Laparoscopic electrocoagulation and tubal ring techniques for sterilization: a comparative study.

From August 1975 through May 1976, a comparative study was made of the effects of sterilization by standard electrocoagulation and tubal ring application techniques. The two techniques were randomly assigned to 300 patients. Results show that standard electrocoagulation and tubal ring procedures can easily and safely be performed on an outpatient basis, using local anesthetics and analgesics. Rates of surgical complications for both techniques were clinically acceptable, although tubal risk patients had a higher rate. Pain during the procedure and during the immediate recovery period was more severe for tubal ring patients. Despite the higher incidence of surgical complications and pain associated with the ring, many physicians prefer this method of sterilization because it eliminates the possibility, inherent in electrocoagulation, of inadvertent serious electrical burns.