Fallopian tube recanalization for the management of infertility.

Infertility is a world-wide problem, defined as failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. There are multiple causes for infertility involving both male and female factors. Fallopian tube occlusion is a common reason for female infertility. The initial attempts to treat proximal obstruction involved the use of a whalebone bougie positioned in the uterine cornua to dilate the proximal tube by Smith as early as 1849. Fluoroscopic fallopian tube recanalization for the treatment of infertility was first described in 1985. Since that time, there have been over 100 papers describing various methods for recanalization of occluded fallopian tubes. Fallopian tube recanalization is a minimally invasive procedure which is performed on an outpatient basis. It should be a first line therapy for patients with proximal occlusion of fallopian tubes.

Clinical indocyanine green-based silk fibroin theranostic nanoprobes for in vivo NIR-I/II fluorescence imaging of cervical diseases.

Cervical diseases such as lymph node disease and tubal obstruction have threatened women's health. However, the traditional diagnostic methods still have shortcomings. NIR-II fluorescence imaging with advantages of low scattering, negligible autofluorescence, and high spatial resolution could be an ideal option. To obtain high quality NIR-II fluorescence imaging, selecting appropriate nanoprobes becomes the important issue. As a small molecular photothermal agent, extensive applications of ICG are rather limited because of its drawbacks. Herein, natural silk fibroin (SF) was synthesized and encapsulated ICG molecules to form SF@ICG nanoparticles (NPs). After detailed analysis, SF@ICG NPs showed excellent stability and long circulation time, as well as strong NIR-II fluorescence emission, well photo-stability, biocompatibility and well photothermal property under 808 nm laser irradiation. Furthermore, SF@ICG NPs were utilized for NIR-II fluorescence imaging of lymph node/lymphangiography and angiography of fallopian tubes. The process of fallopian tubes could be detected with high resolution and high sensitivity.

Lipiodol flushing under ultrasound guidance at time of hystero-salpingo contrast sonography (HyCoSy): A retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Up to 30% of female infertility can be attributed to tubal abnormalities. Assessment of fallopian tube patency forms a component of the basic assessment of infertility. Tubal patency can be checked through hysterosalpingogram (HSG) under radiologic guidance with oil- or water-based contrast medium (OBCM or WBCM), or hystero-salpingo contrast sonography (HyCoSy) under ultrasound guidance with WBCM. Tubal flushing with OBCM has been shown to improve fertility rates. OBJECTIVES: To study the feasibility and tolerability of performing Lipiodol (ethiodised oil) flush concurrently with HyCoSy. To examine the in vivo sonographic visibility of Lipiodol vs normal saline. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective observational study of patients with subfertility referred for Lipiodol flushing under ultrasound guidance between August 2017-September 2020 at six private ultrasound practices in Sydney, Australia. RESULTS: There were 412 patients who were referred for Lipiodol flushing. Of these, 86 patients did not have concurrent Lipiodol flush at HyCoSy performed due to strict exclusion criteria. Of the 326 patients who proceeded with Lipiodol flushing at HyCoSy, all cases were successful, with no cases of extravasation. There were no major complications. In vivo sonographic visualisation of Lipiodol was similar to that of the commonly used agitated 0.9% saline (n = 20; mean visibility score 4.3 ± 0.9 vs 4.0 ± 1.2). CONCLUSION: Our study has shown that Lipiodol flushing at time of HyCoSy as a single procedure is feasible and tolerable to patients. Flushing with Lipioidol during HyCoSy is likely as sonographically visible as 0.9% saline.

The pregnancy rate of infertile patients with proximal tubal obstruction 12 months following selective salpingography and tubal catheterization.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of selective salpingography (SSG) with additional tubal catheterization (TC) among infertile patients diagnosed with PTO and analysis of reproductive outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. RESULTS: Of a total of 399 tubes with confirmed proximal tubal occlusion, 383 successfully restored their patency resulting in 96 % technical success rate. Thirty-five percent of oviducts that had their patency restored was treated with SSG and 65% required additional TC. Reproductive outcomes at minimum 12 months following the treatment were collected by a telephone survey. 21/221 women were lost to follow up. Out of remaining 200 patients with at least one patent tube, 80 patients conceived which resulted in 40 % overall pregnancy rate. CONCLUSION: Selective salpingography and tubal canalization offer patient-friendly, minimally invasive and cost-effective alternatives to tubal microsurgery and IVF-ET in women with tubal occlusion with very high technical success rate and promising clinical results which depend also on the complexity of couple infertility. Specific indications and limitations make a careful assessment of fallopian tubes and comprehensive evaluation of partners' reproductive situation prior to therapy an absolute requirement.

Diagnostic accuracy of Saline Infusion sonohystero-salpingography (SIS) as compared to Hystero-salpingography (HSG) in the assessment of sub-fertile women.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the sensitivity and specificity of saline infusion sonohysterography with hysterosalpingography as a diagnostic tool in the assessment of infertile women.. METHODS: The comparative cross-sectional study was carried out at a private infertility clinic in Karachi, and comprised women who registered for assessment of infertility from June 2011 to May 2013. Uterine and tubal pathology was assessed as a possible cause of infertility by using saline infusion sonohysterography as an index test and hystero-salpingography as the standard reference. The diagnostic accuracy of the two tests was compared. Sub-fertile patients were followed up for 2 weeks after the tests for any possible adverse effects of the procedures. Data was analysed using SPSS 19. RESULTS: Of the 256 subjects, 184 (72%) presented with primary and 72 (28%) with secondary infertility. Overall mean age of the sample was 28}8 years. The mean BMI was 29.8}4.1 in primary infertile compared to 28.2}.5 in women with secondary sub-fertility. The sensitivity of saline infusion sonohysterography for detecting patency of the tubes was 100% and the specificity was 91% whereas positive predictive value was 69.8% and negative predictive value was 100% (Kappa: 0.61). For large uterine polyps, sensitivity and specificity was 100% and for small polyps sono-hystero-salpingography showed 14% false positive results (Kappa: 0.21). CONCLUSIONS: Saline infusion sono-hysterography was found to be a more reliable method of diagnosing tubal or uterine pathologies compared to hystero-salpingography for cases of infertility.

[The application of contrast-enhanced X-ray salpingography for the evaluation of the effectiveness of catheterization of the acoustic tube with the use of the Eustachian catheters]. / Rentgenokontrastnaia sal'pingografiia v otsenke éffektivnosti kateterizatsii slukhovoi truby ushnymi kateterami.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the administration of a medication into the middle ear structures during catheterization of the acoustic tube (AT) in the course of the contrast-enhanced X-ray salpingographic investigation. The study included 18 patients (18 ears) presenting with chronic otitis media and the perforated tympanic membrane without the disturbances of the ventilation function of the auditory tube. All the patients were allocated to two groups depending on the type of the Eustachian catheters being used. Group 1 was comprised of 9 patients treated with the use of traditional Giyot's catheter, group 2 was composed of another nine patients who were treated with the use of the Eustachian catheters having an original shape with a specific configuration of its distal part. The X-ray studies were carried out before and after catheterization of the acoustic tube with the administration of 1 ml of the hypaque contrast medium. The study has demonstrated that the X-ray contrast agent did not penetrate into the inner structures of the middle ear of the patients comprising group 1 whereas in the patients of the second group the contrast medium reached as far as the bony portion of the acoustic tube.

"Forgotten" Chapters in the History of Transcervical Sterilization: Carl Clauberg and Hans-Joachim Lindemann.

Transcervical sterilization is a non-surgical method of permanent female sterilization that is widely used and critically discussed. A review of the historiography of the method reveals that instances of its coercive use are not included in the historical account. This study offers a reexamination of the work of Carl Clauberg and Hans-Joachim Lindemann, to more deeply contextualize within the framework of current usage the coercive use of transcervical sterilization during the Third Reich and in postwar Germany. This inquiry is based on postwar criminal trial records on Clauberg, and on archival documents detailing Lindemann's activities in 1979. A comparative analysis examines arguments by medical historian Karl-Heinz Roth, and identifies shared characteristics and differences between Clauberg and Lindemann, their methods and scientific connections. The results demonstrate that the technique of transcervical sterilization has an abusive potential that may be explained as a function of the person of the physician, of the scientific method itself, and of societal and political influences. The analysis supports the argument that insights from the cases of Clauberg and Lindemann are transferrable geographically and over time, and have the potential to inform current medical practice, such as transcervical sterilization with the Essure device, whose historiographic exploration remains a desideratum.

Baseline anatomical assessment of the uterus and ovaries in infertile women: a systematic review of the evidence on which assessment methods are the safest and most effective in terms of improving fertility outcomes.

BACKGROUND: This review focuses on the initial presentation of women who suspect that they are infertile, and how best to assess the anatomy of their uterus and ovaries in order to investigate the cause of their infertility, and potentially improve desired fertility outcomes. This review was undertaken as part of a World Health Organization initiative to assess the evidence available to address guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility within a global context. Providing access to care for infertile women will help to ease the psycho-social burdens, such as ostracization, intimate partner violence and other negative consequences of being involuntarily childless or unable to become pregnant despite desiring a biological child or children. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE: The aim of this paper was to present an evidence base for the diagnostic and prognostic value of various investigations used for detecting uterine and/or ovarian pathology in women presenting at fertility clinics for their initial assessment. SEARCH METHODS: We performed a comprehensive search of relevant studies on 28 August and 10 September 2014. A further search was performed on 6 June 2016 to ensure all possible studies were captured. These strategies were not limited by date or language. The search returned 3968 publications in total; 63 full text articles were retrieved and 10 additional studies were found through hand-searching. After excluding 54, a total of 19 studies were analysed. We extracted and tabulated data on the characteristics, quality and results of each eligible study and combined the findings in a narrative synthesis. Risk of bias was assessed according to article type using tools such as assessment of the methodological quality of systematic reviews, Newcastle Ottawa Scale, Cochrane risk of bias tool, quality assessment tool for diagnostic accuracy studies and quality in prognostic studies. Nineteen studies were selected as being the best evidence available. A narrative synthesis of the data was undertaken. Discussion of the data, and resultant consensus for best practice were accomplished in a consensus expert consultation in Geneva, October 2015. An independent expert review process concerning this work and outcomes was conducted during 2016. OUTCOMES: The draft recommendations presented here apply to infertile women whether or not they are undergoing fertility treatment. Transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) should be offered to all infertile women with symptoms or signs of anatomic pelvic pathology. TVUS should not be offered routinely to women without symptoms of pelvic pathology. Hysteroscopy should be offered if intrauterine pathology is suspected by TVUS. Hysteroscopy should not be routinely offered to infertile women who have normal TVUS findings. In women who have normal TVUS findings and are undergoing IVF, hysteroscopy does not improve the outcome. Good practice points recommend that providers of fertility care should confirm that all infertile women have a recent pelvic examination, recent cervical screening and well-woman screening in line with local guidelines. Additionally, hystero-contrast salpingography in infertile women does not improve clinical pregnancy rates with expectant management in heterosexual couples and should not be offered as a therapeutic procedure. Most of the findings of this review on diagnosis are based on a low, or very low, quality of evidence, according to GRADE Working Group (grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluation) criteria. A low quality grading indicates that further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate, while a very low grade indicates that any estimate of effect is very uncertain. WIDER IMPLICATIONS: This review provides the most reliable evidence available to guide clinicians worldwide in the initial, evidence-based investigation of women with fertility problems in order to undertake the most useful investigation and avoid the burden of unnecessary tests.

The place of selective hysterosalpingography and tubal canalization among sub-fertile patients diagnosed with proximal tubal occlusion.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of selective salpingography and tubal canalization (TC) procedure among patients diagnosed with proximal tubal occlusion (PTO). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 61 sub-fertile patients aged 32.6 ± 4.9 years that were referred between the years of 2011 and 2013 with the diagnosis of PTO by prior hysterosalpingography. Patients underwent TC and were classified as bilateral PTO or unilateral PTO. Information regarding the patient's reproductive outcome within the 12 months following the procedure was collected by a telephone survey. RESULTS: During the study period, 58/61 (95 %) patients underwent TC, resulting in bilateral open tubes in 54 patients (93.1 %). 53/58 (91.3 %) patients answered our survey. There were 23/53 (43.4 %) patients with a successful procedure who conceived after spontaneous or COH + IUI resulting in 15/23 live births (65.2 %). CONCLUSION: Tubal canalization is a safe and minimally invasive procedure that can be used effectively to restore patency in a proportion of cases of PTO thus avoiding the need for expensive and invasive procedures such as assisted reproductive techniques.

Cromotubación histeroscópica: técnica alternativa para la evaluación de la permeabilidad tubárica y la cavidad uterina en un solo paso / Hysteroscopic chromotubation: an alternative technique for the evaluation of tubal patency and uterine cavity in a single step

La evaluación de la permeabilidad tubárica es un paso esencial en el estudio de la infertilidad femenina. Existen varios métodos que permiten realizar esta evaluación. La histerosalpingografía (HSG) se ha considerado el método estándar, sin embargo es conocida su limitación en la evaluación de la obstrucción proximal con alta tasa de falsos positivos. Presentamos una técnica alternativa para la evaluación por medio de cromotubación histeroscópica, que tiene entre otras, la ventaja de permitir la evaluacion del factor uterino y tubárico en un solo paso y además, supera la dificultad de los falsos positivos de la HSG, en cuanto a la obstrucción proximal.

The evaluation of tubal patency is an essential step in the study of female infertility. There are several methods to perform this evaluation. Hysterosalpingography (HSG) has been considered the standard method, however it is known to limitations in the assessment of proximal obstruction with high false positive rate. We present an alternative technique for evaluation by hysteroscopic chromo tubation, which has among others, the advantage of allowing the evaluation of uterine and tubal factor in one step and also overcomes the difficulty of false-positive HSG, as to the proximal obstruction.

Imaging techniques for assessment of tubal status.

Fallopian tubes make a vital portal for transfer of gametes and embryo. Tubal factor is responsible for infertility in 25-35% of cases. Hysterosalpingography (HSG) has been used to evaluate the uterine cavity and the tubal status since decades. It uses iodinated contrast and X-rays and is painful and inconvenient for patient. Laparoscopy is considered to be the gold standard for tubal evaluation, but is an operative procedure and needs anesthesia. Though ultrasound is a modality of choice for assessment of uterus and ovaries, it does not allow assessment of the fallopian tube unless there is any fluid surrounding it or inside the lumen. This fluid interface can be created artificially by introducing saline in the uterine cavity and fallopian tubes and scanning simultaneously. The procedure is named Saline infusion HSG. Saline infusion sonohysterosalpingography (SIS) can be done with B mode US and Doppler. SIS can demonstrate a patent tube but if blocked, the site of block cannot be demonstrated. Ultrasound contrast agents can be used for tubal assessment using contrast mode on the scanners. This procedure is known as hystero-contrast sonography (HyCoSy). This actually shows the passage of hyperechoic contrast agent through tubal lumen and delineates it and locates the site of block. Using the volume ultrasound may even make the demonstration of tubal status and fimbriae better. Results of HyCoSy have been found to correlate well with laparoscopic findings, which are a gold standard. It is recommended by National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence as a primary investigation for tubal assessment in patients without any positive history of tubal damage and also can replace a second look laparoscopy.

The treatment patients with infertility reformed-fallopian tube obstruction hy two methods / 中国基层医药

Objective To study the clinical the rapeutic efficacy of reformed-fallopian tube recanalization (RFTR) with Chinese traditional medicines for treatment of infertility resulted from fallopian tube obstruction.Methods 80 patients of infertile women with fallopian tube obstruction were randomly divided in to the treated group( n = 40, treated with RFTR combined with Chinese traditional medicines) and the control group( n = 40,treated with RFTR alone). All cases were followed up for 6 to 12 months. The efficacy rate,pregnancy rate,ectopic pregnancy rate and the re-adhension rate were recorded in both groups. Results The efficacy rate of treated group and the control group were 72.5 % and 57.5 % respectively, with statistical significance( P < 0.05 ). The pregnancy rates of the two groups were 52.5 % and 30.0 % respectively. The ectopie pregnancy rate of the two groups were 5 % and 7.5 % respectively. Conclusion RFTR with Chinese traditional medicines therapy is an effective method to treat in fertility resulted from fallopian tube obstruction.

Clinical Application of Simple Coaxial Microtube Methods for Selective Salpingography and Fallopian Tube Recanalization / 医学研究杂志

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of selective salpingography(SSG)and fallopian tube recanalization(FTR) for diagnosis and treatment of oviduct obstructive infertility with self-made simple coaxial microtube.MethodsSSG and FTR with self-made simple Coaxial Microtube were performed for 76 cases with 134 tubes of obstructive oviduct through wire-guided tubal recanalization,anti-inflammatory and anti-adhesion effect of recanalization fluid,and the patients were treated with anti-bacterial and hydrotubation after operations.ResultsSSG displayed that 81 tubes obstruction in interstitial tubal,25 tubes obstruction in isthmus,16 tubes obstruction in ampulla and 12 tubes obstruction in fimbria.The total recanalization rate of FTR was 76.1%,with the recanalization rate 96.3% in interstitial,the recanalization rate 68.0% in isthmus and the recanalization rate 43.8% in ampulla,and no serious complications occurred.All cases were followed up for one to two years postoperatively.Normal pregnancy pationes were 31 cases(40.8%),and 29 women were normal parturition,2 cases(2.6%) were extrauterine pregnancy.ConclusionThe advantage of SSG and FTR with self-made simple coaxial microtube is low cost,simplicity and excellent efficacy.It is worth popularizing in grass-roots hospitals.

Interventional therapy of ovarian tube infertility / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To evaluate the clinical application of selective salpinography(SSG)and fallopian tube recanalization(FTR). Methods 215 patients with Infertilis Feminis were performed with hysterosalpinoraphy(HSG)SSG and FRT. Anti-infection and physical therapy were then undertaken postoperatively. Results The successful rates of properly performed catheterization and recanalization reached 92.8% and 90.2%, respectively. During the follow-up of six years, 98 cases(51.3%)obtained the ability of intrauterine pregnancy. Conclusions HSG and FTR are simple, reliable, symptomless, very effective for treatment of ovarian tube infertility.