• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.341-348
• /
• 1998

Objective: To determine the reproductive outcomes of women undergoing microsurgical reversal of tubal sterilization at age 36 years or older. Materials and Methods: A series of 133 patients who received microsurgical reversal of the previously sterilized fallopian tubes at Seoul National University Hospital from July, 1980 to January, 1992 was reviewed and evaluated for clinical characteristics, pregnancy rates, and factors influencing the outcome of tubal reversal. Results: Of 133 patients, 78 (58.6%) had been sterilized by laparoscopic cautery. Loss of children was a leading cause for tubal reversal. The mean interval from tubal sterilization to tubal reversal was 65.0 months. The overall pregnancy rate was 52.6% (70/133), and the mean interval was 9.4 months from tubal reversal to pregnancy. Excluding 7 patients who were lost to follow-up, 76 pregnancies were confirmed in 63 patients with the delivery rate per patient of 66.7% (42/63). There were no significant differences in age, duration of tubal sterilization, postoperative tubal length between pregnant and non-pregnant groups. Conclusions: Microsurgical reversal of tubal sterilization could be a justifiable method in women 36 years age or older.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.307-315
• /
• 2001

Objective: To evaluate the clinical outcomes and influencing factors of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in patients with failed pregnancy after microsurgical reversal of tubal sterilization. Materials and Methods : From January, 1997 to December, 2000, IVF-ET was performed in two groups; the study TR (tubal reanastomosis) group consisted of 147 cycles in 66 patients with failed microsurgical reversal of tubal sterilization, and the control group of 115 cycles in 67 patients with bilateral tubal occlusion (BTO). The two groups were evaluated and compared for clinical characteristics, clinical pregnancy rates, and factors influencing the outcomes of IVF-ET. Results: Compared with the control BTO group, age and the previous parity were significantly higher ($36.3{\pm}2.7$ vs. $33.6{\pm}2.0$ years, p<0.05; $1.6{\pm}0.7$ vs. $0.2{\pm}0.4$, p<0.05), and the clinical pregnancy rate per cycle was significantly lower (23.8% (35/147) vs. 29.3% (34/115), p<0.05) in the TR group. Difference in the clinical pregnancy rates was age-related, since there was no significant difference between the two groups, except for the previous parity ($1.6{\pm}0.7$ vs. $0.1{\pm}0.3$, p<0.05), when the patients aged 37 years or older were excluded. No difference was found in terms of the following: the proportion of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) cycles with GnRH agonist ultrashort protocol, the duration of COH, the dosage of gonadotropins used, and the numbers of oocytes retrieved and of embryos transferred, irrespective of age correction. Conclusions: The outcomes of IVF-ET following the failed microsurgical reversal of tubal sterilization depend upon patient age. The previous fertility of patients does not seem to be a factor of better IVF-ET prognosis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.107-113
• /
• 1990

To evaluate the factors affecting the incidence of ectopic pregnancy following tubal reversal, the clinical characteristics of ectopic pregnancy group (N=28)and intrauterine pregnancy group (N=316)were compared in 344 cases of pregnancy following tubal reversal using microsurgical technique at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecolgy from July 1980 to May 1989. We found no significant relationship between the incidence of ectopic pregnancy and the duration of sterilization. Although the incidence rate (11.2%) of ectopic pregnancy following laparoscopic cautery appeared to be the highest among tubal sterilization methods, none showed statistically significant differences. There was a fourfold difference in the incidence rate of ectopic pregnancy between post-reversal tubal length less than 7cm (12.7%)and greater than 7cm (3.5%). The mean interval from tubal reversal to conception was 15.7months in ectopic pregnancy group, and 9. 3months in intrauterine pregnancy group, the difference reaching statistical significance. While most(80%)of the pregnancies were achieved within the first 12months following tubal reversal in intrauterine pregnancy group, 50% of the pregnancies occured in the same period, and the cumulative pregnancy rate is related in a linear fashion to the duration after reversal in ectopic pregnancy group. The incidence rate of ectopic pregnancy was found to be higher after cornual-ampullary anastomosis and cornual-isthmic anastomosis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.71-78
• /
• 1993

Since the successful advent of IVF-ET, reproductive surgeons have been forced to compare pregnancy outcomes of surgical procedures for tubal infertility with those of IVF-ET. The current study was designed in an effort to determine the usefulness of pre-operative infertility work-up, especially diagnostic laparoscopy, in predicting the pregnancy rate and in assessing the reversal feasibility. 109 patients who underwent a microsurgical tubal reversal were reviewed. The patients were followed over one year. The total intrauterine pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, and ectopic pregnancy rates were 66.4%, 3.7%, and 7.3%, respectively. The result showed that the use of loupe might increase the chance of the ectopic pregnancy. I found that the final tubal length, especially the longest tubal length, the site of reanastomosis, and the methods of sterilization affected the pregnancy rates. A 85% intrauterine pregnancy rate was achieved in the patients with good preoperative assessments(Group II-1). There was only 10% incidence of intrauterine pregnancy in the patients with bad assessments(Group II-2). It is concluded that the pre-operative infertility work-up, especially diagnostic laparoscopy, is a good diagnostic tool in assessing the reversal feasibility.