A new look at an old technique: sterilization by infundibulectomy

Removal of the fimbriated portion of the fallopian tube is, theoretically, quite an effective method of sterilization that has received scant attention in the recent medical literature. In this study 310 cases of infundibulectomy via laparotomy performed at the Castle Street Hospital for Women in Colombo, Sri Lanka, were analyzed. Most of the patients (88.4%) were sterilized within 10 days of the vaginal term delivery whereas the remainder were sterilized in the immediate postabortion period. General anesthetic was used in 93.9% of the procedures. Difficulties at surgery which prevented infundibulectomy were encountered in three cases (1.1%). Infection and other incision problems were the primary complications. Incision infection was noted prior to discharge in four postpartum cases (1.5%) and in no postabortion cases. At the time of the first follow-up visit, seven to 21 days after sterilization, this complication was noted in eight postpartum women (3.1%) and in one woman (2.8%) who had had an abortion. No pregnancies have been reported among the 169 patients who have already been seen at the six-month follow-up visit. The results of this study indicate that infundibulectomy is a safe and effective method of tubal occlusion for postpartum patients.