“Sea anemone” symptom in diagnosis of fallopian tubes function

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18370/2309-4117.2017.37.14-18

Keywords:

fallopian tubes, fimbriae, SAS-test, TVS MHAW, infertility

Abstract

The article presents the method of ultrasonographic diagnosis of fallopian tubes function by the “Sea Anemone Symptom”.

Objective: to study the function of patent uterine tubes in women among the couples with unexplained subfertility.

Design: prospective cross-sectional study.

Patients, Methods, Settings: 43 subfertile women were included into the study group. Non-contrast transvaginal sonography was carried out in all patients by the technique of mobile hydro-acoustic window (TVS+MHAW). The new “Sea Anemone Symptom” test (SAS-test) was performed for the ultrasonographic assessment of the function of fallopian tubes. In all women uterine tubes patency was confirmed by laparoscopic chromoperfusion, retro- and prospectively. The study was conducted in the Odesa center for reproductive medicine “Remedi” in the period from July 16 to December 16, 2016.

Results and discussion: 4 main sonographic phenotypes of fallopian tube funnels and associated various difficult-to-visualized pathological pelvic subjects were identified. SAS-test positive sonographic assessment confirming the functionality of one or both uterine tubes’ funnel was obtained in 30 (69.75%) of 43 women. In 10 (23.25%) negative results of SAStest served as a ground for suspicion of altered fimbriae of fallopian tubes. In 3 (7.0%) cases test results appeared doubtful. Diagnostic accuracy of SAS-test was evaluated based on the laparoscopic findings. Pathology of fallopian tubes was confirmed laparoscopically in 8 women with positive, 9 with negative and 2 women with questionable results of SAS-test.

Conclusion: the SAS-test can be used in the management of couples with unexplained infertility, when deciding on the advisability of laparoscopy. The TVS+MHAW method with its advantages in accuracy, non-invasiveness and safety profile, can serve as the first-line diagnostics of hard-to-see pelvic subjects associated with fimbriae of fallopian tube in subfertile female.

Author Biography

В. В. Дощечкин, Clinic of reproductive medicine “Remedi”, Odesa

Obstetrician gynecologist high category, head of the clinic 

References

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Published

2017-10-30

How to Cite

Дощечкин, В. В. (2017). “Sea anemone” symptom in diagnosis of fallopian tubes function. REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY, (37), 14–18. https://doi.org/10.18370/2309-4117.2017.37.14-18

Issue

No. 37 (2017)

Section

Reproductology

License

Copyright (c) 2017 В. В. Дощечкин

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