Original Article

Retrospective evaluation of the laparoscopic treatment of ectopic pregnancies

  • Cihangir Mutlu Ercan
  • Uğur Keskin
  • Hakan Çoksuer
  • Kazım Emre Karaşahin
  • İbrahim Alanbay
  • Murat Dede
  • İskender Başer

Received Date: 03.12.2010 Accepted Date: 08.02.2011 Gulhane Med J 2011;53(2):99-103

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ectopic pregnancies treated by laparoscopy in our clinic. Demographic characteristics, risk factors, clinical findings and therapeutic approaches of 182 patients treated with the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy by laparoscopic surgery between June 2003 and September 2010 were retrospectively evaluated. The mean age of the patients was 29.3±3.05 years, the mean number of gravidity and parity was 2.3±1.0 and 1.1±0.9, respectively, and the mean gestational age was 6.2±0.8 weeks. The mean β-HCG levels of the patients on admission was 3880±2510 IU/ml. The most common risk factor was the presence of a previous abdominopelvic surgery (14%), the most frequent admission reason was vaginal bleeding with pelvic pain (40%) and the most frequent preoperative ultrasonographic finding was the presence of an adnexial mass (60%). The most frequent locus of ectopic implants was tubal ampulla (83%), and the most commonly performed treatment modality was laparoscopic salpingectomy (56%). In the treatment of ectopic pregnancies surgical approach was rather preferred than medical therapy in our series, and laparoscopic salpingectomy was the most frequently preferred procedure in cases with tubal damage as also recommended in the current literature.

Keywords: Ectopic pregnancy, laparoscopy, salpingectomy, salpingostomy