A prospective evaluation of the effects of salpingectomy on endometrial lymphocyte clusters in patients with hydrosalpinges.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of hydrosalpinges on embryo implantation.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SETTING

Private fertility and university hospitals.

PATIENT(S): Eighteen patients with unilateral or bilateral hydrosalpinges who underwent salpingectomy.

INTERVENTION(S): Pre- and posttreatment endometrial biopsies for immunohistochemical evaluation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Pre- and posttreatment lymphocyte populations in endometrial samples, evaluated by immunohistochemical identification.

RESULT(S): Endometrial samples from pretreatment exhibited small lymphocytic clusters of CD3+, CD8+, CD4+, granzyme B positive, and CD56+. After salpingectomy, the numbers of cluster lesions were significantly decreased.

CONCLUSION(S): Because a characteristic distribution of lymphocytes in endometrium with hydrosalpinges was found, activation of T/NK (natural killer) lymphocytes in endometrium might be involved in the impairment of embryo implantation in cases of hydrosalpinges.