Table 2.

Meta-analyses of surgical versus surgical and surgical versus medical treatments in the management of ectopic pregnancy (see text).

		Meta-analysis of trials
Type of comparison	No. of RCTs	Primary treatment success odds ratio (95% CI)	Tubal patency in those desiring subsequent pregnancy odds ratio (95% CI)	Subsequent intrauterine pregnancy rate odds ratio (95% CI)	Repeat ectopic pregnancy rate odds ratio (95% CI)
Laparoscopic salpingotomy v laparotomy salpingotomy	4	2 RCTs, 165 women: 68/78 [87%] laparoscopy v 84/98 [97%] with laparotomy; OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.86	2 RCTs, 165 women: 38/52 [73%] with laparoscopy v 48/58 [83%] with laparotomy; OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.23 to 1.42	2 RCTs, 127 women: 35/61 [57%] with laparoscopy v 35/66 [53%] with laparotomy; OR 1.21, 95% CI 0.59 to 2.45	2 RCTs, 127 women: 4/61 [7%] with laparoscopy v 9/66 [14%] with laparotomy; OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.15 to 1.47
Systemic multiple-dose methotrexate (im) v laparoscopic salpingotomy	2	1 RCT, 100 women: 42/51 [82%] with methotrexate v 35/49 [71%] with surgery; OR 1.84, 95% CI 0.73 to 4.65	1 RCT, 100 women: 23/42 [55%] with methotrexate v 23/39 [59%] with surgery; OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.35 to 2.02	1 RCT, 74 women: 12/34 [35%] with methotrexate v 16/40 [40%] with surgery; OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.32 to 2.09	1 RCT, 74 women: 3/34 [12%] with methotrexate v 4/40 [10%] with surgery; OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.19 to 4.12
Systemic single-dose methotrexate (im) v laparoscopic salpingotomy	4	4 RCTs, 265 women: 85/120 [71%] with methotrexate v 127/145 [88%] with surgery; OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.71	3 RCTs, 115 women: 36/59 [61%] with methotrexate v 29/56 [52%] with surgery; OR 1.47, 95% CI 0.69 to 3.14	3 RCTs, 115 women: 18/49 [7%] with methotrexate v 29/58 [50%] with surgery; OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.43 to 2.41	3 RCTs, 115 women: 2/40 [5%] with methotrexate v 7/58 [12%] with surgery; OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.12 to 2.44