Tubal Blockage Corrected by Tubal Surgery
Tubal blockage or tubal occlusion (the medical term) is the reason that tubal ligation prevents pregnancy. The blockage of the fallopian tube prevents joining of the sperm and egg and prevents eggs from being able to reach the uterine cavity. In the case of tubal sterilization, tubal blockage is intentional. Tubal blockage may also occur due to disease conditions and result in involuntary infertility. Tubal blockage, whether intentional or from disease, can be corrected with reconstructive tubal surgery.
Facts about Tubal Blockage
Tubal blockage affects millions of women in the US and hundreds of millions worldwide. More than 10 million women in the US, and more than 100 million worldwide, have had a tubal sterilization. There are approximately 6 million infertile couples in the US. It is estimated that 10-20% (600,000 to 1.2 million) cases of infertility may be due to tubal disease. In the majority of cases, tubal occlusion due to disease is caused by pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infection of the fallopian tubes (salpingitis) and sometimes the ovaries and pelvic cavity. PID is “silent”, unrecognized, or misdiagnosed in many and perhaps in the majority of cases.
Tubal Blockage Treatments
There are 2 basic approaches for the treatment of infertility (voluntary or involuntary) due to tubal blockage:
- Tubal Surgery
- In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
Tubal Surgery is best performed by gynecologic reproductive surgeons who have specialized training and experience in this area. There are very few doctors with advanced training and experience in tubal surgery. IVF is more popular than tubal surgery among reproductive endocrinologists. Most of these doctors do not receive training in tubal surgery.
IVF involves replacing the functions of the fallopian tube with laboratory and minor surgical procedures that result in fertilization and transfer of fertilized eggs or embryos into the uterine cavity.
Techniques of Tubal Surgery to Correct Tubal Blockage
There are 3 basic techniques of tubal reconstructive surgery. Each of these has been described and illustrated in previous website or blog pages:
- Tubal Anastomosis (tubal reanastomosis, tubotubal anastomosis)
- Tubal Implantation (tubouterine implantation, uterotubal implantation)
- Salpingostomy (salpingoneostomy)
Tubal Surgery at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center
The techniques of tubal reversal surgery that Dr. Berger and Dr. Monteith perform every day are the same techniques used to repair blocked tubes due to tubal disease. Although our practice name (Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center) and website (www.tubal-reversal.net) clearly indicate our primary interest, many women with blocked tubes caused by tubal disease, rather than surgical sterilization, find their way here for help in correcting their tubal blockage and becoming able to have children.
More Information on Tubal Blockage
Submitted by Dr. Berger
March 5th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
[...] tubal ligation and corrective tubal surgery to improve the function of fallopian tubes closed (blocked tubes) due to scar [...]
January 9th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
[...] Just be sure to find a tubal reversal surgeon who has been properly trained to conduct tubal surgery. About the Author: The leading tubal surgeons at CHTRC are the best to help you repair blocked tubes [...]
December 31st, 2008 at 7:20 pm
[...] tubal surgery is the alternative to IVF for treating infertility resulting from tubal blockage due to scar tissue or adhesions. [...]
December 30th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
[...] this article has provided you with information to help you with your decision about tubal blockage. Tubal surgery is a very viable option and could very well be the best way for you to overcome your infertility. [...]
December 19th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Brandon and Lori,
I asked Dr. Berger your questions as I was wondering as well. This is what he relayed to me:
When a tubal blockage is repaired by tubal reversal surgery in a person with salpingitis or PID can the tube become blocked again without treatment of the disease? Yes, a tube can become blocked again after surgery for PID (just as after a tubal reversal), but the likelihood is less than 10%.
Also, PID is “silent” but is there a way a doctor can specifically look for these pelvic and tubal diseases in women? These can only be diagnosed with certainty at surgery (laparoscopy or laparotomy).
Lastly, why do reproductive endocrinologists prefer IVF to tubal reversal surgery when IVF seems like such a costly solution? This is what their training allows them to do. There are few RE programs that train RE fellows in reproductive surgery. See this blog for more information:
http://www.tubal-reversal.net/blog/2008/dr-berger/will-tubal-reversal-become-a-lost-skill.html
How would a woman who has suffered infertility know if tubal blockage has occurred and tubal surgery is right for her? Do women with infertility always undergo a hysterosalpingoogram (HSG) or diagnostic laparoscopy to check for tubal blockage? The only way she would know is if she has had an HSG or a diagnostic laparosco py. Usually, one or both of these examinations are performed during a thorough evaluation of the causes of infertility.
Hope that helps a bit.
December 18th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Brandon,
I can’t answer all your questions but your one about reproductive endocrinologists prefering IVF to tubal reversal surgery when IVF seems like such a costly solution can be answered with earlier posts in this blog by Dr. Monteith. Quite simply, it’s because those reproductive endocrinologists are not being trained in tubal reversal surgery. Many don’t even realize it is a viable procedure because they have never been trained nor seen it done. Check out this post to see what I mean: http://www.tubal-reversal.net/blog/2008/tubal-ligation/doctor-cold-tubal-reversal.html
December 18th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Thank you Dr. Berger for explaining that tubal blockage can occur for other reasons than voluntary tubal sterilization (i.e disease). The statitics you have provided regarding the number of women affected by tubal blockage in US and world wide is eye-opening. Thankfully, Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center provides an opportunity for women to undergo sterilization reversal whether their tubal blockage is voluntary or involuntary.
December 17th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I think Brandon raises very good questions and I would like to add one. How would a woman who has suffered infertility know if tubal blockage has occurred and tubal surgery is right for her? Do women with infertility always undergo a hysterosalpingoogram (HSG) or diagnostic laparoscopy to check for tubal blockage?
December 17th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Thank you, Dr. Berger, for bringing this important topic of tubal blockage to the forefront. Women who are having trouble becoming pregnant because of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) or endometriosis will benefit from this information. Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center is the only facility that specializes exclusively in the repair of blocked fallopian tubes, whether they have been blocked from surgical sterilization or from disease.
December 17th, 2008 at 9:44 am
This is a very interesting blog. It has me asking a few questions:
When a tubal blockage is repaired by tubal reversal surgery in a person with salpingitis or PID can the tube become blocked again without treatment of the disease?
Also, PID is “silent” but is there a way a doctor can specifically look for these pelvic and tubal diseases in women?
Lastly, why do reproductive endocrinologists prefer IVF to tubal reversal surgery when IVF seems like such a costly solution?
December 16th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
This blog gives a very clear visualization of the procedures used to correct tubal blockage, and will be very helpful for many women to understand the difference in the tubal surgery procedures that Dr. Berger and Dr. Monteith perform every day. Anyone who wants to have successful tubal reversal surgery or other reconstructive tubal surgery should come to Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center!
December 16th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
This blog is very helpful to women as a means of helping them understand their options. An important thing for them to understand is that not only is tubal reversal possible, but that our staff can assist them on a more individulaized level by reviewing their operative report with them over the phone.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Thank you Dr. Berger and Dr. Monteith for always working to keep our patients and new inquiries informed.
At Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center, we strive to provide the best quality and care possible for our patients coming from surrounding local areas to different countries all over the world.
Please visit the About Us and Testimonials pages to review the positive feedback we receive here on a daily basis.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:47 am
This blog is very informative to women that have been told that they have a tubal blockage. This allows them to know that our facility can be beneficial to them as well as women with tubal ligation. Hopefully, we will see alot more women come to us for help.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:32 am
I don’t think that many women realize that they can have tubal reversal surgery for the other conditions mentioned in Dr. Berger’s blog. Tubal blockage can be corrected even for women who haven’t undergone tubal ligation. Through Dr. Berger’s blog, I hope that more woman who once thought that having children was an impossibility,will learn that they may be able to conceive after all.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:08 am
This blog is an informative piece on tubal reversal surgery and restoring fertility for women who are experiencing tubal blockage due to tied tubes or previous infection. Dr. Berger and Dr. Monteith perform tubal surgery daily and are able repair tubal blockage in 98% of cases.
December 16th, 2008 at 10:28 am
This blog is full of helpful information. It is nice to see the information put in simple, easy to understand terms and to see that tubal blockage, whether intenional or from disease can be corrected in several different ways, depending on the specific situation of each woman. It allows women to see that even if their tubal ligation or tubal blockage from disease is a little complicated that tubal repair can still be done to allow them to become pregnant.
December 16th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Thank you Dr. Berger for making it easier for women to understand and know that there is always hope for women with blocked tubes and tied tubes!
December 16th, 2008 at 10:01 am
This blog is an excellent educational piece and will hopefully give hope to women that have been given the advice that IVF is their only option if they want to have a child when they have blocked or tied tubes.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Very informative! Thanks, Dr. Berger. We have lots of women call in and ask whether or not tubal reversal can be performed if they have blocked tubes. This blog will definitely answer the question.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:17 am
This blog brings up good points. There are two ways to correct tubal blockage. Tubal reversal surgery or IVF. Tubal reversal surgery allows women to conceive naturally and is less expensive. With tubal reversal surgery you can even have more than one child. It restores your fertility forever. IVF is more expensive and is a one shot deal. It is important for patients to think about all of the pros and cons and make the decision that is best for them!
December 15th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Straight forward explanation of the medical terms we commonly use for tubal bloockage reversal surgery. It is helpful for patients to be able to see there are several different approaches to tubal surgery to repair tubal blockage.
December 14th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Thank you for such a clear, concise and informative explanation of tubal blockage and how it is corrected with tubal surgery.