Hysterosalpingography with a balloon catheter versus a metal cannula: a prospective, randomized, blinded comparative study

Abstract

A prospective, randomized, blinded study was conducted to compare the use of a balloon catheter for performing hysterosalpingography (HSG) with the use of a traditional metal cannula. Sixty-one consecutive women who underwent HSG for evaluation of infertility were prospectively randomized to undergo the procedure with either a metal cannula (n = 31) or the balloon catheter (n = 30). The HSG procedure was identical in both groups. HSG using the balloon catheter, compared to the metal cannula, required significantly less fluoroscopic time (57.4 +/- 17.6 versus 75.6 +/- 40.5 s), smaller amounts of contrast medium (7.8 +/- 3.9 versus 20.1 +/- 15.8 ml), produced less pain (3.8 +/- 2.0 versus 5.6 +/- 2; on a scale of 1-10), and was easier for the physician to perform (8.8 +/- 1.1 versus 6.4 +/- 1.9; on a scale of 1-10) (P < 0.01). Eight patients (13%) were diagnosed as having proximal tubal occlusion. It was possible to offer an immediate transcervical tubal catheterization for further diagnosis and treatment of the occlusion only to the five patients with this condition from the balloon catheter group. We conclude that the balloon catheter is superior to the traditional metal cannula for performing HSG. Furthermore, if proximal tubal occlusion is diagnosed, an immediate selective salpingography and transcervical tubal catheterization can be performed without the need to replace the cannula or to reschedule the patient.

Balloon catheter vs. cervical vacuum cup for hysterosalpingography: a prospective, randomized, single-blinded study

“…An SD of 2 in a pain score scale from 1 to 10 was found in two randomized studies published elsewhere (17,18). A pain score difference of Ն50% over SD was considered as clinically significant.…”

“…More recently, two randomized studies have compared the metal cannula with the balloon catheter and cervical vacuum cup cannula and have demonstrated that the newer devices are superior to traditional metal devices, providing significant reduction in patients' pain and radiation exposure and in volume of contrast medium used (17,18).…”

Hysterosalpingogram in Evaluation of Primary Infertility- A Retrospective Study

“…The access to the uterine cavity, one of the important aspect, In our study all 84 patients have undergone HSG by paediatric Foleys catheter primarily inserted after passing the uterine sound without manual dilatation. But the study Tur-Kaspa et al 7 in study half of the patients underwent the procedure by HSG cannula and half by balloon catheter.…”

Interventional radiology in female infertility: technique and role

“…We use a wide-spectrum antibiotic, 2 days prior and 3 days after the procedure. The technique of HSG has been known for many years, but the change in its indications and the possibility and need to catheterize occluded tubes has prompted some modifications in the material used [4]. Firstly, we are dealing with young, educated patients who are possibly entering the painstaking process of an infertility work-up, which could end with in vitro fertilization (IVF); thus, the goal is to make the procedure of HSG as painless as possible.…”