Laminaria stick

A laminaria stick or tent is a thin rod of dried laminaria, a kelp species. Laminaria sticks are used in obstetrics to slowly dilate the cervix to induce labor and delivery[1] or for surgical procedures including abortions.[2][3] The rods are inserted into the cervix, and over the course of several hours, they slowly absorb water and expand, dilating the cervix and prompting labor.[4]

References

  1. ^ Boulvain, Michel; Anthony J Kelly, Cornelia Lohse, Catalin M Stan and Olivier Irion (2001). Boulvain, Michel. ed. "Mechanical methods for induction of labour". Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (4): CD001233. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001233. PMID 11687101. 
  2. ^ Jonasson, Anette (June 1984). "Laminaria—en modern cervixdilatationsmetod med mer än 100-åriga anor (Laminaria—a modern cervix dilatation method with more than a 100-year history)" (in Swedish). Jordemodern 97 (6): 187–95. ISSN 0021-7468. OCLC 114003168. PMID 6565007. 
  3. ^ Ekbladh, Lamar; Takey Crist and Leonard Palumbo (January 1974). "Laminaria tent for cervical dilatation prior to intracavitary radium". Cancer 33 (1): 63–5. doi:10.1002/1097-0142(197401)33:1<63::AID-CNCR2820330112>3.0.CO;2-C. PMID 4810105. 
  4. ^ Berghella, Vincenzo (2007). Obstetric evidence based guidelines. London: Informa. p. 153. ISBN 0-415-70188-0. OCLC 85690054.