Pain during Fallopian-tube patency testing by hysterosalpingo-foam sonography

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate perception of pain during Fallopian-tube patency testing by hysterosalpingo-foam sonography (HyFoSy).

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 216 consecutive women presenting at a university fertility clinic for HyFoSy examination were included. Patients were instructed to take ibuprofen 1 hour before the procedure. Immediately after the procedure, patients filled in a questionnaire concerning discomfort or pain experienced during the process, including a visual analog scale (VAS) score for perception of pain.

Results: The median VAS score for perception of pain during transvaginal ultrasound examination and during HyFoSy examination was 1.5 (95% CI, 1.2-1.7) and 3.6 (95% CI, 3.0-4.0), respectively. One-third of women reported that the level of discomfort or pain during HyFoSy examination was similar to that during the preceding transvaginal ultrasound examination and 48% of women considered HyFoSy examination to be neutral/unpleasant, but not painful. There was an inverse association between both patients' age and parity and the pain experienced.

Conclusions: HyFoSy examination is tolerated well and allows for reliable tubal patency testing without exposing the patient to ionizing radiation in an outpatient setting with a low technical failure rate.

Keywords: Fallopian-tube patency tests; female; infertility; microbubbles; ultrasonography.