Prolonged retention of laminaria fragments: an unusual complication of laminaria usage.

A single laminaria japonica was placed the day before an abortion requested by a 32-year-old nulliparous woman. On the day of the procedure, the laminaria was found to be tightly wedged in the cervix, and attempts at removal resulted in pushing the laminaria into the uterine cavity. The abortion was completed, and 3 days later, after placement of additional osmotic dilators, the intrauterine laminaria was crushed and removed. Fifteen months later, a small fragment of laminaria passed spontaneously. Hysteroscopy was performed, and approximately 30 fragments of laminaria were removed.