A review of selective salpingography and fallopian tube catheterization

Use of selective salpingography and fallopian tube recanalization has revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of infertility. Selective salpingography, a diagnostic procedure in which the fallopian tube is directly opacified through a catheter placed in the tubal ostium, has been used since the late 1980s to differentiate spasm from true obstruction and to clarify discrepant findings from other tests. In fallopian tube recanalization, a catheter and guide wire system is used to clear proximal tubal obstructions. The recanalization procedure is simple for interventional radiologists to perform and is successfully completed in most patients (71%-92%). Pregnancy rates after the procedure have been variable, with an average rate of 30%. The combination of selective salpingography with fallopian tube recanalization has improved the overall management of infertility caused by tubal obstruction. The same catheterization technique used in fallopian tube recanalization is currently being explored for use in tubal sterilization.