Vaginal sonosalpingography in the evaluation of tubal patency. 1998

P Inki, and P Palo, and L Anttila
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Turku University Central Hospital, Finland.

BACKGROUND During the past few years, sonosalpingography has been suggested as the first-line method to study tubal patency. This study was launched in order to study the applicability of this method at our institution. METHODS Thirty-two patients suffering from primary or secondary infertility were evaluated for tubal patency with sonosalpingography using a pediatric Foley urinary catheter and a combination of air and saline solution as a contrast medium. The uterine tubes were evaluated separately and the results were compared to the findings at laparoscopy and chromotubation performed independently. Four patients conceived before their scheduled laparoscopy and were excluded from the study. In addition, the patency of three Fallopian tubes could not be adequately evaluated, leaving altogether 53 uterine tubes that were evaluated by both methods. RESULTS The findings of both methods agreed in 47 out of 53 tubes (concordance, 88.7%). The sensitivity of sonosalpingography in diagnosing tubal patency was 90.2% and the specificity 83.3%. The positive predictive value for tubal patency by sonosalpingography was 94.9% and the negative predictive value 71.4%. Adverse events of sonosalpingography included moderate to severe abdominal pain in three patients, one vasovagal reaction, and one case of shoulder pain. No infectious complications were recorded. CONCLUSIONS The results confirm that sonosalpingography utilizing air and saline as a contrast medium is a reliable, simple and well-tolerated method to assess tubal patency in an outpatient setting. In addition, the procedure can be performed without prophylactic antibiotics using a regular pediatric Foley urinary catheter instead of an expensive hysterosalpingography catheter.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007047 Hysterosalpingography Radiography of the uterus and fallopian tubes after the injection of a contrast medium. Salpingography,Hysterosalpingographies,Salpingographies
D005186 Fallopian Tube Patency Tests Methods for assessing the patency of the fallopian tubes. Fallopian Tube Patency Test,Patency Tests, Fallopian Tube
D005187 Fallopian Tubes A pair of highly specialized canals extending from the UTERUS to its corresponding OVARY. They provide the means for OVUM transport from the ovaries and they are the site of the ovum's final maturation and FERTILIZATION. The fallopian tube consists of an interstitium, an isthmus, an ampulla, an infundibulum, and fimbriae. Its wall consists of three layers: serous, muscular, and an internal mucosal layer lined with both ciliated and secretory cells. Oviducts, Mammalian,Salpinges, Uterine,Salpinx, Uterine,Uterine Salpinges,Uterine Salpinx,Fallopian Tube,Uterine Tubes,Mammalian Oviduct,Mammalian Oviducts,Oviduct, Mammalian,Tube, Fallopian,Tube, Uterine,Tubes, Fallopian,Tubes, Uterine,Uterine Tube
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D014463 Ultrasonography The visualization of deep structures of the body by recording the reflections or echoes of ultrasonic pulses directed into the tissues. Use of ultrasound for imaging or diagnostic purposes employs frequencies ranging from 1.6 to 10 megahertz. Echography,Echotomography,Echotomography, Computer,Sonography, Medical,Tomography, Ultrasonic,Ultrasonic Diagnosis,Ultrasonic Imaging,Ultrasonographic Imaging,Computer Echotomography,Diagnosis, Ultrasonic,Diagnostic Ultrasound,Ultrasonic Tomography,Ultrasound Imaging,Diagnoses, Ultrasonic,Diagnostic Ultrasounds,Imaging, Ultrasonic,Imaging, Ultrasonographic,Imaging, Ultrasound,Imagings, Ultrasonographic,Imagings, Ultrasound,Medical Sonography,Ultrasonic Diagnoses,Ultrasonographic Imagings,Ultrasound, Diagnostic,Ultrasounds, Diagnostic
D014621 Vagina The genital canal in the female, extending from the UTERUS to the VULVA. (Stedman, 25th ed) Vaginas

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