Acta Medica Medianae (Dec 2011)
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TRANSVAGINAL SONOHYSTERO-SALPINGOGRAPHY (TV-SH) AND HYSTERO-SALPINGOGRAPHY (HSG) FOR ASSESSMENT OF TUBAL PATENCY IN INFERTILITY PATIENTS
Abstract
There has been a significant increase in cases of infertility and sterility in the last decade. Approximately, 10-15% of couples in reproductive age are affected by the inability to conceive and bear a child. Amongst all causes, anatomical defect linked to the fallopian pathological conditions contributes considerably to female infertility. The evaluation of tubal patency is traditionally considered fundamental in the study of cases of infertility and it represents one third of the total cost in the management of infertility. Tubal patency is routinely assessed by hysterosalpingograpgy (HSG) and/or laparoscopy. However, other techniques are nowadays being investigated to obtain high efficacy, with low cost and risk, and also can be used as office procedures at an outpatient infertility clinic. Transvaginal sonohysterosalpingography (Tv-Sh) is one of such promising procedure which can be simultaneously performed in place of HSG at the time of conventional ultrasonogram in the initial workup of infertile patients. It also provides additional information regarding intracavitary and intramyomentrial components of submucous myomas as well as information about adnexae. The present study encompasses the comparative diagnostic accuracy of Tv-Sh and HSG in evaluating uterine cavity and tubal patency in women of reproductive age group. The compatibility between Tv-Sh and HSG was found to be 87% and efficacy in diagnosis of hydrosalpinx by both procedures was the same. There was also no significant difference in the diagnosis of congenital malformations of uterus or intracavity adhesions. The study concludes that Tv-Sh can be used as a “first choice” screening procedure without any risk of ionizing radiation.
