Friday, 19 July 2013

Tubal Reversal Surgery Makes Pregnancy Possible Following Tubal Ligation

By Pierrette Martine


Every year many women decide to have tubal ligation surgery performed as a permanent means of contraception. Many of these same women will later regret this decision because they change their minds about having more children, and will wish to have it undone. Fortunately, tubal reversal procedures are available to accomplish this and offer a relatively good success rate.

When a tubal ligation is done, the two fallopian tubes which act as a passageway through which the egg moves from the ovary to the womb, are either cauterized, cut, or closed off with clamps. Reversal attempts to perform the opposite action, by rejoining the remaining section of tube back together so they can once again facilitate conception. Various factors will determine how successful this operation will be.

The manner in which the surgeon ligated the tubes can greatly affect the likelihood of a successful reversal. The funnel-like fimbriae on each end of the tubes should still be intact, and minimal cauterization should have been used for the best results. The longer the remaining sections of the tubes are, the better the woman's chances of conceiving again are as well.

If a woman is interested in undergoing this procedure, she must arrange an consultation with a skilled surgeon who can perform it. The doctor will give the patient a detailed explanation of the surgery and will answer any questions she may have. Usually some diagnostic tests to evaluate the condition of the woman's tubes will first be required such as an ultrasound or a special dye test called a hysterosalpinogram.

Generally this procedure is most successful in women who have only had a minimal amount of tubal tissue removed, or have had them clamped. If the ligation was performed immediately after childbirth and the woman is younger, this also increases the likelihood of a successful operation. If there are shorter tube lengths or scarring, the chances of success are somewhat lower.

The patient is given a general anesthetic and will be unconscious during the surgery. Two incisions are made, one in the navel through which a lighted tube called a laparoscope is inserted, and the other right above the pubic bone, through which the surgeon can repair the tubes by either microsurgical rejoining or removal of the clips.

The surgery takes about two to three hours. It is often performed on an out-patient basis, with the woman being able to return home after several hours. There may be some slight discomfort afterwards, but this can be managed with a prescription provided by the doctor for analgesics. The woman may need a second dye test in a few months to confirm that the tubes are open and working as they should be.

The individual success rate of the tubal reversal surgery is determined by such factors as the woman's age, fertility of both partners, skill of the surgeon, and how much scarring is present in the pelvic region. It can be anywhere from 40-85 % effective in most cases. Most women who will conceive will do so within a year of the procedure.




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