Reduced incidence of postoperative endometritis by the use of Laminaria tents in connection with first trimester abortion.

A Laminaria tent was inserted in the cervical canal of 115 primigravidae prior to vacuum aspiration in the first trimester. A mean dilatation of 9.7 mm was thereby achieved. Only 2 of these patients were treated by antibiotics due to 'mild' endometritis, as compared with 10 of 130 control patients due to endometritis and 7 patients due to 'mild' endometritis. Three non-treated control patients had to undergo laparoscopy due to perforation of the uterus during dilatation of the cervical canal. It is concluded that pre-treatment with the Laminaria tent prior to vacuum aspiration reduces the incidence of per- and post-operative complications.