Hydrosalpinx is a blockage of the fallopian tube caused by fluid buildup, often due to pelvic inflammatory disease. It can cause infertility and is treated with antibiotics or surgery. In vitro fertilization may be necessary, and similar conditions such as hematosalpinx and pyosalpinx are potentially life-threatening.
A hydrosalpinx is a fallopian tube with a buildup of clear fluid caused by a blockage. The fallopian tubes are structures in the female reproductive system that lead from the ovaries to the uterus and serve to transport mature eggs to the uterus. Fertilization by sperm also takes place in the fallopian tubes. A hydrosalpinx typically swells and causes infertility, among other medical problems.
Hydrosalpinx is usually caused by pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in which the female reproductive organs are inflamed, often due to a sexually transmitted infection. Gonorrhea and chlamydia are the most common causes. The condition can also be caused by surgical complications, endometriosis, cancer or fallopian tubes or ovaries, or, rarely, tubal tuberculosis. The pipes become blocked due to inflammation or a mass, and the fluid that normally passes through begins to build up.
Symptoms include abdominal or pelvic pain and infertility. Often, however, there is no pain and the condition goes unnoticed unless the affected woman is attempting a pregnancy. Diagnosis can be made via ultrasound, an x-ray technique called hysterosalpingography (HSG) in which a contrast agent is used to visualize the fallopian tubes, or laparoscopy, in which a camera is used to inspect the fallopian tubes through a small incision in the abdomen.
This condition is treated with antibiotics to address any infection and sometimes with laparoscopic surgery. More invasive surgical procedures to re-open the tubes are no longer common, as the chance of pregnancy remains low and there is a risk of ectopic pregnancy, a dangerous condition in which the fertilized egg is implanted in the fallopian tube instead of the uterine wall. Ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening medical emergency that negatively impacts a woman’s ability to conceive in the future. In most cases, it is not possible to save the baby in the event of an ectopic pregnancy.
Women with hydrosalpinx are often able to conceive through in vitro fertilization (IVF). The hydrosalpinx can also be removed surgically, especially if it causes pain. Removal can also promote the conception of IVF.
Similar, but more serious conditions are hematosalpinx, in which the fallopian tube is filled with blood, and pyosalpinx, in which it is filled with pus. Hematosalpinx is associated with ectopic pregnancy, while pyosalpinx is indicative of advanced PID. Both conditions are potentially life-threatening and should be addressed immediately. Another similar condition is tubal phimosis, in which the fallopian tube is partially blocked. Although tubal phimosis does not lead to fluid accumulation, it is associated with infertility and an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy.
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