Salpingoscopy is an important part of the infertility work-up

To assess the efficacy of salpingoscopy as a routine part of the infertility work-up by comparing laparoscopic findings with salpingoscopic findings, and to match the pregnancies achieved by the patients with findings obtained from the endoscopic evaluation.

A retrospective study conducted between January 1990 and June 30, 1994.

One hundred twenty-four women undergoing infertility investigations. Two were suspected of having pelvic inflammatory disease, and one had an extrauterine pregnancy.

The Jan Palfijn General Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium.

Video hysteroscopy, laparoscopy, and salpingoscopy were performed in every patient. Adhesiolysis was done in 46 and neosalpingostomy in 5. Salpingoscopy was performed on 188 fallopian tubes; 60 tubes (24.15%) could not be cannulated. Drilling of polycystic ovaries was done in eight patients, ovarian cystectomy in five, and myomectomy in one. Endometriosis lesions were treated in 38 women.

In 3 of 13 women who were diagnosed as having endometritis at hysteroscopy, salpingoscopy revealed severe lesions of the mucosal folds. Of the normal-looking tubes at laparoscopy, 25.8% had mucosal lesions. Of the abnormal looking tubes at laparoscopy, only 13.5% had normal mucosal folds. More than one-fourth (28.5%) of patients with endometriosis AFS I and II had mucosal lesions. The number of pregnancies achieved by these women correlated well with salpingoscopy except in those with class III lesions.

This study confirms that tubes that look normal externally can have lesions of the endosalpinx. A maximum possibility of spontaneous pregnancy exists when the mucosal folds are normal. Class III lesions are compatible with fertility, although the probability is reduced. With severe mucosal lesions the chances of spontaneous pregnancy are very remote.