[Post-operative complications following Caesarean section. A comparative study of the years 1957-1958 and 1977-1978]

104 Caesarean sections of the Obstetric Department of the University in Hamburg-Eppendorf of the years 1957-1958 were compared with 399 Caesarean sections of the years 1977-1978 in a retrospective study. An attempt was made to correlate the post-operative complications with possible causes. There was a marked rise in wound infections, endometritis, post-operative pyrexia and a decrease of thromboembolic complications and retained lochia. Differences in the old and new years were in the management of labour, the operative technique and the post-operative treatment. In the Caesarean sections of 1977 to 1978 a clear cut correlation between wound infections uterine complications and pyrexia and the number of vaginal examination following rupture of the membranes the duration of rupture of the membranes and the length of labour was found. To reduce the post-operative complication rate at attempt should be made to reduce the number of vaginal examinations, to be stringent in the indications for rupture of the membranes and to avoid delay in inevitable Caesarean sections.