Hydrosalpinx: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Complications

The hydrosalpinx disease causes fluid to build up and obstruct the fallopian tubes. In your body, fallopian tubes connect the uterus and ovaries. Your ovaries release an egg each month as part of your menstrual cycle, and that egg travels through your fallopian tubes. Healthy fallopian tubes provide a clear path for the union of an egg and a sperm (fertilization). The fertilized egg or embryo passes through a similar open duct to reach your uterus. An embryo that has placed itself in your uterine wall can then grow into a baby.

An accumulation of fluid blocks this channel when there is a hydrosalpinx. Sperm may have trouble getting to your egg through a blocked fallopian tube. If you experience occlusion in your fallopian tube, the embryo may not be able to implant in your uterus even if fertilization occurs.

Causes OF Hydrosalpinx

Your fimbriae could fuse together during the healing process, closing your fallopian tubes. Your tubes swell as a result of fluid being trapped inside of them.

The following are some causes of hydrosalpinx:

• STIs including chlamydia and gonorrhea were previously untreated.
• PID, which frequently results from untreated STIs.
• Scar tissue from pelvic surgery, particularly when the fallopian tubes were operated on.
• Endometriosis-related tissue accumulation.
• A few tumors.

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Symptoms Of Hydrosalpinx

Rarely does a hydrosalpinx produce symptoms. When your healthcare professional looks into the reasons why getting pregnant is tough for you, you might not realize your tubes are clogged.

When symptoms are experienced, they consist of:

• Pelvic pain that could worsen during or shortly after your period.
• A sticky or discolored vaginal discharge.
• The most typical cause of a hydrosalpinx is an untreated infection. Your fallopian tubes may become inflamed and damaged as a result of harmful germs. Your fallopian tube's fimbriae, which are located near your ovaries, are frequently irritated. Your fallopian tubes' fimbriae are finger-like extensions that whisk an egg from your ovaries into them.

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Diagnosis Of Hydrosalpinx

There are tests to see if your fallopian tubes are blocked, such as:

• Ultrasound- Your fallopian tubes are typically not visible on an ultrasound. However, they will appear larger than usual if they are inflated as a result of fluid accumulation. Sometimes they have a sausage-like form. Additional tests may be requested by your doctor to ensure that a hydrosalpinx is indeed the source of the alteration.
• HSG or a hysterosalpingogram- A fallopian tube obstruction test using X-ray dye is called an HSG. It is the most typical test for identifying hydrosalpinx. Your doctor will put a dye medium within your uterus and use an X-ray to observe how it moves. Your tubes are open if the dye leaks through them and into your pelvic area. If the dye suddenly stops, your tubes are blocked.
• Laparoscopy-  Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that gives your doctor access to the interior of your abdomen. They make a series of tiny incisions in your abdomen and insert a laparoscope, a miniature camera, to provide a closer look at your fallopian tubes. To check for obstructions, a catheter may occasionally be put into your cervix and vagina to inject dye into your uterus and fallopian tubes. A laparoscopy can be utilized to validate the HSG's findings.

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Treatment Of Hydrosalpinx

By treating a hydrosalpinx, you can boost your chances of becoming pregnant. Various variables, including your age and the degree of your obstruction, will affect how you are treated.

Your doctor will suggest medications to treat any illnesses you have that are still present. Surgical procedures comprise:

• Salpingectomy: Removal of one (bilateral salpingectomy) or both fallopian tubes.
• Salpingostomy (neo salpingostomy): Clears your tubes of obstruction. Laparoscopy is typically used to conduct salpingostomies. Your doctor makes a little incision into your fallopian tube during a salpingostomy procedure to empty it. The tube's broken sections can be taken out, and the sealed-off ends can be opened once more by your provider. Salpingostomy is currently a less common procedure than IVF due to the results it produces. Your potential for pregnancy and miscarriage

Following this procedure, problems can worsen. Salpingostomy is less successful in conceiving babies than IVF. Many people and couples who are attempting to conceive choose IVF instead of fallopian tube surgery after receiving hydrosalpinx therapy. Depending on your particular situation, your provider can advise you on the best course of action.

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Complications Of Hydrosalpinx

A hydrosalpinx that is left untreated might make it challenging to get pregnant and raise your chances of miscarriage and pregnancy issues. A hydrosalpinx can: In addition to making it challenging to conceive through sexual activity, it can:

Increased chance of an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy: An ectopic pregnancy happens when an embryo implants in one of your fallopian tubes after being unable to reach your uterus due to a blockage. Without treatment, many pregnancies are not viable and may even pose a hazard to life.

Reduce the likelihood that you will become pregnant with in vitro fertilization (IVF): IVF can help you conceive without the use of your fallopian tubes. Using sperm from your partner or a donor, your healthcare professional uses IVF to remove your eggs and fertilize them outside of your body.

Your medical professional will then insert the embryo into your uterus, where it can grow. As soon as the embryo implants into your uterine wall, a hydrosalpinx might cause issues. According to research, the fluid from a hydrosalpinx can run backward into your uterus, producing an unfavorable environment for an embryo in the process of development.

Even if you choose IVF, treating a hydrosalpinx improves your chances of a healthy pregnancy.

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