Selective catheterisation of occluded fallopian tubes is ‰ÛÏsafe and effective‰Û

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A study from Lublin, Poland, that set out to evaluate the results of selective catheterisation of occluded fallopian tubes and its effect on fertility was presented at the Global Embolization Symposium and Technologies US (GEST US, 1–4 May, San Francisco, USA) meeting.

The research has found that the procedure can be considered a safe and effective procedure for tubal recanalisation, and that it is highly acceptable for patients.

Malgorzata Szczerbo-Trojanowska and team, Department of Interventional Radiology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland, noted that since selective catheterisation is an effective and relatively inexpensive procedure, it should be considered as the first step in the treatment of infertility due to tubal occlusion.

“Fallopian tube recanalisation has emerged as an excellent, patient-friendly, less-invasive and cost-effective alternative to tubal microsurgery and in vitro fertilisation in the treatment of proximally obstructed fallopian tubes in well-selected patients,” Szczerbo-Trojanowska told Interventional News. The method would particularly be useful for couples who have ethical or religious concerns that do not allow for in vitro fertilisation and embryo transfers, she added.

In the single centre study, 128 patients with bilateral tubal occlusion, as confirmed by hysterosalpingography underwent non-invasive transcervical tubal recanalisation using endovascular equipment under fluoroscopy. The patients were treated between 2011 and 2012 and the investigators evaluated the effectiveness of the treatment (follow-up, 3–9 months). “Other items assessed were procedure time of the recanalisation, the radiation dose used, and the level of pain accompanying the procedure,” said Krzysztof Pyra, who presented the study.

Results

The researchers found that the recanalisation rate was 86%. “Among the patients in whom tubal patency was restored, 23 became pregnant, yielding an effective 21% pregnancy rate. The average execution time of recanalisation was 26 minutes, and the average dose of radiation used during the procedure was 73 mGy. The complication rate was 2.8%, including perforation of the uterus or fallopian tube,” Pyra said.