Etiology of Proximal Tubal Obstruction.
Fallopian Tube Recanalization Techniques.
Summary of Results Following Various Endoscopic Fallopian Tube Recanalization Techniques.
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Transcervical tubal catheterization procedures for the diagnosis of tubal disease, obliteration, recanalization and medication are minimally invasive procedures that allow transcervical treatment of PTO and can improve our understanding and diagnostic accuracy of tubal disease.[26] True occlusion by amorphous material, flimsy adhesions or a polyp can only be successfully treated by various uterotubal cannulation methods and guidewiring the Fallopian tubes can re-establish tubal patency and fertility.[2] By restoring tubal patency, tubal cannulation can be used effectively in the management of female subfertility secondary to isolated PTO, thus avoiding the need for expensive assisted reproductive techniques.[3] By identifying patients with proximal and distal occlusion (bipolar tubal occlusion) and differentiating between true and false diagnoses of PTO, tubal cannulation eliminates or postpone the need for a costly hysteroscopy or laparoscopy. In contrast to invasive laparotomic and laparoscopic microsurgical interventions, tuboplasty is advantageous because it is minimally invasive with lower peri- and post-operative morbidity, takes less time, anesthesia is rarely required and the risks (e.g., injury of the bowel or bleeding after vessel perforation) are reduced thus resulting in shortened convalescence.[22]
Although radical changes have occurred in the treatment of PTO, the repair of distal and peritubal damage frequently yields disappointing results.[27] Fallopian tube catheterization is diagnostically useful and technically highly successful for treating occluded tubes, however, patients with distally blocked tubes are not good candidates for this procedure.[28,29] Distal isthmic, ampullary or fimbrial occlusions, commonly due to previous pelvic infection or endometriosis, are difficult to recanalize with poor pregnancy rates.
Contraindications to transluminal salpingoplasty include florid infections and genital tuberculosis, long tubal obliterations that are difficult to bypass with the catheter, severe tubal damage, male subfertility and previously performed tubal surgery. Because of the inflammation reaction in florid infections, the tubal wall is vulnerable, susceptible to rupture and, consequently, at risk for peritonitis, while long tubal obliterations that are difficult to bypass with the catheter may also result in a perforation of the tubal wall.[22] 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.[30] Cobblestone appearance of the distal tubes heralds significant mucosal damage, which is prone to progressive disease and, hence, there is a poor chance for conception.[31] Restoration of the tubal function (i.e., gamete or blastocyst transport) after tuboplasty is unlikely in cases with severe tubal damage. Cases with previous surgery must be well selected prior to tubal interventional surgery.[22] The rate of long-term post interventional re-occlusion seems to be high and must be evaluated in case of a failure to achieve a pregnancy after successful recanalization.