there have been no serious complications. In case of failure, the authors recommend using an intraamnionic injection (usually performed only once) of 40 mg of Prostine F2 alpha diluted in 20 ml of normal saline solution. This more involved method requires an experienced physician and ultrasonography, but is very effective (31 cases out of 3). Exceptionally, this can be repeated after a several day interval if the initial injection fails (2 out of 3). These methods avoid recourse to surgery (except in the case of uterine scarring) in the induction of second trimester abortions.