What is hydrosalpinx?

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Hydrosalpinx is an alteration of the fallopian tube characterized by obstruction and accumulation of fluid at its end, which causes the tube dilates and distends, complicating and even preventing its proper function, which is to allow the encounter between the ovum and the sperm so fertilization can take place.

Below you have an index with all the points that we will discuss in this article.

Index

What is hydrosalpinx? - Causes, symptoms and treatment

Since the female reproductive system has two fallopian tubes, there are two types of hydrosalpinx: the unilateral and bilateral hydrosalpinx, which can be seen in the image below. In the unilateral only one of the tubes is affected, the other remains intact, while in the bilateral both tubes are obstructed.

When the fallopian tubes present this alteration, the natural pregnancy is complicated, because the obstruction will prevent the sperm from reaching the ovum to fertilize it. Hydrosalpinx can, therefore, cause fertility problems in the couple, and assisted reproduction may be necessary to achieve a pregnancy with this condition.

Causes and symptoms

Hydrosalpinx are usually produced mainly for the following reasons:

  • Infection: it is the most common cause. It is usually due to a sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia or gonorrhea, although this type of STD does not always cause hydrosalpinx.
  • Endometriosis: is the appearance and growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, in this case in the fallopian tubes
  • Previous abdominal surgery: a previous operation in the tubes or in some other organ of the pelvic cavity may have caused adhesions
  • The use of the IUD as a contraceptive
  • Having suffered a previous ectopic pregnancy

Hydrosalpinx are usually asymptomatic, that is, they do not cause symptoms. Therefore, it is difficult to discover it and for that reason it is usual to detect it in a study of the couple when there are fertility problems.

In some cases, the woman may feel pain, usually in the lower part of the belly, which may be constant or become more severe at certain times. In more complicated cases, fever, malaise and a foul-smelling vaginal discharge may occur.



Diagnosis and treatment

A hydrosalpinx can be detected in a fertility study of the couple by ultrasound, which does not pose any risk, is easy for the specialist and comfortable for the patient. This diagnostic method allows to observe the fluid inside the tube.

Hysterosalpingography and laparoscopy, on the other hand, are invasive and more complex techniques. The first is painful and involves the use of X-rays, and the second requires anesthesia.

The treatment is usually done by a laparoscopic operation, by which the affected tube is removed or occluded to prevent the fluid from reaching the uterus and may have a negative influence in case a pregnancy is desired.

On the other hand, if the cause of hydrosalpinx is an infection, it will be necessary to treat it with antibiotics to prevent it from spreading.

Interview with Dr. Elena Martín

In the following video, Dr. Elena Martín talks about the pathology of hydrosalpinx and what are the reproductive options to achieve pregnancy.

Frequent questions


doppler ultrasound in Guipuzcoa(Spain)

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