Comparative Study of Laparoscopic Abdominopelvic and Fallopian Tube Findings Before and After Antitubercular Therapy in Female Genital Tuberculosis With Infertility.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of antitubercular treatment (ATT) on the laparoscopic abdominopelvic and fallopian tube findings in female genital tuberculosis (FGBT). DESIGN: Prospective cohort (Canadian Task Force classification II2). SETTING: Tertiary referral center in northern India. PATIENTS: Fifty women with infertility and diagnosed with FGTB on laparoscopy, histopathology findings, or endometrial sampling (acid-fast bacilli culture, granuloma on histopathology, positive polymerase chain reaction). INTERVENTIONS: Diagnostic laparoscopy in all women diagnosed with FGTB before and after a 6-month course of ATT (2 months of rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol, followed by 4 months of rifampicin and isoniazid). All procedures were performed by the same surgeon between June 2012 and May 2014. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The mean patient age was 28.7 years, mean parity was 0.9, and mean body mass index was 23.6 kg/m(2). Infertility was seen in all 50 women (66% primary infertility, 34% secondary infertility), with a mean duration of 6.06 years. Abnormal laparoscopic findings of FGTB included tubercles in the pelvic peritoneum, fallopian tube, and ovary in 27 women (54%) before ATT and in only 1 (2.04%) woman after ATT (p < .001). Caseous nodules and encysted ascites were seen in 4 women (8%) before ATT, and in no women after ATT (p < .001); however, there was no change from before ATT to after ATT in the rate of pelvic adhesions (42% vs 42.5%) and perihepatic adhesions (56% vs 58%). Laparoscopic findings in fallopian tubes included hydrosalpinx (32%), pyosalpinx (4%), beaded tubes (12%), nonvisualization of tube (20%), and tubal blockage on the right side (56%), left side (50%), and both sides (38%) before ATT. Hydrosalpinx, beaded tubes, and nonvisualized tube were seen in 33.4%, 4.1%, and 20.8% cases, respectively, after ATT; however, free spill increased to 52% on the right side and 50% on left side after ATT. CONCLUSION: ATT improves laparoscopic findings in FGTB with infertility. However, advanced fibrotic lesions (eg, pelvic and perihepatic adhesions, bilateral blocked tubes) do not improve with ATT.

Effect of Antitubercular Therapy on Endometrial Function in Infertile Women with Female Genital Tuberculosis.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of anti-tubercular therapy on endometrium in Female Genital Tuberculosis. METHOD: Total of 50 women having FGTB on endometrial aspirate (positive AFB, epithelioid granuloma, positive PCR, laparoscopy or hysteroscopy findings) were enrolled. Ultrasound was performed for endometrial thickness, mean resistive index and pulsatility index before and after anti-tubercular therapy (ATT). Diagnostic hysteroscopy was performed for intra-uterine adhesions and to visualise cavity before and after ATT. RESULTS: Menstrual cycle improved after anti-tubercular therapy (ATT). Endometrial aspirate findings improved with disappearance of AFB, epithelioid granuloma and decrease in PCR (94%vs 33%). After ATT, ultrasound examination of endometrial thickness improved from 7.01±1.48 mm to 7.51±1.48 mm while mean resistive index and pulsatility index decreased from 0.729±0.304 to 0.692±0.399 and 1.180 to 1.138. With ATT, improvement was seen in hysteroscopic findings with normal looking cavity increasing from 18(36%) to 34(72.1%) and pale looking cavity decreasing from 20(42.5%) to 8(16.8%). Before ATT, prevalence of intrauterine adhesions was 62% which decreased to 28.7% after ATT. Improvement was significant only in grade I adhesions from 34% to 2.1%, (p<0.001). There was no improvement in higher grade of intrauterine adhesions with ATT with grade II (6% vs 4.2%) and grade 2a (4% vs 2.1%), grade III being (2% vs 2.1%), grade II a (4% vs 4.2%), grade Va (4% vs 4.2%) and grade Vb (8% vs 10.6%) before and after ATT respectively. CONCLUSION: Early ATT improved menstrual cycle, endometrial thickness and reduced incidence of grade I adhesions. Advanced stages did not show any improvement.