Postoperative Pain Following Various Methods of Postpartum Tubal Sterilization

Abstract

Objective To compare the level of postoperative pain among patients using Filshie clip and Modified Pomeroy method for postpartum tubal sterilization.

Subjects One hundred and ten postpartum patients with spontaneous vaginal delivery, requesting tubal sterilization, were randomly assigned to one of the two study groups. The techniques of tubal sterilization carried out under local anaesthesia were not known by the patients, ward staff and the interviewer.

Main outcome measures The patients' characteristics, obstetric history, self-assessment pain intensity scale (visual analogue scales), analgesia requested by the patients and resumption of normal activity were measured.

Results The characteristics of both study groups were comparable. There were no significant differences in level of pain among the two groups before, immediately after the operation, and at 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after the operation (P >0.05). The Filshie clip group had shorter operation time and had a smaller number of patients necessitating analgesia 24 hours and over after the operation with earlier resumption of normal activity.

Conclusion For the selection of appropriate tubal sterilization technique, this study provides evidence that pain does not vary substantially between options, thereby, other parameters should also be considered in deciding upon the preferred technique.