[Celioscopy under local anesthesia for collecting oocytes for in vitro fertilization]

Since 1960, laparoscopy under local anaesthesia has been gradually abandoned in France and until now oocytes for in vitro fertilization were collected under general anaesthesia, thus increasing the risk of allergic reactions to anaesthesia in these patients who usually undergo several operations. From February to May, 1983, at the Antoine Béclère Maternity, Paris, 50 laparoscopies were performed under local anaesthesia with lidocaine combined with neuroleptanalgesia with diazepam and fentanyl. The procedure was uneventful in 94% of the cases and only 3 women required general anaesthesia. At least one mature oocyte was collected in 46 of these 50 women and 4 pregnancies have already been recorded. Local anaesthesia enables the woman to participate fully in this first stage of in vitro fertilization, increases the out-patient activities of the hospital unit and reduces the cost of in vitro fertilization.