Hydrosalpinx

Hydrosalpinx is a collection of fluid within the fallopian tube, often accompanied by closure of the distal (far) end of the tube, near the ovary. Tubal fluid that normally flows through the tube becomes trapped by the blockage and the tube may swell, causing a hydrosalpinx. Some physicians feel that the tube must be surgically removed and the woman undergo IVF in order to conceive.

The Wurn Technique^®, a hands-on physical therapy, provides a non-surgical alternative that has been shown to help some women with hydrosalpinx to conceive, without surgery. In published studies, it has opened the liquid-filled tube, allowing for natural pregnancy and birth. Some patients have reported second pregnancies and births from tubes that were previously diagnosed beyond repair, indicating that the positive results of the Wurn Technique^® appear to last over time.

Hydrosalpinx is classified as a mechanical condition that occurs when adhesions (internal scars) form to narrow or close the far end of the fallopian tube. The adhesions may first form to combat an infection. Once the infection has passed, the adhesions, which are no longer required after healing, remain in the body and block the far end of the tube.

Microscopically, adhesions are composed of tiny strands of collagen that bind together, much like the strands of a nylon rope. The focus of the Wurn Technique^® is to break the chemical bonds that hold these strands together, detaching the adhesions. Freed of the adhesive bonds, the hydrosalpinx clears for many women and an earlier state of function (and fertility) returns.

Results of our work treating blocked fallopian tubes, including hydrosalpinx, have been published and cited in several respected medical journals. In an initial pilot study¹, we found that while opening fallopian tubes, we cleared the hydrosalpinx in half the women we treated with the condition. Half of those became pregnant naturally and conceived with no further therapy. All had second pregnancies and births, with no further therapy (one by IVF, one natural), indicating that the results from therapy seem to have a lasting effect.

In a subsequent study², we had a high success rate opening blocked fallopian tubes (including hydrosalpinx) in women with totally blocked fallopian tubes. This study was cited in Contemporary Ob/Gyn, a well-known professional journal of U.S.-based gynecologists and obstetricians.

Neosalpingostomy is a surgery that is sometimes used to open the tube. In the case of hydrosalpinx (or any blockage at the far end of the tube), the surgeon may cut longitudinally along the end of the tube in an attempt to re-create the delicate flower-like petals (fimbriae) that are designed to grasp the egg when it leaves the ovary. This is a very delicate surgery, often confounded by the formation of post-surgical adhesions on these fragile structures. These adhesions can block the tube again, with a subsequent return of the hydrosalpinx. Successful results are typically obtained with younger women and those with relatively small hydrosalpinges. Most of the physicians we have consulted feel that the surgery allows a window of three to six months before the tube blocks again due to post-surgical adhesions.

Due to the delicacy of the surgery and the relatively brief window it allows for conception, many doctors recommend total removal of the tube, followed by IVF. Many also feel that the liquid within the tube can seep into the uterus or other tube and create a toxic environment for implantation and growth of the embryo. When a tube has been removed, the chances for natural conception are reduced by 50%. If both tubes are removed, the only opportunity for pregnancy is through IVF.

When faced with the diagnosis of hydrosalpinx, a woman and her partner have several treatment options from which to choose. In our experience, most patients do well to educate themselves, then follow their own intuition about what they feel will be best for their bodies. If you or a loved one have a hydrosalpinx, we encourage you to educate yourself before making a treatment decision.