Fallopian Tube Blockage Treatment

Fallopian tubes can become blocked due to a variety of reasons such as infections, surgical complications and diseases. Most times blocked tubes do not present any symptoms meaning that a person could have blocked tubes and not be aware. Typically, blocked fallopian tubes are discovered in the course of treatment for something else. In this article we shall be discussing what causes fallopian tubes to become blocked, how blockage is detected, and the treatments available for fallopian tube blockage. 

Understanding Fallopian Tube Blockage

Fallopian tubes are central to reproduction as they are the bridge between the ovaries and the uterus. They facilitate ovulation by providing a passageway for eggs when they are released from the antral follicles. They are also the location where fertilization typically occurs, and from where the embryo travels into the uterus for pregnancy to progress. As a result, it is practically impossible for natural conception to occur without the fallopian tubes.  When they become blocked, either partly or completely, reproductive functions are interrupted.

What Causes Blocked Fallopian Tubes?

There are different issues that cause a fallopian tube to become blocked. Blockage can occur in either one or both tubes and can be as a result of bacterial infections, untreated sexually transmitted infections (STIs), scar tissue following surgery, or inflammation that was caused by disease. Ectopic pregnancies can also cause fallopian tubes to become blocked, but they are life-threatening and require immediate emergency medical intervention. 

Infections

Infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), are leading causes of fallopian tube blockage, if they remain untreated for a long period of time. When untreated, they cause the body to develop scar tissue, which is what causes the tubes to become blocked. Typically, an STI would initially affect the vagina, but without treatment, it then spreads into the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. 

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition in which the type of tissue that lines the uterus is found growing in other parts of the body. In normal menstruation, this tissue is shed by the body, but when it grows elsewhere, it cannot be shed. Endometriosis is typically found around the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus. Sometimes it can be found between the uterus and bladder, or between the uterus and rectum. Rarely, though it does occur, it can be found around the vagina, cervix, intestines or stomach. .When endometriosis is found either on or near the fallopian tubes, it can cause scar tissue to form over time, which blocks the tubes.

Ectopic Pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants itself within the fallopian tube causing it to rupture. If immediate medical attention is not sought, it could potentially kill the pregnant person. The medical intervention for this is usually surgery, after which scarring on the inside of the tube could cause blockage and sometimes infertility. 

Surgery

Surgeries by nature cause scar tissue to form, and when surgery is done to treat endometriosis, remove cysts or remedy an ectopic pregnancy, it usually will lead to fallopian tube blockage.

Symptoms of Blocked Fallopian Tubes

Blocked fallopian tubes usually do not present any symptoms. Their discovery is made in the course of treatment for something else entirely. Sometimes, they are discovered when a person is struggling to become pregnant. As investigations are being made to find out what the cause of infertility is, the blockage is discovered. 

Sometimes, blocked fallopian tubes are discovered when a patient presents with symptoms of illness such as symptoms of PID, hydrosalpinx, or endometriosis. As tests are being run to determine the best course of treatment, blockage is discovered.

Fallopian Tube Blockage and Infertility

Where fallopian tube blockage is the cause of infertility, it means that sperm can neither reach the egg to fertilize it, and neither can the embryo make its way to the uterus for implantation. When the cause of infertility is blockage or damage to the fallopian tube, it is medically known as tubal factor infertility, which accounts for about 20 percent of female infertility cases.

Treatment of Fallopian Tube Blockage

Having discussed the causes and effects of blocked fallopian tubes, it is important to point out that there are treatments available for fallopian tube blockage. Depending on the type of blockage, surgery is one option, while a procedure called recanalization re-opens a previously blocked tube.

Surgery

There are several types of surgery used for the treatment of fallopian tube blockage, we shall discuss each of the procedures briefly below:

• Laparoscopic surgery is a non-invasive type of surgery that is done by making small incisions on the patient’s abdomen, through which surgical tools are inserted for the surgery. 
• Hysteroscopic surgery similarly does not typically require any cutting to gain access to the blocked or damaged fallopian tube, as access is gained through the cervix. 
• A salpingectomy removes the blocked or damaged fallopian tube in its entirety. This is usually done when there could be the possibility of future complications. As fallopian tubes naturally occur as a pair, the other fallopian tube provides the opportunity for future conception. 
• A bilateral salpingectomy is done in the case where both fallopian tubes are blocked or damaged. If the patient desires to build a family in the future, they can have their eggs retrieved directly from the ovaries, and become pregnant through assisted reproductive treatments.  

Recanalization

According to a study out of Stanford fallopian tube recanalization has been 90 percent successful in the restoration of fallopian tubes to their normal functionality. Recanalization is a procedure which is done using an x-ray camera and liquid dye to provide the necessary contrast. Thereafter, access to the fallopian tubes is gained through the uterus using two catheters. One catheter is used as a guide, and a second smaller one is inserted right to where the blockage is located. The second catheter is withdrawn, releasing the blockage.

Err on The Side of Caution

Although blocked fallopian tubes can negatively impact fertility, there are treatment options available which enable patients to carry on with their family building plans. For more severe cases where both tubes may have been removed, assisted reproductive technology has been used successfully to facilitate pregnancy. If you have any further questions regarding infertility, Ivy Fertility has facilities countrywide which offer a variety of reproductive health services tailored to each patient’s needs.