Thursday, July 25, 2013

Tubal Reversal Operation Restores Fertility After Ligation

By Pierrette Martine


When women decide that they don't wish to have more children, it is common for them to undergo a tubal ligation procedure to prevent conceptions. However, some of these women will later decide that they do in fact want another baby, usually due to remarriage or other circumstances changing in their lives. A type of surgery known as tubal reversal can restore the ability to conceive in many of them.

A tubal ligation involves either cutting, cauterizing, or clamping the fallopian tubes which connect the ovaries to the uterus and are the most common site of conception. Reversal surgery does the opposite of this and actually rejoins the cut segments of the tubes together to facilitate the passage of the ovum, once again making fertilization a possibility. Several factors will determine if a woman is a good candidate for this procedure.

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.

The reversal surgery typically works best in those women who have had minimal removal of fallopian tissue, and those who have clips. Greater success is also noted when the original ligation was carried out right after delivery, and if the woman is a younger age. In women with relatively short remaining tubal segments or excessive scarring, results may be less favorable.

The operation will be performed under a general anesthetic. A lighted instrument called a laparoscope will be inserted through the navel to allow the surgeon to clearly view the pelvic area. An incision will then be made just above the pubic bone to access the fallopian tubes and they will then be either carefully sutured back together or if clips were used, these will be removed.

Usually this operation take about two or three hours to complete. An overnight stay is usually not necessary and the patient may return home later the same day. The doctor will normally prescribe an analgesic to control any discomfort. Several months after the procedure, the patient may need to undergo a second dye test to confirm the patency of the tubes.

The overall success rate for tubal reversal surgery depends on a number of variables including the woman's age, skill of the surgeon, amount of scarring present in the tubes, and the level of fertility of both partners. Generally the procedure is anywhere from 40 to 85 % effective. Most women who do become pregnant will do so within a year of undergoing the surgery.




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