SALINE-INSTILLATION ABORTION WITH LAMINARIA AND MEGADOSE OXYTOCIN

The effect of laminaria and oxytocin in 638 saline instillation abortions was examined. Laminaria were inserted into the cervical canal in the physician''s office 2-3 h before hospital admission for instillation. Pitocin was given i.v. at a rate of 417-555 milliunit/min starting 2 h after instillation. Center for Disease Control (CDC) criteria were used to define complications in the present series. Complication rates compared favorably to those in a national CDC study of traditional saline procedures. Instillation-abortion times averaged 12.5 h in the present series, about half the time previously reported for saline abortion. If confirmed by other studies, laminaria and oxytocin will be beneficial adjuncts for managing patients aborted by saline instillation.