Single suture laparoscopic tubal re-anastomosis

The goal of this article is to report our experience and review recent articles obtained for laparoscopic tubal sterilization reversal. The technique we describe is 'single suture laparoscopic tubal re-anastomosis'. This technique is simple and atraumatic and requires only one stitch in the tube. After preparing the tube stumps and bringing the edges of the mesosalpinx together, laparoscopic anastomosis is achieved by one stitch placed at '12 o'clock' on the antimesial edge of the tube. Between May 1994 and June 1997 we operated on 32 patients using this technique and carried out 48 tubal sterilization reversals. For the patients who underwent postoperative hysterosalpingography during the first or second month after the operation, the rate of patency was 87.5% (42/48). The overall intrauterine pregnancy rate was 53.1% (17 out of 32 patients). The overall delivery rate was 40.6% (13 out of 32 patients). The intrauterine pregnancy rate for the 17 patients who were aged 38 years or under was 58.8% (10 out of 17 patients). Laparoscopic tubal sterilization reversal is feasible with a simplified technique. Review of the publications concerning laparoscopic microsurgical tubal anastomosis confirms satisfactory fertility results. The surgeon should be experienced in microsurgical tubal anastomosis by laparotomy as well as operative laparoscopic procedures.