Publication:

African experience of hysterosalpingography abnormalities tubes management by laparoscopy in infertile women

Background Infertility affects about 80 million people worldwide and one in ten couples. The objective of this study was to report our experience of the contribution of laparoscopy in the diagnostic and prognostic approach of fallopian tubes pathology in infertile women in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods We conducted a retrospective study in the Gynecology and Obstetrics unit of Yopougon Teaching Hospital over a 2-year period (January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2018) which included 49 cases of tubo-peritoneal infertility diagnosed by hysterosalpingography (HSG) then laparoscopy procedure.

Results The average age was 33 years old.  30.6 % were single. 75% had secondary infertility. 59.2% had a medical history of abortion. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and pelvic surgery accounted 84.2% and 49 respectively. Laparoscopy showed a predominance of distal tubal damage (66.6%) whose 47% hydrosalpinx. Bilateral tubal patency was demonstrated in 77.5% of our patients during laparoscopy procedure. We observed a sensitivity, a specificity, and a concordance laparoscopy / HSG of 63.6%, 80% 63.1% respectively. Laparoscopy also allowed therapeutic procedures such as adhesiolysis or tubal plasty in 22 patients (44.89% of our cases). At the end of laparoscopy procedure, 35 patients (71.42%) were turned towards IVF.

Conclusions Laparoscopy allows an assessment of tubal abnormalities revealed by hysterosalpingography and the fertility prognostic as well as better therapeutic approach in management of tubal infertility.