Tubal imaging by ultrasound (checking for blocked Fallopian tubes)

There are various ways to examine the patency of the Fallopian tubes:

The best way to check for blocked tubes, but also endometriosis or adhesions, is to do a laparoscopy:

Under short-term general anaesthesia, an endoscope is introduced into the abdominal cavity near the navel to inspect the uterus, the Fallopian tubes and the ovaries. By making further incisions in the pubic area, it is also often possible to remedy some pathological changes, i.e. to remove endometriomas, adhesions or myomas and to reopen blocked tubes during this diagnostic procedure. It is usually performed in a hospital on an outpatient basis.

Contrast hysterosalpingosonography is a less invasive procedure since it can be carried out in our clinic without anaesthesia. It allows us to get a first idea about tubal patency: A soft, thin plastic catheter is used to introduce a liquid into the uterus which is easily visible on the ultrasound scan. The way the liquid flows through the tubes can often, but not always, be clearly visualised. By comparison with laparoscopy (s. above), this method produces false results in 20-30% of the cases. It also does not allow any conclusions about the causes of any blockages.