Female sterilization by laparoscopy: a comparative study of tubal occlusion with electrocoagulation and spring-loaded clip with one-year follow-up.

Findings are reported of a study conducted to evaluate and compare the safety and effectiveness of the spring-loaded clip and the electrocoagulation techniques of tubal occlusion via laparoscopy. The study was conducted from June, 1974 to June, 1975 on 300 cases in a Bangkok, Thailand hospital. Only patients who requested sterilization to limit family size were included in the study, and study patients were required to return for 6- and 12-month follow-up visits. To minimize possible patient and physician biases, all sterilization procedures were performed by one author (S. K.). and data were analyzed by the other author (S. P.). The specific operative technique was randomly assigned to the patient immediately prior to surgery, and the patient was unaware of the particular technique used. The findings showed no potentially serious complications for either technique. Neither complication rates nor incidence of pain were significantly different for the two procedures. The presence of adhesions was the most frequent cause of surgical difficulty in both techniques. No mechanical difficulties were reported. No pregnancies were reported within one year of sterilization.