[On the rising operation rate in gynaecology: report on 13 years (author's transl)]

Report on 10,050 gynaecological operations from 1966 to 1978. The operation rate rose from 691 cases in 1966 to 917 cases in 1978. Whereas the rate of vaginal operations remained approximately the same at about 300 cases per year, the rising operative rate consisted of abdominal operations. Contributing were the increasing rate of Caesarean sections, which rose from 2% in 1966, to 8,25% in 1978, and the introduction of diagnostic and therapeutic laparoscopy especially laparoscopic tubal sterilizations. Liberalization of the indications for operation by Kindermann did not occur in our department. A real escalation in the rate of operation did not occur. We do not consider this required nor clinically justifiable. The same is true for our minor gynaecological procedures which did not show significant increases in their rates despite the relative increase in cerclages, conizations and therapeutic abortions. The total mortality was 0.15% and therefore low despite the relatively high incidence of geriatric surgery (9.3%).