Prospective, single-arm, clinical study in 20 women with unilateral or bilateral hydrosalpinges (all visible on transvaginal ultrasound) due to undergo IVF-ET and/or frozen embryo transfer. In all patients, laparoscopy was considered to be contraindicated due to extensive pelvic adhesions.
In all patients the Essure庐 devices were placed in an ambulant setting without any complications. Proximal tubal occlusion was confirmed by hysterosalpingography in 19 out of 20 patients (95%) and in 26 of 27 treated tubes (96%). After 45 embryo transfer procedures in 19 patients, 18 pregnancies with 12 live births, 6 miscarriages and 1 immature delivery (probably related to cervical insufficiency leading to chorioamnionitis and subsequent rupture of the membranes) were observed.
Essure庐 devices are effective in inducing proximal tubal occlusion in subfertile patients with hydrosalpinges. After artificial reproductive treatments a cumulative live birth rate per patient of 63%and a cumulative live birth rate per transfer of 27%were achieved. The latter was related to the large proportion of patients with severe endometriosis.