Ultrasound sclerotherapy pretreatment could obtain a similar effect to surgical intervention on improving the outcomes of in vitro fertilization for patients with hydrosalpinx.

ABSTRACT

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) for patients with hydrosalpinx between ultrasound sclerotherapy and surgical intervention. METHODS: The data of 482 IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles were divided into three groups according to different intervention protocols before IVF/ICSI. Group A included 265 cycles in which ultrasound sclerotherapy pretreatment was carried out before controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. Group B included 109 cycles in which hydrosalpinx aspiration was carried out under ultrasound guidance on the day of oocyte retrieval. Croup C included 108 cycles in which bilateral salpingectomy was carried out before IVF/ICSI. RESULTS: The rates of embryo implantation, biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, multiple pregnancy, and early abortion showed no significant differences between groups A and C (P > 0.05); whereas the rates of embryo implantation, biochemical pregnancy, and clinical pregnancy in group B were significantly lower than those in groups A and C (P < 0.05), and that of early abortion in group B was significantly higher than that in groups A and C (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Ultrasound sclerotherapy on patients with hydrosalpinx before IVF-embryo transfer could obtain a similar clinical outcome to surgical intervention.