title: The force required to remove the frameless 0-suture IUD anchoring system: comparison between pre- and postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this short communication is to measure and compare the force needed to remove the implanted "0-suture" GyneFix intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) and the "0-suture" FibroPlant trade mark -LNG intrauterine system (IUS) from the uterus of pre- and postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nonrandomized comparative study in 119 pre- and postmenopausal women. A dynamometer (Pesola) was used to measure the removal force in newtons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of this study show a mean removal force of 8.5 and 9.5 newtons, respectively (range, 3-11 and 4.5-11), in pre- and postmenopausal women, which is significantly different (p = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The force needed to remove the IUD/IUS anchored in the myometrium of the uterine fundus of pre- and postmenopausal women is higher than the removal force found in previous studies in which the IUD consisted of a slightly thinner anchoring thread (00 instead of 0 suture). The statistically significantly different removal force between the two groups has no clinical implications. The difference may reflect the increased compactness of the uterine tissue in the postmenopausal uterus.
authors.affiliation: Contrel Research, Technology Park Zwijnaarde, Piers de Raveschootlaan 125, 8300 Knokke, Ghent, Belgium. dirk.wildemeersch@contrel.be
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wildemeersch
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004867:Equipment Design; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007433:Intrauterine Device Expulsion; D007435:Intrauterine Devices, Copper; D008593:Menopause; D013536:Suture Techniques