What is the hysterosalpingography | Diseases and conditions: Medical tests.

Hysterosalpingography

Hysterosalpingography is a technique based on the x-ray that allows to study the internal shape of the uterus and fallopian tubes. Is commonly used to verify that the fallopian tubes are not blocked and to see if there are abnormalities in the shape of the uterine cavity.
Some of its uses has been displaced by ultrasound or the ureteroscopy (enter through the cervix a small camera), although it is still essential for the study of sterility and other gynecological diseases, since he studied in a simple way the patency of the fallopian tubes.
This test was invented in 1914 by Dr. Carey. At the beginning of fatty radiopaque dye that was useful for testing was used, but the risk of fat embolism and allergic reactions was much higher than that which exists with the media used today. Hysterosalpingography is still a test routine in all hospitals, they manage to make a week hundreds of them in a tertiary hospital.
It is not a risk-free trial, but it is very rare that there are serious complications, so that the benefit of test predominates over the risks. Today, this is done in a few minutes and is neither necessary nor income hospital or anesthesia. Your own gynecologist can interpret the results, although sometimes a radiologist can provide help for a full diagnosis.

When doing a hysterosalpingography

A hysterosalpingogram is done when it wants to study the interior of the female genital tract by any of these problems:
Sterility: is an essential in any study of sterility test. With it you can know if the fallopian tubes are open to receive the egg produced by each one of the ovaries.
Uterine malformation: uterine SEPTA, bicornuate Uteri or Rokitansky malformation can be diagnosed with this test.
Tubal ligation operation check: after performing this surgery, sometimes are asked to perform this test to make sure that the tubes are properly locked.
Uterine polyps and other tumors: the hysterosalpingogram can help identify benign and malignant tumors of the uterine endometrium.
Asherman syndrome: consists of the disappearance of the uterine cavity when sticking their walls each other after a surgery or curettage.

Preparing for hysterosalpingography

If you are performing a hysterosalpingography these are the issues that you must take into account:
Duration: hysterosalpingography lasts a few minutes. You will normally be in the hospital a couple of hours while waiting, prepare yourself for the test and is performed.
Income: the hysterosalpingogram can be done on an outpatient basis. You can put yourself to the test and go your home a little while.
Is necessary to be accompanied?: Yes, it is recommended to take a companion if any complications occur during the development of the test. However, it is not a test that limits the person once. It is normal that you can drive and go home by your own foot after.
Drugs: don't need to take any prior medication. You should tell your doctor all the medicines taken regularly and will decide which suspend or maintain. Sometimes the doctor will prescribe you an antibiotic and a painkiller to take before the test, but will assess these medications according to each person.
Food: it is not necessary to remain in fasting prior to testing. You can drink all you want although it is not recommended to take coffee, alcohol or beverages exciting hours before the test to avoid being nervous and have muscle tension.
Clothing: can keep the appointment with the gynecologist with the same clothes every day. For the test you will be prompted that you take off your pants or skirt, and underwear.
Documents: is advisable to take the medical history on the gynecological diseases, if you have them. Although the doctor will already have it with him. Before undergoing the test you will sign the informed consent with which you agree to make yourself the technique and you will know the potential risks, which are very uncommon.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: hysterosalpingography is absolutely contraindicated in these situations. If there is a minimal chance of being pregnant you should not submit to this test. Usually the doctor carried out a pregnancy test.
Breastfeeding does not imply a direct contraindication, but it is better to avoid the test until the end the period of breast feeding, since its usefulness focuses on the study of sterility.
Contraindications: the pregnancy would be the first absolute contrindicacion to perform this test. You should not be if you have a genital infectious process, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, or vaginal bleeding prior to test day.

How hysterosalpingography

When making a hysterosalpingogram, firstly, will ask you if you're in agreement with put yourself to the test and you will be asked to sign the informed consent where you will read what is the test. That day may make you the proof, but most often is that you cite so that you submit to hysterosalpingography another day.
The day you have proof you don't have why change your routine. Just take the antibiotic and painkillers if the gynecologist prescribed you before. The best is that you go not nerve to the test, will last only a few minutes. Attempts to get some before the agreed time, it is best that you wait a bit in the hospital before that get quickly and stressed.
To perform the test ask you first to tumbes in the gynecological position, i.e., naked from the waist down and with her legs open so the doctor can properly explore the vulva. The first thing you will do is insert a Speculum through the vagina to visualize the cervix, which is the entrance into the uterine cavity. Sometimes at the moment anesthetized the entrance of the cervix with a small prick of anesthesia which is a bit annoying, but often prefers to not anesthetize since the test does not involve pain.
Stun or not, a small plastic tube is inserted through the cervix. At the end of the tube there is a ball of plastic that swells tube is not out of the uterine cavity. Once, put you next to an x-ray machine and will begin to introduce a substance inside the uterine cavity. This substance is a means of radiopaque contrast, i.e., can be viewed on an x-ray. You should not feel pain when you enter the contrast medium, if it hurts is often due to any alteration of the uterus that does not pass the contrast medium.
Several x-rays to get a proper image will be. You may be asked to change your position in order to improve the image. It is essential that you notice the contrast dye flows out through the fallopian tubes into the abdominal cavity.
Achieved once ideal image checks out you tube placed through the cervix and will be able to get dressed. You won't have to wait for the results, the gynaecologist usually save them to study them and evaluate them alongside the rest of tests in another query.

Complications of hysterosalpingography

Hysterosalpingography complications are very rare. And which occur most often have little relevance and can be easily resolved. Some that occur occasionally are:

• Discomfort, nausea and vomiting.
• Fainting and loss of consciousness.
• Cramping and abdominal pain.
• Vaginal bleeding due to small injuries.
• Pelvic infection with fever and chills.
• Allergy to contrast dye.
• Other serious and extremely uncommon complications (embolisms, uterine perforation...).

Results of hysterosalpingography

Nothing else made the hysterosalpingography you can see the same data. However, slight alterations of the test may be misinterpreted and that it is better that gynecologist carefully study them and assess them in relation to the rest of the evidence that you made.
It is normal a few days after the test you have a consultation with the gynaecologist. It is there you will discuss is the result of hysterosalpingography and communicate a diagnosis and treatment if the test has been altered and is final.
Display an oval accumulation of contrast medium, which is the uterine cavity, with two thin lines coming out of its top, the ducts of the fallopian tube in hysterosalpingography image. Under normal conditions the contrast medium will pass through these ducts and would be as spilled into the inside of the abdominal cavity.

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