[Sterilization by colpoceliotomy]

Six patients with severe complications after vaginal sterilization carried out in other hospitals were treated at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School Hannover, from 1979 to 1982. In four cases abortion had been performed simultaneously. In two patients with a Douglas abscess there was a time interval of two respectively four years between the vaginal operation and the complication. Since laparoscopic sterilization with bipolar electrocoagulation represents an easy and relatively safe method, vaginal sterilization should be performed only in selected cases and only by specially trained gynecologists.