Selective salpingography and fallopian tube recanalisation: experience from a district general hospital

Abstract

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has included selective salpingography and tubal catheterisation (SS-TC) in its evidence-based clinical guideline for the management of infertility in secondary care. In spite of being a cost-effective and minimally invasive treatment option for proximal tubal blockage, SS-TC has been slow to become adopted across the UK. We here describe our initial experience with setting up of tubal recanalisation service in a district general hospital (DGH) in the UK, along with our preliminary results. Tubal patency was achieved in 11 patients out of 14 who underwent SS-TC (78%). Four women achieved spontaneous pregnancy (success rate 28.57%) within 1 year of treatment. The procedure should become a universally accepted, taught and practiced approach in the diagnosis and treatment of the fallopian tube. Especially in infertility units located in a DGH it can be used selectively in the patients with good prognosis and other cases referred to tertiary center for more rapid in-vitro fertilisation (IVF).