Histopathology of fallopian tubes with recurrent tubal pregnancy

Fifteen fallopian tubes in which a previous ipsilateral eccyesis was managed by conservative surgical techniques were examined. The condition of the tube relative to the previous surgical management and the resolution of the previous implantation sites were correlated with the recurrent tubal pregnancy. All previous incisions were identified and all were well-healed, except for one fistula. Residual histologic evidence was present in only five of 16 previous implantation sites. The recurrent eccyeses were related to previous surgical management in only three women, two after anastomosis and one because of inadvertent obstruction of the tube. The cases of tubal obstruction and tuboperitoneal fistula formation were thought to reflect a lack of understanding of the pathologic changes associated with tubal pregnancy during conservative surgery. The previous tubal incision sites were all remarkably well-healed regardless of whether they were primarily closed or left open, and independent of location. Infundibular or fimbrial "milk-outs" were without histologic evidence of damage. The underlying tubal disease (chronic salpingitis, follicular salpingitis, or salpingitis isthmica nodosa) seems to be the major factor identified that is associated with, and probably the cause for, the recurrent tubal gestation.