Distal fallopian tube occlusion: false diagnosis with hysterosalpingography in cases of tubal diverticula.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of hysterosalpingography (HSG) in the diagnosis of distal fallopian tube occlusion in infertile patients who were candidates for laparoscopic surgery.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A retrospective review of charts was performed for 25 patients who were scheduled to undergo laparoscopic surgery. A preoperative diagnosis was made at HSG of bilateral (or unilateral in case of previous contralateral salpingectomy) distal tube occlusion.

RESULTS

At laparoscopy, in three patients (12%) who were scheduled for salpingostomy, the diagnosis of distal tube occlusion made at HSG was incorrectly positive; in the three patients, a single tubal diverticulum was present in the distal ampulla in otherwise normal, patent tubes.

CONCLUSION

Bilateral tubal diverticula appear to be often misdiagnosed at HSG as distal tube occlusion.