How to Treat Blocked Fallopian Tubes
The fallopian tubes carry the eggs released from the ovary to the uterus. If a woman’s fallopian tubes become completely or partially blocked, the sperm is often unable to reach the egg and fertilization and pregnancy can’t occur. The fallopian tubes can become blocked as a result of various types of pelvic infections, such as pelvic inflammatory disease. Women who have had a ruptured appendix or previous abdominal surgery, may develop scar tissue which blocks the tubes. There are surgical options to treatment blocked fallopian tubes. The success rate depends on the extent and cause of the blockage.
Step 1
See an infertility specialist. Your gynecologist can give you a referral to a specialist in your area. A specialist can discuss various surgical options. Although advances are continually made in medicine, currently surgical procedures are the primary treatment to open blocked fallopian tubes. However, if the tubes can’t be treated, there are other types of fertility treatments which may help a woman achieve pregnancy.
Step 2
Get a hysterosalpingogram. This procedure is a type of X-ray of the fallopian tubes. A dye is injected into the uterus through a tube, which is inserted through the vagina. The dye moves through the uterus and fallopian tubes. An X-ray is taken while the dye flows through the tubes. This allows the doctor to determine what section of the fallopian tube is blocked and the extent of the blockage.
Step 3
Undergo a tubal reanastomosis. This is a type of surgical procedure to treat blocked fallopian tubes. It is usually a laparoscopic procedure, which means small incisions are made through the abdomen. The blocked portion of the fallopian tube is cut away and the healthy sections of the tube are connected.
Step 4
Have a procedure to remove fluid blocking the tubes. If a blockage is caused by fluid, a salpingostomy may be done. During a salpingostomy a small opening is made in the fallopian tube near the ovary for the fluid to drain.
Step 5
Consider alternative ways to become pregnant. Although other fertility treatments won’t unblock a fallopian tube, they can help a woman become pregnant, which is the goal of treating blocked fallopian tubes. A fertility specialist can discuss options, such as in vitro fertilization. In this procedure a woman’s eggs are removed and fertilized with the sperm in a lab. The embryos are transferred back into the woman’s uterus.
Warnings
- Be aware not all surgical procedures to treat blocked fallopian tubes are successful. Procedures may not unblock the tubes, or a blockage can reoccur.
