Permanent sterilization by hysteroscopic cauterization.

A small series of 22 patients who underwent hysteroscopy cauterization is reported. The uterus was distended with CO2 and dextran. Cauterization was done with a 6 mm. long, active-tip, No. 4 electrode: There was a 27 per cent failure rate for the controlled cases, this dropping to 11 per cent after recauterization. A significant complication, small bowel perforation, was treated by resection and anastomosis with complete recovery. The uterine distention with CO2 is safe but ostium visualization is not very good; Dextran distention is more cumbersone but gives excellent visualization and exposure of the ostium because higher intrauterine pressures are developed.