CO2 laser laparoscopic salpingotomy for treatment of tubal ectopic pregnancies: potential limitations.

Linear salpingotomy was performed on 16 patients using the CO2 laser laparoscopically directed. Median operating time was 60 minutes (range 40-100) and all patients were discharged on the first postoperative day. There were 4 patients in whom persistence of trophoblast activity was detected, 2 of whom were treated surgically and 2 by oral methotrexate therapy.