Delivery rates after in-vitro fertilization following bilateral salpingectomy due to hydrosalpinges: a case control study

This retrospective case-control study assessed the impact of bilateral salp ingectomy due to uni- or bilateral hydrosalpinges on the outcome of in-vitr o fertilization (IVF) in a large consecutive series of patients, The effect of bilateral salpingectomy due to hydrosalpinges on pregnancy outcome was compared in 139 patients (263 cycles) and 139 age-matched controls with tub al infertility without hydrosalpinges (296 cycles), The delivery rates per initiated cycle as well as the implantation rates were equal in the two gro ups (21.7 versus 21.6% and 19 versus 21%), The number of embryos, the cleav age stage, and the embryo morphology score were equal in the two groups. Am ong 92 patients treated with 182 IVF cycles who underwent salpingectomy bet ween 1.5 and 5 years prior to their first IVF cycle, the delivery and the i mplantation rates were 22.5 and 20.5% respectively. Of the patients with sa lpingectomy after an average of 1.7 failed IVF cycles and who re-entered th e IVF programme 3 and 6 months subsequent to surgery, 47 were treated with 83 IVF cycles. The live birth and the implantation rates after surgery in t his group were 20.5 and 20% respectively, It is concluded that bilateral sa lpingectomy due to hydrosalpinges restores a normal delivery as well as imp lantation rate after IVF treatment compared to controls. A favourable outco me is also found in patients operated on after repeated IVF failures. Furth ermore, a normal live birth rate as well as a high implantation rate is mai ntained for at least three IVF cycles subsequent to surgical treatment.