Dr. Sunil Garg

If an ectopic is discovered, the surgeon can use laparoscopy (keyhole surgery) to cut the tube and remove the pregnancy, leaving the tube intact if it can be repaired. Laparoscopy has advantages over open abdominal surgery, because the operation is quicker, less blood is lost during surgery, you don't need to stay in hospital for as long, and less analgesia (pain killing medicine) is needed.

If the tube has ruptured, doctors usually recommend abdominal surgery, because it is the quickest way to reduce blood loss. In some cases a blood transfusion may be needed to replace lost blood.

Whether the tube and pregnancy are removed altogether, or the pregnancy is removed and the tube repaired depends on how damaged the tube is, the health of your other fallopian tube and your desire for future pregnancy.

In a small percentage of women, usually in cases where the tube has been saved (about 4 per cent with keyhole surgery and 8 per cent with open surgery) the pregnancy continues to grow and needs treatment with the drug methotrexate, which terminates pregnancy, or further surgery to remove it.