Perineal morbidity of operative vaginal delivery using spatulas and vacuum: What's the truth?

Objectives. - To evaluate the perineal morbidity of operative vaginal delivery using spatulas and vacuum. Methods. - From December 2008 to May 2010, 419 single pregnancies after 37 weeks of gestation in cephalic position were prospectively included: 226 spontaneous vaginal deliveries and 193 operative vaginal deliveries (126 spatulas and 67 vacuums). Each patient had rigorous clinical examination of the perineum. Perineal tears were classified in four different degrees depending on their severity: injury to skin only or episiotomy, injury to the perineum involving perineal muscles, anal sphincter rupture without and with anal epithelium tear, respectively. Results. - The rate of second degree or more perineal tear among patients who had spontaneous vaginal delivery, operative vaginal delivery using spatulas and vacuum was: 5.9%, 27% and 28.6%, respectively (p < 0.001). If no significant difference was observed between the rate of perineal damages after spatulas and vacuum, compared to spontaneous vaginal delivery, only spatulas were significantly associated to the risk of third degree or more perineal damage: 2 (0.9%) vs. 6 (5.2%), respectively (p = 0.022). Only operative vaginal delivery was identified as an independent risk factor for second degree or more perineal tear (AOR: 4.589; 95%Cl: 2.012-10.467; p < 0.001). Episiotomy had no independent significant impact on that risk (AOR: 0.690; 95%Cl: 0.350-1.359; p = 0.283). Conclusion. - Operative vaginal delivery using spatulas and vacuum does significantly increase perineal morbidity. This risk appears to be independent of the practice of episiotomy. (C) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.