Laparoscopic management of tubal ectopic pregnancy: Audit of a district general hospital experience

The aim of this audit was to determine if patients with a diagnosis of a suspected ectopic pregnancy had been managed in accordance with the evidence‐based guidelines policy of the obstetrics and gynaecology department at City Hospital, Birmingham. In particular, the authors wished to review the surgical management of tubal ectopic pregnancy.

The authors retrospectively analysed 50 cases of tubal ectopic pregnancy managed over 15 months between October 2001 and December 2002.

A total of 26 patients (52 per cent) were managed successfully by the laparoscopic approach with no major intraoperative or postoperative complications; 24 patients (48 per cent) had a laparotomy. Salpingectomy was the preferred procedure performed either laparoscopically or by traditional open surgery. A total of 30 patients (60 per cent) had their surgery where the registrar at various grades of training was the main surgeon. The estimated blood loss, the need for blood transfusion and the length of hospital stay in the laparoscopy group were significantly less than those in the laparotomy group.

This audit demonstrates that, in the hands of trained personnel, laparoscopic management of tubal ectopic pregnancy is more beneficial with maximum safety and efficacy.