A COMPARISON OF LAPAROSCOPY AND LAPAROTOMY FOR THE TREATMENT OF ECTOPIC PREGNANCY

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  • 1 June 1988
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 71  (6) , 889-892
Abstract
A case-control method was used to examine differences in outcome between laparoscopy and laparotomy for the treatment of ectopic pregnancy. Cases and controls, 25 each, were matched by criteria selected to minimize differences in preoperative morbidity and technical difficulty. Patients treated laparoscopically had significantly shorter hospital stays (1.34 .+-. 0.8 versus 3.92 .+-. 1.1 days; mean .+-. SD; P < .01) and less operating time (77.5 .+-. 26.1 versus 103.6 .+-. 26.7 minutes; P < .05). In addition, a laparoscopic approach resulted in a shorter convalescence (8.7 .+-. 7.8 versus 25.7 .+-. 16.2 days; P < .01) and reduced postoperative analgesia requirements (0.84 .+-. 2.3 versus 4.64 .+-. 2.9 doses; P < .01). We conclude that laparoscopic treatment of ectopic pregnancy is well tolerated by patients and, in comparison with laparotomy, requires fewer medical resources, thereby significantly reducing cost.