Manual vacuum aspiration under local anaesthetic for early miscarriage: 2 years experience in a university teaching hospital in UK

Manual vacuum aspiration under local anaesthesia (MVA-LA) in an outpatient setting is an alternative to the standard surgical aspiration under general anaesthesia for miscarriage. We evaluate the feasibility, safety and clinical outcomes of MVA-LA in the management of miscarriage at less than 12 weeks of gestation in an outpatient setting. This prospective cohort study was conducted at the Birmingham Women's Hospital. One hundred and thirty-one women with ultrasound scan confirmed incomplete or missed miscarriage underwent MVA-LA between November 2010 and January 2013. A computer database was used to record relevant information. The mean gestation age was 8.3 weeks (±1.8). Successful evacuation was achieved in 100 % of cases. One hundred and fourteen (87 %) patients underwent the procedure with direct intracervical LA block and the remaining cases did not have LA. There were no reported complications in 96 % of procedures. Cervical injury and vasovagal symptoms noted in 3.8 % of cases. In all cases, vaginal bleeding was minimal or mild. The post-operative pain was controlled successfully with a combination of paracetamol and diclofenac in 82 % of patients. The MVA method was associated with high levels (93 %) of patient satisfaction and acceptability. MVA-LA in an outpatient setting is a safe and acceptable therapeutic option for women diagnosed with early missed or incomplete miscarriage.