Blocked Fallopian Tubes: Symptoms, Fertility Issues & Treatment - Dr. Jyothi Patil | Doctors' Circle

Dr. Jyothi Patil | Appointment booking number : 9481488888 & 9113681726
Consultant Gynecologist, Obstetrician & Fertility Specialist | Janani Fertility and Gyne Care, Kundalahalli, Bangalore
What are these Fallopian Tubes?
These are two very fine tubes which are there next to the uterus and which help sin carrying the sperm to reach the egg. Once the ovulation or the egg release happens, this tube’s function is to pick the egg and once the egg is being picked in the tube, the sperm has to travel through the tube and pick the egg. So the fertilization, the sperm and egg meet in the tube, which results in the formation of an embryo, which results in a pregnancy.

What is a blocked Fallopian Tube?
Block doesn’t mean there is a mechanical block that is causing the tube not to function. It might be a small mucus or a blood clot that might be sitting in the lumen or inside the tube and which might not be allowing the sperm to bypass it and meet the egg.

So what are the causes of this Blocked Fallopian Tubes?
The first thing is an infection in the Pelvis, called as Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, any tuberculosis, any surgeries in the tube previously, any ectopic pregnancy, that is the pregnancy happening inside the tube, all this can cause tubal blockage. There is something called as hydrosalpinx, wherein the tubes get dilated and there will be some accumulation of water inside. That is also a reason for blocked Fallopian Tubes. I want to emphasize that Tubal Factor Infertility contributes to about 40% cases of Infertility.

Are we going to have any symptoms of the tubes are going to be blocked?
No, the only thing is we will have unusual white discharge because of the tubal damage or if there is hydrosalphix, there might be a foul smelling odour or a discharge. Occasionally there might be abdominal cramps.

The next thing is how are we going to Diagnose it?
It is a simple procedure, that is by taking an x-ray, that is HSG or hysterosalpingogram, that is from day 6 to day 10 of your cycle, any of the days when you stop bleeding, a small dye that is the color will be pushed from down below. From the vagina this color will be pushed and it will enter the uterus and then it has to flow from both the tubes. While flowing from both the tubes the x-ray is taken. If there is a tubal blockage, we will not be able to see the tubes at all. If the tubes are open and with the dyes or the color, we will be able to see the tube and if there is a blockage, we will be able to identify the blockage by doing this HSG.
So the next modality. Now we have identified that here is a tubal blockage. Is this permanent? The next treatment is to go for a laparoscopy and we have identified that there is a tubal blockage in HSG.

Is this tubal blockage a permanent one? What are the chances of conception if both the tubes are blocked? First thing, is we have to confirm that are we able to clear this block or no? Laparoscopy is when we have to put a small hole in the abdomen on the tummy, put in camera and see the tubes and we can correct the tubal blockage. If it is not possible to clear the blockage or if the tube is very greatly damaged or severely damaged, the next modality is to go for an IVF, because the main function of the tube is for the fertilization to happen. So when there are bilateral blockage, the chances of conception will be less in a natural way. So in IVF the function of the tube, we do it outside, or we do it in a lab, we take the eggs outside the sperms outside and we mix the egg and the sperm together, make it an embryo, grow the embryo and directly put the embryo into the uterus.

#IVF
#TubalBlockage
#BlockedFallopianTubes.
#Hydrosalpinx
#TubalFactorInfertility
#PelvicInflammatoryDisease