Microsurgical Tubal Reversal at the Los Angeles-Area Southern California Reproductive Center
Tubal sterilization in women is a common form of birth control. Although the procedure is a permanent form of contraception, it can often be reversed with a microsurgical procedure called "tubal reanastomosis" or "tubal reversal." Microsurgical tubal reversal is a commonly performed procedure that allows a woman's fallopian tubes to be returned to their normal functionality, reversing a previous procedure(s) that disabled the tubes. The Southern California Reproductive Center offers microsurgical tubal reversal at our Los Angeles-area in-house surgical facilities, which are fully staffed and outfitted, licensed, and accredited.
Step 1: Admission and Evaluation
On the day of the tubal reversal surgery, you'll be admitted to our Los Angeles-area surgical center and, in our specially outfitted operating room, you'll be administered general anesthesia by our fully licensed anesthesiologist who is specially trained in the treatment of fertility patients.
Along the 'bikini line' (to minimize its visibility), a small, two-to-three-inch incision will be made. Our surgeon will work through this incision with the aid of high-powered surgical magnification, reaching through the uterus and into the fallopian tubes.
An inspection of the fallopian tubes is conducted to ensure that there is enough tube available to perform a successful tubal reversal. Any scarred section that has been cut, tied, clipped, or burned in prior procedures will be removed in order to expose an untouched, fresh, and open section of tube. Then, through the vagina, a dilute blue-colored solution is injected into the cervix to ensure that there is an open pathway from the vagina to the tube. Once the front end of the fallopian tube is opened and functioning properly, the same procedure is performed on the rear section of the tube. With both ends of the tube re-opened, your surgeon will proceed to reattach them.
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Step 2: Joining the Tubes Together
The two open ends of the tube are joined together with several very tiny sutures placed at 90-degree intervals around the circumference of the tube. At this point the sutures are placed only for position, not tied. The ends of the tube are perfectly aligned using sutures that are thinner than the diameter of a human hair and extremely high-power surgical magnification. Each suture is then permanently tied until the inner layer of the two open ends of the fallopian tube are connected, creating the tubal reversal's connection.
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Step 3: Completing the Reversal Procedure
During the tubal reversal procedure, the delicate tissues are bathed in a surgical solution to maintain a constant moisture level and eliminate the possibility of drying out or desiccation of the tissues. The outer layer of the tubes is joined permanently with many extremely small stitches that keep the point of contact of the two joined ends of the tube water tight and smooth (anastomosis). This completes the reversal procedure for one tube. The process is then repeated for the other tube. The tubal reversal procedure for each tube takes approximately 45 minutes to one hour.
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Step 4: Ensuring That the Tubes Are Open
After both tubes have been reconnected (the "tubal reversal"), additional blue-colored fluid is injected through the entire reproductive tract — cervix, uterus, and tubes — to ensure that the tubes are completely open and functioning properly. The fluid will pass through the reproductive tract, fill each tube and spill out next to the ovary. Once the fluid path has been proven to function properly, the uterus and tubes are placed back in their normal position within the pelvis; the entire area is surgically cleansed with solution, and the incision is closed. You will then be taken to the recovery room where you will be monitored for a full, gentle recovery.
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How long is the recovery from tubal reversal?
Recovery from a tubal reversal at our Los Angeles-area facilities typically takes only about an hour, at which point you can choose to return home or to your hotel. However you must have someone with you at all times — at our facility to receive you after recovery, and to stay with you all through the day of the tubal reversal surgery. You will most likely feel the need for bed rest for two to three days following the surgery and can expect to gradually return to your normal activity level over a few weeks' time. It is rare that more than four weeks is needed before a patient can return to full activity after a tubal reversal, including returning to work.
Following the tubal reversal surgery, patients typically experience abdominal soreness and pain for several days. We will prescribe pain medications to ensure your comfort during this period, and you will be able to eat and drink normally as soon as the first day following the surgery. To help speed the recovery process, we encourage you to get up and walk around as soon as the first day after the procedure.
A post-operative check up will be scheduled for two weeks following the tubal reversal surgery at our Los Angeles-area clinic, during which you will receive a full examination, including your incision, to ensure proper progress of your recovery.
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When can we try to get pregnant?
You and your partner can try to conceive as soon as you feel ready to do so. In fact, immediately following tubal reversal surgery, your fallopian tubes will function normally, and many couples have successfully conceived as early as the first cycle after the surgery. However, it is important to note that you should not become disappointed if this does not happen in your own case. With the vast majority of couples, tubal reversal allows them to get pregnant as soon as is naturally possible and without the need for further treatment.
You should try to conceive for at least six months after the operation before considering a follow-up examination to examine your reproductive tract and to ensure that the tubes are open and functioning properly. During this examination, if necessary, your fertility doctor can suggest some additional strategies to help you conceive.
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What is the cost of tubal reversal?
Because the Southern California Reproductive Center is a fully contained fertility clinic, with all services offered under one roof including our fully staffed, outfitted, licensed, and accredited surgical center, we have been able to dramatically control the costs of fertility-related surgical procedures such as tubal reversal. Thus, we can blend the component parts of any procedure into a comprehensive, cost-controlled package that will work with your overall financial plan for creating a family.
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Schedule a Tubal Reversal Consultation in a Los Angeles-Area Office of the SCRC
For more information about our microsurgical tubal reversal program in the Los Angeles area, contact the Southern California Reproductive Center today for a private consultation with one of our fertility specialists.
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