Contractile activity in the human uterine cervix and corpus during cervical dilatation by laminaria tent in first trimester legal abortions.
Millar microtransducers were used in 7 patients to record contractile variations in the cervix and corpus during dilatation of the cervical canal by Laminaria tent preceding first-trimester vacuum aspiration. The spontaneous contractile activity was registered in a control group of 5 patients without laminaria pretreatment. Two Millar catheters were used. The sensor tip of one Millar catheter was placed extra-amniotically in the uterine cavity, and the other one in the mid-cervical canal. Both sensor tips faced the wall of the cervix and corpus. The study showed that laminaria tents not only have a gentle dilatating effect on the cervix, but also induce painless uterine contractions, of amplitudes reaching 20 mmHg, and increased contractile activity in the cervix for the duration of dilatation.
Jonasson
A
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden.
Larsson
B
B
D000029:Abortion, Legal; D000328:Adult; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007795:Laminaria; D011247:Pregnancy; D013997:Time Factors; D014159:Transducers; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000502:physiology*