Tubal catheterization and selective salpingography

Hysterosalpingography with selective salpingography is by now a well-established technique in the diagnosis and therapy of some forms of female sterility especially in relation to tubal disease. The experience with a group of 302 patients with unilateral (187) or bilateral (115) proximal tubal disease, is reported. As for the catheterization of obstructed tubes, the technique was successful in about 94% of cases, while failure was observed in 6% of cases due to organic disease which hindered the transit of the angiographic guidewire or catheter. 10% of all the patients achieved spontaneous pregnancy while artificial insemination was performed in 15%. A 12-month follow-up of 10 women undergoing hysterosalpingography showed in approximately 60% of cases a new uni-or bilateral proximal tubal obstruction. No immediate or late severe procedure-associated complications were observed. Extrauterine pregnancy occurred in 2% of cases, probably due to the restored patency in tubes lacking physiologic motility.