title: Spontaneous abortion: a randomized, controlled trial comparing surgical evacuation with conservative management using misoprostol.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy of surgical evacuation of the uterus with medical evacuation using misoprostol in cases of spontaneous abortion.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, randomized, controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  A university teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six hundred thirty-five women who aborted spontaneously and who consented to pretreatment randomization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Routine surgical evacuation or medical evacuation of the uterus using misoprostol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immediate, short-term (2-3 weeks), and medium-term (6 months) medical complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significantly lower incidence of immediate and short-term complications in the group treated with misoprostol compared with the surgically treated group. There were also fewer major complications in the 6 months after treatment in the medically treated group. Approximately 50% of the medically treated group subsequently required surgical evacuation, and these subjects required significantly more analgesia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with misoprostol can reduce the demand for surgical evacuation in cases of spontaneous abortion, and its use is associated with fewer medical complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sha Tin, NT. tonychung@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Haines
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000027:Abortion, Incomplete / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000698:Analgesia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016595:Misoprostol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; D016595:Misoprostol