Novel Contrast Medium for Tubal Assessment in Infertility

Tubal patency has an important role in female infertility, with tubal damage accounting for a significant portion of cases, restricting gamete and embryo transfer. Although laparoscopic chromo-perturbation is the gold standard, its invasiveness demands exploring alternative diagnostic approaches. Among these, Hysterosalpingography (HSG) and Hysterosalpingo Contrast Sonography (HyCoSy) are common methods for evaluating tubal health.

A recent study involving 117 infertile women evaluated and compared the efficacy of a cost-effective 2D/3D HyCoSy technique utilizing a novel contrast agent with traditional HSG for diagnosing tubal patency.

The study found-

• The mean age of participants was 27.7 years. 
• The diagnostic accuracy of 2D/3D HyCoSy was- sensitivity= 91.86%, specificity= 89.18%, a positive predictive value= 90.40%, and a negative predictive value= 90.82%.
• On comparative analysis, when evaluating tubal patency in both tubes collectively with HyCoSy, the sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy were 91.86%, 89.18%, and 90.59%, respectively.

The study assures that employing 2D/3D HyCoSy with lignocaine gel is a superior diagnostic approach to HSG for evaluating tubal patency in women experiencing infertility. Hence, it can be used in routine practice.

Rao CVN, Chegondi S, Kota M. Efficacy of 2D/3D HyCoSy with new contrast medium lignocaine and saline comparing with HSG - A single center prospective study. Indian J Obstet Gynecol Res. 2024;11(1):58-65