Tubal Patency Test
Hysterosalpingography
This test involves injecting a radio opaque dye through the cervix into the uterine cavity and performing X ray imaging at the same time to determine exit of dye through the fimbrial end of the tube to determine tubal patency.
- Bilateral free spill off dye suggests normal tubal function
- HSG also gives a fair idea of uterine cavity
- However sometimes due to cornual spasm or improper technique, HSG test may show tubal block in the presence of none.
- HSG is a painful procedure.
- Hence we at Sunflower Women’s Hospital, don’t prefer to perform this test as first line test in evaluation female partner.
Laparoscopy
- Laparoscopy is a better tool to evaluate tubal patency with a better sensitivity and specificity
- This also assists to open the tubal block at the same sitting.
- This is described in detail in the endoscopy section.
Sonosalpingogram
- This test is not a very accurate test to determine tubal function.
- It involves saline injection of uterine cavity
- It only determines tubal patency by presence of saline in pouch of douglas and hence it cannot differentiate whether a single or both tubes are patent
