Ultrasound sclerotherapy pretreatment could obtain a similar effect to surgical intervention on improving the outcomes of in vitro fertilization for patients with hydrosalpinx.

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) for patients with hydrosalpinx between ultrasound sclerotherapy and surgical intervention.

METHODS

The data of 482 IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles were divided into three groups according to different intervention protocols before IVF/ICSI. Group A included 265 cycles in which ultrasound sclerotherapy pretreatment was carried out before controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. Group B included 109 cycles in which hydrosalpinx aspiration was carried out under ultrasound guidance on the day of oocyte retrieval. Croup C included 108 cycles in which bilateral salpingectomy was carried out before IVF/ICSI.

RESULTS

The rates of embryo implantation, biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, multiple pregnancy, and early abortion showed no significant differences between groups A and C (P > 0.05); whereas the rates of embryo implantation, biochemical pregnancy, and clinical pregnancy in group B were significantly lower than those in groups A and C (P < 0.05), and that of early abortion in group B was significantly higher than that in groups A and C (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound sclerotherapy on patients with hydrosalpinx before IVF-embryo transfer could obtain a similar clinical outcome to surgical intervention.