Hysterosalpingography findings in infertile Sudanese women: a cross-sectional study on tube blockage.

Introduction: infertility is a significant public health concern in Africa and Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is an affordable option for initial treatment. This study aimed to provide information about the incidence of abnormal pathology and tubal findings in HSG of Sudanese women who experienced infertility. Methods: this prospective cross-sectional study included 100 infertile patients who were requested for HSG, including age, duration of infertility, body mass index (BMI), medical history, and HSG findings collected after performing the radiographic test, which was diagnosed by an experienced radiologist. Results: one hundred infertile women (46% and 54%) experienced primary and secondary infertility, respectively. Mean age was (31.1 ± 5.2, 27.5 ± 6.0) years, and BMI was (25.1 ± 3.3, 25.7 ± 2.9) Kg/cm2 for primary and secondary infertility respectively. Abnormal findings prevalence was (29/46, 63%) and (30/54, 56%). The incidence of fallopian tube abnormality was (52/100, 52% (25/46, 54.3%), and (27/56, 50%) for primary and secondary infertility, respectively. Forty-one percent of participants had normal hysterosalpingograms. Pelvic surgery was the highest risk factor in 24% of the participants. Age and medical history were significantly associated with the infertility type (P < 0.05). Conclusion: infertile patients who underwent hysterosalpingography (HSG) were predominantly older, with secondary infertility being slightly more common, underscoring the importance of early diagnostic evaluation and care. Fallopian tube abnormalities were the most common cause of infertility, with tube blockage affecting nearly half of the participants. Additionally, this study revealed that prior pelvic surgery significantly increased the risk of infertility.

When an inguinal hernia is more than just a hernia with ovary and fallopian tube involvement: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Finding an ovary and/or fallopian tube within an indirect inguinal hernia is a rare occurrence that can be detected incidentally during elective surgery or present as a medical emergency requiring immediate intervention. Hence, it poses a difficult clinical picture in a reproductive-age woman with groin mass. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: We describe the case of a 45-year-old Ethiopian woman of Amhara ethnicity who presented with a left inguinal swelling that persisted for 5 years. Physical examination revealed an irreducible, non-tender lump in the left groin and an ultrasonography scan confirmed the presence of an indirect inguinal hernia. The patient was then scheduled for elective hernia repair. During the surgery, both her left ovary and fallopian tube were found within the hernial sac. The contents were released from the sac, high ligation performed, and the inguinal floor repaired with mesh. DISCUSSION: Inguinal hernias in women are rare and often present a diagnostic challenge. Although the exact pathogenesis of inguinal hernias containing female genital organs is unknown, some risk factors have been postulated. Diagnosis should start with a physical exam and imaging, but many of the cases have been intraoperative surprises. Management is primarily surgical, ranging from simple reduction and hernia repair to salpingo-oophorectomy depending on the status of the hernia contents. CONCLUSION: This report emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion when examining females with inguinal hernias to ensure accurate diagnosis and management of tubo-ovarian hernias. Although rare, inguinal hernias containing female genital organs should be considered in the differential diagnosis of inguinal hernias, as early detection and appropriate surgical management can prevent potential complications.

Diagnostic accuracy of hysterosalpingo-foam sonography for assessment of fallopian tube patency in infertile women.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the diagnostic accuracy of hysterosalpingo-foam sonography (HyFoSy), using two-dimensional ultrasound in tubal patency assessment in infertile women compared with laparoscopy with dye chromotubation? DESIGN: This prospective study was conducted at My Duc Hospital, Vietnam. Infertile women aged 18 years or older, who were scheduled for laparoscopy, were included. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score for perception of pain during HyFoSy was used. Laparoscopy was carried out on the same day. Clinicians undertaking laparoscopy were blinded to HyFoSy results. Sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive value, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. A sample size of 455 women (n = 910 fallopian tubes) was needed to demonstrate a fluctuation hypothesis, not exceeding 6%, for sensitivity and specificity (power 0.80, two-sided alpha 5%, loss to follow-up 5%). RESULTS: Between 2019 and 2022, 455 participants were recruited. Hysterosalpingo-foam sonography was unsuccessfully carried out in six participants. Two withdrew their consent. Data analysis was conducted on the remaining 447 participants (n = 868 fallopian tubes). The sensitivity and specificity of hysterosalpingo-foam sonography compared with laparoscopy were 0.75 (95% CI 0.71 to 0.79) and 0.70 (95% CI 0.65 to 0.74), respectively. Hysterosalpingo-foam sonography gave a positive predictive value of 0.76 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.80) and negative predictive value of 0.68 (95% CI 0.64 to 0.73). A total of 42.8% of women reported a VAS score of no pain. No adverse event was reported. CONCLUSION: Compared with laparoscopy with dye chromotubation, two-dimensional HyFoSy is a well-tolerated, reliable technique for assessing tubal patency.

Ovary and Fallopian Tube Displacement in an Adolescent Patient with a History of Omphalocele.

BACKGROUND: Omphalocele is an abnormality in which fetal abdominal organs protrude through the abdominal wall. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 13-year-old female with a history of omphalocele repair who presented with acute periumbilical pain, nausea, and vomiting. A computed tomography scan showed a para-ovarian cyst and mild dilation of the small bowel. During laparoscopy, the right ovary and fallopian tube were detached from the uterus and located behind the cecum. Despite this displacement, the ovary appeared to have retained functionality with intact blood supply. We hypothesize that surgical repair led to pelvic adhesion that caused torsion and avulsion of the fallopian tube and utero-ovarian ligament that led to the displacement. CONCLUSION: This anatomical change should be considered in surgical patients with a history of omphalocele repair.

Unusual presentation of late-stage ectopic tubal pregnancy (19 weeks' gestation): Case report and literature review.

Ectopic pregnancy is a medical condition in which a fertilized egg takes an unexpected detour away from the uterine cavity and the fallopian tube becomes a popular host, with the ampulla being the prime location. However, it can occur in other areas such as cervix, ovaries, or abdomen. The most common risk factors are pelvic inflammatory disease, previous pelvic or abdominal surgery, abnormal anatomy of genital organs, endometriosis, previous ectopic pregnancies, assisted reproductive technologies, endocrine disorders, and even the subtle influence of low-dose progestins from contraceptives. We will present a rare case of unrecognized late-stage tubal ectopic pregnancy. The following case report is of a 25-year-old Caucasian female patient (G2, P0) who presented to the emergency department with a 24-hour abdominal pain syndrome. The patient did not have a gynecological examination for this reason. During the examination, taking into account the clinical and ultrasound findings, a suspicion of pregnancy in a bicornuate uterus was raised, and an MRI of the pelvis was performed. MRI showed ectopic pregnancy in the left fallopian tube with a properly developed fetus that corresponded to a gestation of 19 weeks. An emergency laparotomy was performed and the left fallopian tube with the fetus was removed. The early and late course of recovery went smoothly. The patient was discharged after adequate clinical development.

Value of painless transvaginal four-dimensional hysterosalpingo contrast sonography in reducing venous intravasation: a comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of painless transvaginal four-dimensional hysterosalpingo contrast sonography (TV 4-D HyCoSy) in reducing venous intravasation and its influencing factors through a retrospective comparative study on conventional TV 4-D HyCoSy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 451 patients were enrolled in this study from Jan. 2019 to Oct. 2021. There were 249 patients in the painless TV 4-D HyCoSy group and 202 patients in the conventional TV 4-D HyCoSy group. The incidence of venous intravasation and its related influencing factors were analyzed and compared between these two groups. The difficulty of image evaluation for the diagnosis was also compared. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the baseline characteristics between the painless group and the conventional group (p > 0.05). Compared with the conventional group, the painless group had a lower incidence of venous intravasation (16.9 vs. 24.8%; p = 0.039). Painless TV 4-D HyCoSy was more effective in reducing venous intravasation in patients with primary infertility (p = 0.032) without a history of pelvic surgery (p = 0.008) or ectopic pregnancy (p = 0.018). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that painless TV 4-D HyCoSy and endometrial thickness > 5 mm were protective factors for venous intravasation. Moreover, the diagnostic procedure was easier in the painless group than in the conventional group (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Painless TV 4D-HyCoSy may be an effective mode in reducing the incidence of venous intravasation and improving the diagnosis of patency of fallopian tubes.

Hysterosalpingography: a step up for dose reduction.

AIM: To evaluate the efficiency of last image capture in interpreting a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) when compared to conventional spot views; to confirm its validity in showing pathology; to establish its use as the preferred method; and to decrease the radiation dose to the patient. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of women aged ≥18 years. A standard technique was performed including additional five last image capture after each spot view. Every patient had two stacks of images, one with the exposure film and one with the last image capture. The images were interpreted separately (high-dose versus low-dose) and blindly by two radiologists with different levels of training assessing for uterine abnormalities, fallopian tube abnormalities, peritoneal spillage, and incidental findings. Inter-reading variability was calculated using Kohen's kappa. RESULTS: Discrepancies between exposure film and last image capture were detected in only a minority of cases for all variables. Except for the presence of strictures, there was at least substantial agreement between the readers and almost perfect agreement regarding peritoneal spillage and fallopian tube patency, both on exposure film and last image capture. CONCLUSION: Reduction in radiation dose without compromising the diagnostic efficacy of HSG is mandatory. If the study is of sufficient quality and deemed negative on last image capture, conventional spot view can be avoided. If further detail is required, standard spot views can still be obtained. Using last image capture instead of spot films has the potential to reduce the overall radiation dose by up to 78%.

Contrast Agent Reflux in Transvaginal 4-D Hysterosalpingo-Contrast Sonography: Influencing Factors and Coping Strategies.

ABSTRACT: Transvaginal 4-D hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography (TV 4-D HyCoSy) plays an important role in the detection and diagnosis of clinical female infertility. The purposes of this study were to analyze the influencing factors of TV 4murD HyCoSy complicated with contrast agent reflux and to provide evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Female patients diagnosed as infertility by transvaginal hysterosalpingography from January 2021 to December 2022 were included. The characteristics of patients with and without contrast agent reflux were evaluated. Pearson correlation and logistic regression were conducted to analyze the related factors affecting the occurrence of contrast reflux. A total of 416 patients undergoing TV 4-D HyCoSy were included, and the incidence of contrast agent reflux in patients undergoing TV 4-D HyCoSy was 38.94%. Pearson correlation analysis results indicated that history of uterine cavity operation ( r = 0.556), adenomyosis of uterus ( r = 0.584), examination on less than 5 days after menstruation ( r = 0.602), endometrial thickness ( r = 0.566), and endometrial polyps ( r = 0.575) are all correlated with contrast agent reflux in patients undergoing 4-D HyCoSy (all P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that history of uterine cavity operation (odds ratio [OR], 1.109; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.012-1.872), adenomyosis of uterus (OR, 2.026; 95% CI, 1.864-2.425), examination on less than 5 days after menstruation (OR, 2.465; 95% CI, 2.118-2.851), endometrial thickness less than 6 mm (OR, 2.866; 95% CI, 2.095-2.957), and endometrial polyps (OR, 1.587; 95% CI, 1.137-1.744) were the influencing factors of contrast agent reflux in patients undergoing (all P < 0.05). The incidence of contrast agent reflux in TV 4-D HyCoSy is high, and there are many influencing factors. Clinical medical workers should take early measures based on these influencing factors to reduce the contrast agent reflux.

Large unruptured tubal pregnancy mimicking abdominal pregnancy.

Ectopic pregnancy accounts for 1-2% of all pregnancies. Ultrasound is the primary diagnostic tool to locate pregnancy outside the uterus and identify complications such as haemoperitoneum. In inconclusive cases, MRI is an adjunctive imaging modality offering more precise tissue differentiation and helpful to location identification. Presented is an unusual case of tubal pregnancy. The patient in her 30s, who was 14 weeks into her first pregnancy, had a suspected abdominal pregnancy. Both transabdominal ultrasound and an MRI indicated an ectopic pregnancy, likely originating from the right fallopian tube. A successful laparotomy and right salpingectomy were performed without complications. Rarely, as in this case, large unruptured and advanced tubal pregnancies can mimic an abdominal pregnancy, underscoring the importance of disease recognition and familiarity with uncommon image findings. An accurate diagnosis of pregnancy location is crucial for effective case management.

Bilateral tubal pregnancy in a woman without risk factors.

In this case report, a woman with no risk factors was admitted with bilateral tubal ectopic pregnancy. Bilateral ectopic pregnancy is a rare clinical condition with clinical findings which in their symptoms do not differ from those of unilateral ectopic pregnancy. The condition can therefore easily be missed. The risk of rupture and haemorrhagic shock might be increased because of the increased danger of both tubes presenting with complications. Thus, it is important to examine both adnexa by transvaginal ultrasound. Even if unilateral ectopic pregnancy is considered before operation, the inspection of the abdomen, especially of the other fallopian tube, must always be done during surgery.

Novel oviduct endoscope combining optical coherence tomography with intratubal ultrasonography for fallopian tube exploration: An in vivo rabbit pilot study.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM: Currently, several limitations exist in the examination of the oviduct. In this study, the usefulness and feasibility of a novel ultrafine dual-modality oviduct endoscopy device for in vivo assessment of the oviduct were evaluated. METHODS: Five Japanese white rabbits were selected to undergo oviduct probing using a combination of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and intratubal ultrasonography. The feasibility of the procedure was evaluated through 152 pairs of clear, clinically interpretable images obtained using spiral scanning via the pull-back method. OCT images were compared with the oviduct histopathology sections. RESULTS: Visualization of the oviduct using both OCT and ultrasound revealed a differentiated three-layer tissue; however, ultrasound showed a poorer clarity than OCT. By comparing OCT images with the histological morphology of the oviduct, the inner low-reflective layer of the oviduct corresponds to the mucosal layer, the middle high-reflective layer corresponds to the fibrous muscle layer, and the outer low-reflective layer corresponds to the connective tissue layer. Postoperatively, the general condition of the animals was good. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the feasibility and potential clinical value of the novel ultrafine dual-modality oviduct endoscope. Dual-modality imaging of OCT and intratubal ultrasonography can provide clearer microstructure of the oviduct wall.

The effectiveness of immediate versus delayed tubal flushing with oil-based contrast in women with unexplained infertility (H2Oil-timing study): study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In women with unexplained infertility, tubal flushing with oil-based contrast during hysterosalpingography leads to significantly more live births as compared to tubal flushing with water-based contrast during hysterosalpingography. However, it is unknown whether incorporating tubal flushing with oil-based contrast in the initial fertility work-up results to a reduced time to conception leading to live birth when compared to delayed tubal flushing that is performed six months after the initial fertility work-up. We also aim to evaluate the effectiveness of tubal flushing with oil-based contrast during hysterosalpingography versus no tubal flushing in the first six months of the study. METHODS: This study will be an investigator-initiated, open-label, international, multicenter, randomized controlled trial with a planned economic analysis alongside the study. Infertile women between 18 and 39 years of age, who have an ovulatory cycle, who are at low risk for tubal pathology and have been advised expectant management for at least six months (based on the Hunault prediction score) will be included in this study. Eligible women will be randomly allocated (1:1) to immediate tubal flushing (intervention) versus delayed tubal flushing (control group) by using web-based block randomization stratified per study center. The primary outcome is time to conception leading to live birth with conception within twelve months after randomization. We assess the cumulative conception rate at six and twelve months as two co-primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes include ongoing pregnancy rate, live birth rate, miscarriage rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, number of complications, procedural pain score and cost-effectiveness. To demonstrate or refute a shorter time to pregnancy of three months with a power of 90%, a sample size of 554 women is calculated. DISCUSSION: The H2Oil-timing study will provide insight into whether tubal flushing with oil-based contrast during hysterosalpingography should be incorporated in the initial fertility work-up in women with unexplained infertility as a therapeutic procedure. If this multicenter RCT shows that tubal flushing with oil-based contrast incorporated in the initial fertility work-up reduces time to conception and is a cost-effective strategy, the results may lead to adjustments of (inter)national guidelines and change clinical practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The study was retrospectively registered in International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (Main ID: EUCTR2018-004153-24-NL).

Intravasation complicating hysterosalpingo-foam sonography (HyFoSy) using ExEm® Foam.

BACKGROUND: Transvaginal hysterosalpingo-foam sonography (HyFoSy) assesses tubal patency in an outpatient setting and without ionising radiation, unlike traditional hysterosalpingography (HSG) under fluoroscopy. Like HSG, HyFoSy may be complicated by uterine intramural contrast leak, leading to venous intravasation. Intravasation of particulate contrast agents risks pulmonary or cerebral emboli. AIMS: We aimed to assess the intravasation rate of HyFoSy using ExEm® Foam and association with endometrial thickness, ExEm® Foam volume, uterine length, adenomyosis severity, uterine morphology or pain score. METHODS: An ethics-approved retrospective study on all HyFoSy examinations between 23 January 2018 and 27 October 2021 on sub-fertile patients, trying to conceive. Initial transvaginal sonography confirmed anatomy, uterine morphology, adenomyosis severity and endometrial thickness. Subspecialist radiologists performed HyFoSy with sonographer assistance. Intravasation was identified in real time but also checked for afterwards. Patients were asked to rate instillation pain/discomfort from one to ten immediately afterward. RESULTS: Four hundred and thirty-six (n = 436) patients met inclusion criteria. Thirty (6.9%) experienced intravasation. Endometrial thickness and pain score were associated with intravasation. For every millimetre increase in endometrial thickness, the odds of intravasation decreased by 26% (P = 0.010). For every point increase on the pain scale, the odds of intravasation increased by 22% (P = 0.032). There was no evidence of an association between instilled ExEm® Foam volume or the other previously published parameters with intravasation. CONCLUSION: A 6.9% rate of intravasation was observed. Both endometrial thickness and pain score were significantly associated with intravasation. There was no evidence of an association between ExEm® Foam volume and intravasation.

Isolated Fallopian Torsion: A Pediatric Case Series.

Isolated fallopian tube torsion is a rare cause of acute abdominal pain in adolescent females. It is known to be a surgical emergency as it may lead to ischemia of the fallopian tube which can result in necrosis, infertility or infection. Presenting symptoms and radiographic findings are vague making diagnosis difficult, often requiring direct visualization in the operating room to make the definitive diagnosis. There has been an increase in this diagnosis at our institution in the previous year prompting compilation of cases and a literature review.

The "Double Ovary" Sign: A Unique Sonographic Observation in Isolated Fallopian Tube Torsion.

Isolated fallopian tube torsion (IFTT) is a rare subset of adnexal torsion. Timely diagnosis of IFTT is essential for preservation of the fallopian tube. However, a pre-operative diagnosis is challenging due to nonspecific symptoms and findings on physical exam. In addition, ultrasound (US) is typically the initial imaging modality in this setting and adnexal torsion may not be considered when normal ovaries are seen. In this small case series, we introduce the "double ovary" sign, a unique observation on US characterized by two adjacent structures: the ovary and the twisted fallopian tube giving rise to an ovary-like, cystic structure. We present three cases in which IFTT was diagnosed preoperatively.

Depth-resolved attenuation mapping of the human ovary and fallopian tube using optical coherence tomography.

Due to the lack of reliable early-diagnostic tools, most ovarian cancers are diagnosed at late stages. Although optical coherence tomography (OCT) has shown promise for identifying diseased ovaries and fallopian tubes at an earlier stage, previous studies either did not provide quantitative scattering mapping or simply used Beer's law to fit the scattering coefficients of each A-line. In this paper, we calculated the pixel-wise attenuation coefficients of ovaries and fallopian tubes in OCT images. Data from 73 freshly excised human ovaries and fallopian tubes from 36 patients have shown that statistical features are statistically different between cancerous ovaries, infundibula, and fimbriae and normal ones.

Risk Factors of Contrast Agent Intravasation With Sulfur Hexafluoride Microbubble During Hysterosalpingo-Contrast Sonography.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the risk factors of sulfur hexafluoride microbubble contrast agent intravasation during hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography (HyCoSy), and to explore a simple prediction model by the obvious clinical history. METHODS: This was a retrospective study included 299 infertility women who had undergone HyCoSy examination from July 1, 2018 to June 31, 2019. The factors were recorded, including age, endometrial thickness, balloon length, infertility type, history of intrauterine surgery, history of pelvic surgery, and tubal patency. The method of multivariate logistic regression analysis was adopted to analyze the risk factors affecting the contrast agent intravasation, and the receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted to test their efficacy. RESULTS: Secondary infertility, a history of intrauterine surgery, thin endometrial thickness, and tubal obstruction were all risk factors of the occurrence of intravasation (P < .05). And the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of the multifactor-combined prediction model of the intravasation was significantly larger than that of single-factor. CONCLUSIONS: Sonographers and gynecologists should be familiar with the risk factors of intravasation and select the appropriate timing of HyCoSy toward reducing the occurrence of intravasation and other complications after thoroughly explaining and communicating with the patients.