Report on 5641 outpatient abortions by vacuum suction curettage.

A technique of ambulatory abortion for first trimester pregnancies by vacuum suction curettage under local anesthesia with intracervical block is described. The apparatus and relevant problems are discussed. A shortened speculum devised by the author and considered an improvement for this procedure, and a simplified sterile field are described. The complication rate of 0.48% based on 5641 reported cases is very low: there were no deaths, two cases of uterine perforation, 14 of incomplete abortion, 20 of infection, 1 of depression, no cervical lacerations; 27 patients were hospitalized. The advantages of this method are safety, simplicity, minimal blood loss and immediate recovery. It is preferable to the usual dilatation and curettage, does not require general anesthesia and can be used in small clinics or in hospitals on an ambulatory basis.