A retrospective review was performed of all women who had undergone operation for a tubal pregnancy at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, from November 1992 to March 1994. One hundred and five patients were included-611 were managed by laparoscopy and 44 by laparotomy. There were no differences in age, parity, gestational age, frequency of previous ectopic pregnancy, or laparotomy between the two groups. Sixty per cent of patients in the laparotomy group had a diagnostic laparoscopy prior to the laparotomy. The laparoscopy group had a lower incidence of haemoperitoneum (45.9% vs 75.0%, P