Proximal tubal occlusion and salpingectomy result in similar improvement in in vitro fertilization outcome in patients with hydrosalpinx. Hydrosalpinx and IVF outcome: a prospective, randomized multicentre trial in Scandinavia on salpingectomy prior to IVF. A comparison between laser surgery and electrosurgery for bilateral hydrosalpinx: a 2-year follow-up. Laparoscopic salpingotomy for tubal pregnancy: comparison of linear salpingotomy with and without suturing. Randomised trial of systemic methotrexate versus laparoscopic salpingostomy in tubal pregnancy. Intramesosalpingeal injection of oxytocin in conservative laparoscopic treatment for tubal pregnancy: preliminary results. Ultrasound-guided hydrosalpinx aspiration during oocyte collection improves pregnancy outcome in IVF: a randomized controlled trial. Does previous salpingectomy improve implantation and pregnancy rates in patients with severe tubal factor infertility who are undergoing in vitro fertilization? A pilot prospective randomized study. The efficacy of postoperative hydrotubation: a randomized prospective multicenter clinical trial.
To evaluate and compare the clinical impact of proximal tubal occlusion and salpingectomy when performed before IVF in patients with hydrosalpinges.
                Prospective randomized study.
                Assisted reproduction unit in an obstetrics and gynecology department in a university hospital in Greece as well as assisted reproduction unit in an urban clinic in a major city in Greece.
                One hundred fifteen patients with unilateral or bilateral hydrosalpinges who were candidates for IVF treatment.
                Laparoscopic proximal tubal occlusion, laparoscopic salpingectomy, controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, IVF, and embryo transfer.
                Implantation rate, clinical-pregnancy rate, ongoing-pregnancy rate, abortion rate, and ectopic-pregnancy rate.
                Patients who underwent proximal tubal occlusion before IVF demonstrated significantly increased implantation, clinical-pregnancy, and ongoing-pregnancy rates compared with those with no surgical intervention and demonstrated implantation, clinical-pregnancy, and ongoing-pregnancy rates comparable to those who underwent salpingectomy.
                Proximal tubal occlusion, when performed in women with unilateral or bilateral hydrosalpinges before their IVF treatment, represents a potentially beneficial surgical procedure, increasing significantly the chances for successful implantation and for clinical and ongoing pregnancy. Proximal tubal occlusion may be viewed as a valid alternative when salpingectomy is technically difficult or not feasible. Many retrospective studies have shown that hydrosalpinx is associated with poor in-vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome. The mechanism of the actual cause is not yet fully understood. A clinical practice of performing salpingectomy before IVF has developed, without any evidence from prospective trials. The aim of the present prospective randomized trial was to test if a salpingectomy prior to IVF was effective in terms of increased pregnancy rates. Patients with hydrosalpinx were randomized to either a laparoscopic salpingectomy or no intervention before IVF. A total of 204 patients was available for an intention-to-treat analysis and 192 actually started IVF. Clinical pregnancy rates per included patient were 36.6% in the salpingectomy group and 23.9% in the non-intervention group (not significant, P = 0.067) and the ensuing delivery rates were 28.6% and 16.3% (P = 0.045). The corresponding delivery rates per transfer cycle were 29.5% versus 17. 5% (not significant, P = 0.083). A subgroup analysis revealed significant differences in favour of salpingectomy, in implantation rates in patients with bilateral hydrosalpinges (25.6% versus 12.3%, P = 0.038) and in clinical pregnancy rates (45.7% versus 22.5%, P = 0.029) and delivery rates (40.0% versus 17.5%, P = 0.038) in patients with ultrasound visible hydrosalpinges. The delivery rate was increased 3.5-fold in patients with bilateral hydrosalpinges visible on ultrasound (P = 0.019). The overall pregnancy rate after salpingostomy in women with complete bilateral terminal tubal occlusions was 26.9%. No difference was found in the intrauterine pregnancy rate and the surgery-conception interval between salpingostomy with the CO2 laser or the microdiathermy needle at a 2-year follow-up. The advantage of the CO2 laser in other reproductive surgery remains to be seen. The study was carried out to clarify the incidence of post-operative tubal adhesions, patency rate and pregnancy outcome after laparoscopic salpingotomy with and without suturing for tubal pregnancy.
                From May 1996 to December 2002, a total of 97 cases of tubal pregnancy were treated in our centre by laparoscopic conservative surgery. The successful salpingotomy cases were randomly assigned to undergo salpingotomy without suturing (group I; n = 43) or with suturing (group II; n = 32). We compared these patients and assessed their surgical and pregnancy outcome by second look laparoscopy (SLL) 3 months after the first operation.
                Seventy-five cases (77%) were treated successfully by salpingotomy at initial laparoscopic surgery, and the remaining 22 cases were unsuccessful because of bleeding or complete tubal damage. Pelvic findings were assessed at SLL in 21 of 43 cases (49%) in group I and 17 of 32 (53%) in group II. There were no significant differences in gestational age, ectopic site, tubal diameter, tubal condition, intraperitoneal haemorrhage and pre-operative HCG levels between the two groups. Only the operation time was longer in group II than in group I (91 +/- 15 versus 69 +/- 15 min, P < 0.05). The tubal patency rate of the treated side was 90% (19/21) in group I and 94% (16/17) in group II. Also the peritubal adhesions were observed in 33% (7/21) in group I and 29% (5/17) in group II, and were mostly comprised of filmy adhesions. A tubal fistula occurred in two cases in each group. Pregnancy rate was 79% (15/19) in group I and 92% (12/13) in group II, and this did not reveal any significant difference of cumulative pregnancy rate between the groups.
                We recommend laparoscopic linear salpingotomy as a useful method in the management of cases with tubal pregnancy who desire future pregnancy. This preliminary study emphasizes that the procedure involving suturing has no additional benefit over the non-suturing technique during salpingotomy. Laparoscopic salpingostomy is a well-established treatment for patients with tubal pregnancy who desire to retain fertility. Another approach that preserves the fallopian tube is medical treatment. We compared systemic methotrexate and laparoscopic salpingostomy in the treatment of tubal pregnancy. Outcome measures were treatment success, tubal preservation, and homolateral tubal patency.
                Between January, 1994, and September, 1996, haemodynamically stable patients with laparoscopically confirmed unruptured tubal pregnancy and no signs of active bleeding were randomly assigned systemic methotrexate (four 1.0 mg/kg doses of intramuscular methotrexate alternated with 0.1 mg/kg oral folinic acid) or laparoscopic salpingostomy. Treatment success was defined as complete elimination of the tubal pregnancy (serum human chorionic gonadotropin < 2 IU/L) and preservation of the tube. Homolateral tubal patency was assessed by hysterosalpingography. Analysis was by intention to treat.
                100 patients were included in the trial. Of 51 patients allocated systemic methotrexate, 42 (82%) were successfully treated with one course; two (4%) patients needed a second course for persistent trophoblast. Surgical intervention was needed in seven (14%) patients; salpingectomy was necessary in five of these patients for tubal rupture. Of the 49 patients allocated laparoscopic salpingostomy, 35 (72%) were successfully treated by laparoscopic salpingostomy alone; salpingectomy was needed in four (8%) patients, and ten (20%) needed methotrexate for persistent trophoblast. The tube was preserved in 46 (90%) patients in the methotrexate group versus 45 (92%) in the salpingostomy group (rate ratio 0.98 [95% CI 0.87-1.1]). Homolateral tubal patency could be assessed in 81 patients: the tube was patent in 23 (55%) of 42 patients in the methotrexate group and in 23 (59%) of 39 patients in the salpingostomy group (rate ratio 0.93 [0.64-1.4]).
                In haemodynamically stable patients with unruptured tubal pregnancy, systemic methotrexate and laparoscopic salpingostomy were successful in treating the majority of cases. We found no significant difference between the treatments in the homolateral patency rate. Subsequent fertility outcome has to be awaited to show which treatment yields better fertility prospects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the local use of oxytocin as adjuvant treatment in conservative surgery for tubal pregnancy. The patients were 25 women with laparoscopic diagnosis of tubal pregnancy who were candidates for salpingotomy. Before salpingotomy, each patient was randomly allocated to intramesosalpingeal injection of 20 IU oxytocin diluted to 20 ml with saline solution or 20 ml saline solution. The surgeon then proceeded with salpingotomy and removal of the pregnancy according to the usual technique. The main outcome measures were bleeding during salpingotomy, ease of removal of the pregnancy, bleeding at the site of the pregnancy, and need for recourse to salpingectomy. Twelve women were randomized to the oxytocin group and 13 to the control group. Examination of the surgeons' assessments of the difficulties encountered at the different stages of surgery revealed statistically significant differences between the oxytocin group and controls in each variable. In particular, the amount of endosalpingeal bleeding after removal of the pregnancy was less in the oxytocin group. In one control patient, persistent bleeding due to incomplete trophoblast removal forced the surgeon to perform salpingectomy. Our results indicate that intramesosalpingeal injection of oxytocin facilitates the performance of conservative laparoscopic treatment for tubal pregnancy. Hydrosalpinges have adverse effects on IVF outcomes. Salpingectomy is effective in improving outcomes, but it is not always practical or safe. Ultrasound-guided aspiration of hydrosalpinges at oocyte collection is an option for those who develop hydrosalpinges during controlled ovarian stimulation; however, there is no randomized evidence to show whether this practice is effective.
                Between October 1999 and June 2003, consenting women of age <or=39 years with an ultrasound diagnosis of hydrosalpinx were randomized before oocyte collection to transvaginal aspiration of hydrosalpinx under antibiotics cover or no aspiration. Third-party randomization was performed using a computer algorithm, and allocation concealment was achieved with opaque sealed envelopes. Outcomes were biochemical and clinical pregnancies, implantation, spontaneous abortion, ectopic pregnancy and pelvic infection rates. Analysis was by intention to treat.
                Sixty-six women were recruited to the trial, 32 to the aspiration group and 34 to the no-aspiration group. Aspiration resulted in a greater biochemical pregnancy rate [14/32 (43.8%) versus 7/34 (20.6%), relative risk (RR) = 2.1 (1.02, 4.6), P = 0.04]. Clinical pregnancy rates for aspiration versus control groups were 31.3% (10/32) and 17.6% (6/34), respectively [RR = 1.8 (0.8, 4.3), P = 0.20]. There were no changes in implantation rate or spontaneous abortion risk with aspiration and no differences between the groups in infection or ectopic pregnancy rates.
                In women who are identified to have hydrosalpinges during controlled ovarian stimulation during IVF, aspiration of hydrosalpinges during oocyte collection may be effective in improving pregnancy rates (Trial Registration Number: NCT00566956). To evaluate the implantation rate and pregnancy rate (PR) in patients with severe tubal factor infertility who were undergoing IVF. Patients who had undergone salpingectomy were compared with those who had not.
                A prospective randomized study.
                A department of obstetrics and gynecology at a university hospital.
                Thirty patients who previously had undergone salpingectomy and 30 patients who had not undergone salpingectomy before IVF treatment.
                Laparoscopy with or without salpingectomy followed by IVF with the use of combined GnRH agonist and hMG therapy in a long stimulation protocol.
                Embryo implantation rate and ongoing PR per transfer. The cumulative PRs were compared for the two groups of patients.
                After the first IVF attempt, the implantation rate was 10.4% in the group with salpingectomy and 4.6% in the group without salpingectomy. For all IVF attempts, the respective embryo implantation rates in the two groups were 13.4% and 8.6%. The ongoing PR per transfer was 34.2% in the group with salpingectomy compared with 18.7% in the group without salpingectomy. After four IVF attempts, the probability of becoming pregnant was greater in the group of patients with salpingectomy (75%) than in the group without salpingectomy (63%).
                Previous salpingectomy in patients with severe tubal factor infertility who are undergoing IVF seems to increase the embryo implantation rate and the PR per cycle of IVF. This monocentric study must be followed by other similar studies to allow for a metaanalysis and confirm this clear trend with definitive evidence. Term pregnancies following surgery on patients with distal tubal obstruction have been disappointingly few. There has been continuing interest in whether postoperative hydrotubation increases the rate of pregnancy following salpingoneostomy and fimbrioplasty. This hypothesis was tested in a prospective, randomized, multicenter clinical trial. Patients with no infertility factors other than distal fimbrial disease were randomly assigned to either a control group (no hydrotubation, n = 86) or one of two treatment groups (hydrotubation with lactated Ringer's solution, n = 60, or lactated Ringer's solution containing hydrocortisone, n = 60). The statistical evaluation of differences among treatment groups was based on the Cox Proportional Hazards Model, which allows for covariable adjustment and for the inclusion of all patients regardless of the length of follow-up. A significant difference in the live birth rate could not be demonstrated among the groups studied (P = 0.36). The probability of a successful live birth among women treated by hydrotubation with hydrocortisone was about one-half that of the other groups (P = 0.12). Patients with moderate and severe disease had a substantially lower probability of pregnancy than those with mild disease (P = 0.013 and P = 0.0016, respectively). The probability of pregnancy increased somewhat as the number of previous pregnancies increased (P = 0.12). In this clinical trial, a beneficial effect following postoperative hydrotubation could not be demonstrated.
Surgical treatment should be considered for all women with hydrosalpinges prior to IVF treatment. Previous evidence supported only unilateral salpingectomy for a unilateral hydrosalpinx (bilateral salpingectomy for bilateral hydrosalpinges). This review now provides evidence that laparoscopic tubal occlusion is an alternative to laparoscopic salpingectomy in improving IVF pregnancy rates in women with hydrosalpinges. Further research is required to assess the value of aspiration of hydrosalpinges prior to or during IVF procedures and also the value of tubal restorative surgery as an alternative (or as a preliminary) to IVF.