Approximately 15% of all couples worldwide suffer from infertility, which means a whopping 48.5 million couples. Infertility has been ranked as the 5th highest disability globally among women under 60, according to an article by the World Health Organisation. Most fertility treatments or reproductive surgeries are performed to restore the health of the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus.
Here’s a look at a few surgeries available at Apollo Fertility for women facing difficulties conceiving:
Hysteroscopy
In this fertility treatment, a tiny hysteroscope is inserted into the uterine cavity. This telescope-like instrument helps doctors see the uterus and cervix and diagnose certain conditions, such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, abnormal bleeding, scar tissue formations and uterine polyps. Surgeons might then perform operative hysteroscopy to correct these conditions. Surgeons also perform diagnostic hysteroscopy where the uterus is examined to detect the problem and confirm HSG test results. If any abnormal conditions are found in diagnostic hysteroscopy, a surgical hysteroscopy is performed.
Laparotomy
This surgery is performed to examine and diagnose conditions like uterine fibroids and ovarian cysts in the abdominal organs. These organs include the intestines, liver, stomach, bladder and kidney. An incision is made in the abdominal area, through the fascia and the muscles covering the pelvic and abdominal organs. Surgeons can also perform a mini-laparotomy, in which only a small cut is made and does not take long to heal.
Laparoscopy
Laparoscopy is a surgical procedure, performed to view and examine the pelvic organs. This is a low-risk procedure and does not require big incisions in the abdominal wall. A laparoscope is a thin tube with lights and high-resolution cameras attached in the end. This is inserted through the belly button to check for multiple conditions such as tubal defects, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, the build-up of hydrosalpinx and endometriosis. After the procedure is over, the doctor observes the patient for a few hours before releasing them.
Tubal Surgeries
When a fallopian tube is blocked or damaged, sperms are unable to reach the eggs to fertilise them, and eggs that do get fertilised are unable to reach the uterus. This is a common cause of infertility, which can be cured by different tubal procedures. In Tubal Reanastomosis, a portion of the damaged fallopian tube is removed, after which the two healthy ends are joined. This process is done through laparotomy or laparoscopy. Often, the end of the fallopian tube is blocked by a fluid called hydrosalpinx. This liquid is drained out through a small cut and then clipped so that no liquid spills into the uterus. This method is carried out right before the embryo transfer for optimum results. In case only a part of the fallopian tube is blocked, Fimbriplasty is performed to rebuild the damaged ends of the tube.
Reproductive surgeries are mainly performed by doctors to increase the chances of pregnancy. Visit Apollo Fertility, the best fertility hospital in Chennai, to learn more about this and to access world-class fertility treatments.
