Extrauterine mislocated IUD: is surgical removal mandatory?

• Published in: Contraception (Stoneham) Vol. 66; no. 2; pp. 105 - 108
• Main Authors: Markovitch, Ofer, Klein, Zvi, Gidoni, Yariv, Holzinger, Michael, Beyth, Yoram
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.08.2002
• Subjects: Adult; Contraception; Device Removal; Female; Foreign-Body Migration - surgery; Humans; Intrauterine Devices - adverse effects; IUD complication; Laparoscopy; Mislocated IUD; Risk Assessment; Uterine Perforation - etiology; Uterine Perforation - surgery; Mislocated IUD; Contraception; IUD complication
• ISSN: 0010-7824; 1879-0518
• DOI: 10.1016/S0010-7824(02)00327-X

The incidence of intrauterine device perforation is 0.87 per 1000 insertions. An intrauterine device (IUD) may perforate through the uterine wall into the pelvic or abdominal cavity or into adjacent organs. The accepted treatment for displaced IUDs is surgical removal because of the putative risk of adhesion formation or of damage to the intestine or urinary bladder. The purpose of this article is to present three cases of IUD perforation where surgical removal may not have been necessary. In all three cases, the IUD was removed by laparoscopy. No adhesions were found in any of the patients. Criteria for the surgical removal of a displaced IUD, as a result of uterine perforation, should be re-evaluated. Whilst surgical procedures to remove a misplaced IUD must be performed on symptomatic patients, asymptomatic patients, under certain circumstances, may benefit from conservative management.