title: Manual vacuum aspiration: a safe alternative for the surgical management of early pregnancy loss.
abstract: Manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) is an alternative to the standard surgical curettage, performed under local anaesthetic in the setting of a treatment room. The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy of MVA in the management of first trimester early fetal demise and first- and mid-trimester incomplete miscarriage. This was a retrospective study of 246 patients who were scheduled to undergo MVA for first trimester early fetal demise and first- and mid-trimester incomplete miscarriage. One woman was excluded in the analysis because of the procedure being abandoned prior to MVA. Efficacy of the procedure was 94.7% (232/245). Incomplete uterine evacuation was seen in 5.3% (13/245) patients. Although not widely used in the UK, MVA could be considered routinely, thus avoiding general anaesthesia and the need for access to theatre.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK. dmiligk@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Milingos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mathur
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Ashok
mesh_terms: D000027:Abortion, Incomplete / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014619:Vacuum Curettage / Q000379:methods*