Proximal tubal occlusion by hysterosalpingogram: a role for falloposcopy

Renaissance of surgical recanalization for proximal fallopian tubal occlusion: falloposcopic tuboplasty as a promising therapeutic option in tubal infertility

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To assess the clinical effectiveness of falloposcopic tuboplasty in tubal infertility.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3).

SETTING

Infertility clinic.

PATIENTS

Three hundred forty-five infertile patients (≥2y) with a diagnosis of proximal tubal occlusion, either bilateral or unilateral, between January 2005 and January 2011.

INTERVENTION

Falloposcopic tuboplasty.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Medical records for 345 patients with a diagnosis of proximal tubal occlusion were reviewed. Of the 345 patients, 304 underwent falloposcopic tuboplasty, with successful recanalization achieved in 248 patients (81.6%). Ninety-one of the 304 patients (29.9%) became pregnant. Of these, 18 patients (19.8%) miscarried, and 4 (4.4%) had ectopic pregnancies in the recanalized tube. At 1-, 3-, 6-, and 9-month follow-up, the cumulative probability of conception was 23.1%, 50.6%, 73.6%, and 82.4%, respectively. Related complications included postsurgical infection (0.3%), perforation of the fallopian tube (1.3%), and accidental breakage of the catheter (4.9%) or the falloposcope (1.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

Falloposcopic tuboplasty is safe and effective for treatment of tubal infertility. The pregnancy rate after falloposcopic tuboplasty is comparable to that after in vitro fertilization, which suggests that it can be an alternative to in vitro fertilization in women with tubal infertility.

Fallopian tube recanalization: lessons learnt and future challenges

Technological advances in fiberoptics and endoscopy have resulted in the development of minimally invasive transcervical tubal catheterization procedures with the potential of improved diagnostic accuracy of tubal disease and transcervical treatment of proximal tubal obstruction (PTO) with reduced risks, costs and morbidity compared with surgical procedures. Fallopian tube recanalization can be performed with catheters, flexible atraumatic guidewires or balloon systems under endoscopic (falloposcopy/hysteroscopy/laparoscopy), sonographic, fluoroscopic or tactile guidance. Falloposcopy provides a unique possibility to accurately visualize and grade endotubal disease, characterize and document endotubal lesions, identify the segmental location of tubal pathology without complications, objectively classify the cause of PTO and guide future patient management. This is in contrast to the surgical and radiological gold standards, laparoscopy and hysterosalpingography, respectively, that are often associated with poor or misdiagnosis of PTO. Nonhysteroscopic transuterine falloposcopy using the linear eversion catheter is a successful, well-tolerated, outpatient technique with a good predictive value for future fertility. Hysteroscopic-falloposcopic-laparoscopic tubal aquadissection, guidewire cannulation, guidewire dilatation and direct balloon tubuloplasty may be used therapeutically to breakdown intraluminal adhesions or dilate a stenosis in normal or minimally diseased tubes with high patency and pregnancy rates. However, guidewire cannulation of proximally obstructed tubes yields much lower pregnancy rates compared with other catheter techniques, despite the high tubal patency rates. Laparo-hysteroscopic selective tubal catheterization with insufflation of oil-soluble radiopaque dye has been reported to be an effective treatment for infertility associated with endometriosis. The various disadvantages associated with fluoroscopic and sonographic techniques limit their application, despite the reportedly high patency and intrauterine pregnancy rates. Recanalization is contraindicated in florid infections and genital tuberculosis, obliterative fibrosis and long tubal obliterations that are difficult to bypass with the catheter, severe tubal damage, male subfertilitY and previously performed tubal surgery. Distal tubal obstruction is not amenable to catheter recanalization techniques. Tuberculosis, salpingitis isthmica nodosa, isthmic occlusion with club-changed terminal, ampullar or fimbrial occlusion, and tubal fibrosis have been cited as reasons for recanalization failure. In lieu of the poor pregnancy outcomes in patients with severe tubal disease and poor mucosal health following tubal recanalization, as well as poor available technical skills and results with microsurgery, in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer is a valid option in such women. Despite the high diagnostic and therapeutic power of falloposcopic interventions, technical shortcomings with falloposcopy must be overcome before the procedure gains widespread acceptance.

Technical results of falloposcopy for infertility diagnosis in a large multicentre study

Despite increasing evidence of its potential clinical value, falloposcopy has not yet found widespread use. In a large prospective international multicentre study we investigated the hypothesis that limited technical reproducibility may be of crucial significance in this regard. From 1994 to 1998, data on 367 patients with 639 tubes were recorded from 18 centres (median number of falloposcopies 22). Falloposcopy was performed using hysteroscopic ostium access, coaxial tubal cannulation and retrograde visualization under laparoscopic control. The procedure was successful in 69.6% of the tubes. Failures occurred in 6.1% during hysteroscopy, in 10.6% during the cannulation step and in 16.4% during visualization. While predominantly intracavitary pathology or thick endometrium were found to interfere with hysteroscopic ostium access, technical insufficiencies resulting in catheter damage or vision disturbing light reflexions were identified to be responsible for most cannulation and visualization failures, confirming the importance of these factors. The number of patients who received a complete falloposcopic evaluation did not exceed 57%. Additionally, 23.7% of patients may have profited from unilateral success depending on the individual indication. As a consequence of these technically limited results it was concluded that the method currently qualifies for selected indications rather than for routine clinical application.

Fallopian tube disease: the cobblestone pattern as a radiographic sign

PURPOSE

To identify radiographic signs of mucosal damage by comparing hysterosalpingography with salpingoscopy in a prospective study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-one candidates for laparoscopy underwent hysterosalpingography and peroperative salpingoscopy; at both, tubal patency was noted. Radiographic criteria for mucosal abnormality were rounded filling defects (ie, the cobblestone pattern) and the absence of longitudinal radiolucent bands in the ampullary tract. At salpingoscopy, tubal mucosa was categorized by means of inspection into five classes of fold pattern: classes I and II, normal; classes III-V, abnormal. Hysterosalpingographic and salpingoscopic results were compared by means of a two-by-two table and kappa statistics.

RESULTS

Seventy-four tubes were evaluated. At hysterosalpingography, 31 tubes were distally nonpatent. Of these, 26 showed a distal obstruction at salpingoscopy. None of the patent tubes at hysterosalpingography showed obstruction at salpingoscopy. The agreement between hysterosalpingography and salpingoscopy in detecting abnormal mucosal pattern was 89.2% (kappa, 0.73; P: <.001). The cobblestone pattern always corresponded to intraluminal adhesions at salpingoscopy. The absence of radiolucent bands corresponded to abnormal mucosa at salpingoscopy in four of six cases. The cobblestone pattern was found only in hydrosalpinges and never in patent tubes. Six normal patent tubes at hysterosalpingography showed intraluminal adhesions at salpingoscopy.

CONCLUSION

Results indicate that the cobblestone pattern is an effective radiographic sign of intraluminal adhesions in hydrosalpinges and suggest that intraluminal disease in patent tubes might not always be excluded on normal hysterosalpingograms.

Laparoscopy and hysteroscopy

This article serves as a general review of laparoscopy and hysteroscopy. Subjects covered include equipment and instrumentation, use of laser and electrosurgery, surgical technique, and complications.

Falloposcopy

The role of the human fallopian tube in reproduction is more than a passive conduit. This organ is involved in oocyte pick-up, fertilization, and embryo transport. Metabolic substrates, cytokines, and immunoglobulins have been identified within the tubal lumen. Complex and coordinated endocrine secretions, neuromuscular activity, and cilial action are required for successful tubal function.

A comparison of pain experienced during hysterosalpingography and in-office falloposcopy

OBJECTIVE

To determine patient perception of the intensity of pain during in-office falloposcopy compared with hysterosalpingography (HSG).

DESIGN

A prospective quality assurance study using a formal pain scale to compare two procedures.

SETTING AND PATIENTS

Patients attending a tertiary level infertility clinic.

INTERVENTIONS

In-office falloposcopy or HSG using analgesics.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The mean pain score and area under the pain curve experienced during each investigation.

RESULTS

Using our technique, in-office falloposcopy was associated with a significantly lower mean intensity of pain and with a longer procedure. The duration of the falloposcopic examination declined significantly with physician experience. Flushing adjacent to the uterotubal ostium, ostial cannulation, and rapid eversion provoked episodes of acute pain during falloposcopy.

CONCLUSION

These results support the patient acceptability of in-office falloposcopy.