Abstract
The literature concerning operations for sterility is reviewed and a personal series of 45 women, subjected to surgical treatment for sterility is presented. Traditional techniques have been employed, without the use of prophylactic antibiotics or steroids. The relevant data of all the women is summarised. In the 45 patients treated, there were 23 pregnancies, 21 intrauterine and 2 extrauterine. Seventeen women had the 23 intrauterine pregnancies. In the 25 patient where salpingostomy alone was performed, there were 13 pregnancies, 11 intrauterine and 2 extrauterine or, calculated by the number of women who conceived, there were 36% with ultimate intrauterine pregnancies. The results are found to be satisfactory and surprising. The material is too small to make an assessment concerning the factors which influence the prognosis, but the prognosis appears to be best in young women who have not had previous surgery in the lower abdomen and who have few adhesions. The duration of sterility or occurrence of previous pregnancies does not seem to have any prognostic significance. It is concluded that plastic operations continue to have their place in the treatment of sterility, and that the prognosis is somewhat better than usually considered.