PATENCY OF THE TUBES

LAPAROSCOPY

A lot of information can be obtained about the tubes by actually looking inside the abdomen with a telescope inserted through a small incision below the navel. Laparoscope has been designed specifically to allow a very detailed examination of the inside of the abdomen. The uterus, tubes and ovary can be inspected without making large incisions. This procedure generally has to be performed with the patient anesthetized and therefore may require a day in the hospital. Some gynecologists perform this procedure under local anesthesia, but most use general anesthesia.

Laparoscopy can reveal adhesions from previous infection that may be blocking the tubes, as well as more subtle adhesions outside the tube that could interfere with their ability to pick up the egg. Laparascopy can allow one to examine the surface of the ovaries to see if there is scarred appearance, which suggests that ovulation is not occurring. Furthermore, laparascopy is the only way of making a firm diagnosis of endometriosis. Such endometrial implants are a major cause of infertility. Laparoscopy can also be used as a confirmatory procedure by injecting a blue-colored liquid into the uterus through the cervix and observing through the telescope whether this fluid spills freely through the tube into the abdomen. Sometimes tubes that appear to be blocked on an x-ray are shown really to be open on laparascopy.