Open AccessAMOUNT OF TISSUE EVACUATED BY VACUUM ASPIRATION IN THERAPEUTIC ABORTIONS
Author(s) -
Rasmussen Per
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016348109155463
Subject(s) - medicine , vacuum aspiration , gestational age , gestation , obstetrics , uterine cavity , therapeutic abortion , decidua , pregnancy , abortion , fetus , surgery , gynecology , uterus , population , research methodology , placenta , family planning , environmental health , biology , genetics
. Following therapeutic abortion in 280 patients prior to the 12th week of gestation, the amount of tissue aspirated was investigated. Measurement of the amount of tissue removed by vacuum suction after dilatation of the cervical canal showed a definite relationship between tissue quantity and gestational age. However, there was a wide range of tissue quantity in the various gestational age groups. The amount of blood lost during the procedure also depended upon gestational age. In 71% of the patients less than 100 ml was lost. There was no difference in the amount of blood lost between primigravidae and multigravidae when regard is paid to gestational age. No case of ectopic pregnancy was found. Re‐evacuation was performed in 9 cases. The amount of tissue then recovered was small, in 7 cases 10 ml or less. Placental tissue was removed at re‐evacuation in only one of these patients, decidua in all the others. It is concluded that measurement of the amount of tissue removed does not permit assessment of whether the uterine cavity has been adequately evacuated.