[Voluntary surgical sterilization by laparoscopy in cases of cardiovascular diseases. Prospective study of 19 cases]

Nineteen women with cardiovascular disease underwent voluntary per-celioscopic sterilisation under local anesthesia at the La Rabta Maternity and Neonatology Centre, Tunis, Tunisia, between 1 July 1988 and 31 March 1989. There were 8 cases of hypertension, 1 of mitral insufficiency and 10 cases of surgically treated valve disease (6 cases of commissurotomy for mitral stenosis and 4 valve replacements). Mean parity of the women was 5 and mean age 35.4. Their educational level was low. Thirteen of them had never used contraception and 4 had had at least 2 therapeutic abortions. Local anesthesia with analgesia was well appreciated since 15 women remained calm and experienced no pain. The procedure involved minimal pneumoperitoneum and Trendelenburg. Recourse to minilaparotomy under general anesthesia was necessary in only one case. The authors stress the importance of counselling patients at the onset and of cooperation with cardiologists and anesthesiologists, and discuss peri-operative treatment protocols (anticoagulants, antibiotics) in particular.