title: Pain control in voluntary surgical contraception.
abstract: The reduction of anxiety and control of pain in 1,546 clients undergoing voluntary surgical contraception (VSC) is presented. Psychological support through adequate counselling and abdominal breathing exercises are vital. General anaesthesia was used in 254 (16.4%) of the clients; sedation plus local anaesthetic agents in 296 (19.2%) while local anaesthetic alone was used in 996 (64.4%) of clients. There was progressive shift from the use of general anaesthesia (GA) to local anaesthesia (LA), particularly for the minilaparotomy procedure following the introduction of Association for Voluntary Surgical Contraception (AVSC) programme in our department since this type of anaesthesia was cheap, safe, affordable and readily available. Recommendations for successful VSC techniques include gentle tissue handling, proper use of the correct instruments to reduce painful stimuli, while low dose intravenous sedation should be used only when necessary. Minilaparotomy under local anaesthesia (ML/LA) has been successfully established in Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Jos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Ujah
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Mutihir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013245:Sterilization, Reproductive / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology