Factors influencing the outcome of microsurgical tubal ligation reversals

Abstract

Seventy-three patients who underwent a microsurgical tubal reversal were reviewed in an effort to determine what factors influenced outcome. A 64% intrauterine pregnancy rate was achieved 6 months to 4 years postoperatively. There was a 4.4% incidence of ectopic pregnancies in this group. On the basis of a preoperative laparoscopy, no reversals were performed unless a total tubal length of 4 cm or more could be obtained. The final tubal length, the time interval from sterilization to reversal, and the site of reanastomosis did not influence the eventual outcome. The reversals were then evaluated by the type of sterilization procedure performed (Pomeroy, coagulation, falope ring, and Irving). The pregnancy rate was not statistically different in each group. Sterilizations performed by coagulation, however, were only reversible 58% of the time compared to 91% for the noncoagulation procedures because of extensive tubal destruction (p < 0.001). It also took longer for the coagulation patients to conceive, with the average conception occurring in 13.0 months compared to 6.7 months for the noncoagulation group (p < 0.001). A higher incidence of ectopic pregnancies occurred in the thermal burn patients as well. The longer interval for conception and the higher ectopic pregnancy rate may represent mucosal damage in coagulation patients beyond the anastomotic site.