3 Minimally Invasive Options For Surgical Female Sterilization
With the growth of minimally-invasive surgical procedures, surgical sterilization is gaining popularity as a permanent way to prevent pregnancy. It's no longer necessary to have your abdomen cut open in order to be sterilized; all it takes is a few small incisions (or even none at all). That means fewer complications and a faster recovery.
There are multiple options for minimally invasive surgical sterilization; the most common are minilaparotomies, laparoscopies, and hysteroscopies.
Minilaparotomy
Minilaparotomy is a form of tubal ligation, which involves sealing or tying shut the fallopian tubes. In a minilaparotomy, a small incision is made in the abdomen and the tubes are pulled up into the incision so that the surgeon can seal them. The tubes are then pushed back into place and the incision is closed. Since there is only one incision done, this is a very minimally-invasive procedure; sometimes, it is even done under regional anesthesia instead of general.
However, it's not for everyone. In order to work properly, the fallopian tubes need to be easily accessed. That's why this procedure is usually done right after childbirth, when the position of the uterus makes it easy to reach the fallopian tubes. Patients who are overweight or obese are also poorer candidates for minilaparotomy.
Laparoscopy
Laparoscopy is closer to what most people imagine when they think of minimally-invasive surgery. The surgery is conducted within the body, and the tools are inserted through small incisions. The ligation itself is similar to a minilaparotomy, with the fallopian tubes either sealed or tied shut.
Laparoscopic surgery is used for many other abdominal surgeries such as appendectomies and gall bladder removal, so it's not difficult to find an experienced surgeon. It does, however, require general anesthesia.
Hysteroscopy
There is also the possibility of blocking the fallopian tubes with no surgical incision at all through hysteroscopy. It is a very fast procedure requiring only local anesthesia; two small micro-inserts are placed in the fallopian tubes, which are accessed through the cervix. These micro-inserts stimulate the growth of scar tissue in the fallopian tubes, which seals them off.
Since hysteroscopy relies on the formation of scar tissue, it's not immediately effective; it takes a few months for enough tissue to form to effectively block the tubes. This means a follow-up appointment is necessary, where an X-ray will be done to make sure the tubes have become blocked. If, for any reason, the body doesn't respond to the microinsert by forming scar tissue, the microinsert will need to be removed and another form of sterilization performed.
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