Hysteroscopic Evaluation of Fallopian Tubal Patency

December 11, 2019 updated by: Johannes Ott, Medical University of Vienna

Hysteroscopic Evaluation of Fallopian Tubal Patency Compared to Laparoscopic Chromopertubation: a Prospective, Randomized Study on the "Flow" and "Parryscope" Techniques

Hysteroscopy is an important tool in the evaluation of sterility. Assessing tubal patency during hysteroscopy seems highly relevant, particularly when it allows for a low cost, fast, gentle, and accurate way of gathering information that may guide clinical care. Therefore, it is important to know which technique is the best. Thus, the primary aim of this study is to evaluate the reliability of (1.) the hysteroscopic visualization of a "tubal flow" and (2.) the "Parryscope technique" as compared to the gold standard, namely laparoscopic chromopertubation. In a prospective, randomized study, the following women are enrolled: (1.) The patient is subfertile, defined as being unable to become pregnant within a year despite unprotected sexual intercourse. It is also within the standard of care to be presumed subfertile if one has tried for six months and has known risk factors that would hinder conception, including but not limited to anovulation and endometriosis. (2.) A concurrent diagnostic hysteroscopy and laparoscopy with chromopertubation are performed at the Clinical Division of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna. Hysteroscopic evaluation of tubal patency (either by a positive "tubal flow" or a visible flow of air bubbles in the "Parryscope technique") and the result of the laparoscopic chromopertubation (tubal patency existing or not existing) will be the primary outcome parameters. A total 60 patients are enrolled (30 patients in the "flow assessment" group, 30 patients in the "Parryscope" group) and randomization is performed as block randomization in 4 blocks.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Introduction and scientific background:

Hysteroscopy is an important tool in the evaluation of sterility. It allows direct visualization of the uterine cavity and enables the diagnosis of numerous pathologies. Hysteroscopy shows high reliability and is considered the gold standard for intrauterine evaluation.

When performing hysteroscopy, experts often assess the patency of the tubes via the visibility of flow of the hysteroscopic fluid going through the ostia of the tubes. In the recently published study "Assessment of tubal patency: A prospective comparison of diagnostic hysteroscopy and laparoscopic chromopertubation" - it has been demonstrated that visualizing contrasting substances disperse through the ostia is a significant and meaningful metric for tubal patency.

Pre- and posthysteroscopic vaginal sonography for the evaluation of the hysteroscopic fluid in the pouch of Douglas, selective hysteroscopic pertubation of the tubes and the visibility of air bubbles traversing through the Fallopian tube ostia after an air infusion into the uterine cavity have been reported to be reliable methods for hysteroscopic tubal patency assessment. Particularly the last one, also called the "Parryscope technique", named after its inventor, seems to be highly reliable, easy to conduct and clinically relevant. The "Parryscope technique" seems to perform even better than the technique evaluating the "tubal flow".

Assessing tubal patency during hysteroscopy is highly relevant, particularly when it allows for a low cost, fast, gentle, and accurate way of gathering information that may guide clinical care. Therefore, it is important to know which of the above-mentioned techniques is the best. This prospective randomized study aims to compare the hysteroscopic assessment of the tubes via "tubal flow" and the "Parryscope technique".

Study aims:

The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the reliability of (1.) the hysteroscopic visualization of a "tubal flow" and (2.) the "Parryscope technique" as compared to the gold standard, namely laparoscopic chromopertubation.

Study hypotheses:

Null hypothesis: The hysteroscopically visualizable "tubal flow" and the "Parryscope technique" are similarly reliable in the evaluation of tubal patency.

Alternative hypothesis: The hysteroscopically visualizable "tubal flow" shows a lower sensitivity and specificity than the "Parryscope technique" for the evaluation of tubal patency.

Study design:

Prospective, randomized study.

Recruitment:

Women will be invited to participate by medical professionals at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Medical University of Vienna using the above mentioned criteria in the course of their admission to the ward one day before surgery. Potential participants are informed about the procedure, clinical relevance and the balance of risk and benefits incurred through study participation. Patients willing to participate will express this through written affirmation (a "consent form").

Additional considerations:

  1. Since in the "flow"-group air bubbles might develop spontaneously and, thus, should be assessed, conducting the "Parryscope"-technique is only possible after the evaluation of the tubal flow.
  2. Reactive tubal spasms could occur especially during a prolonged hysteroscopy.
  3. This is why in one particular patient only one technique should be performed.

Sample size calculation:

The calculation is based upon the following considerations:

  1. Direct comparison of the two groups is not possible. Hence, separate evaluation of the two methods will be performed. Evaluating both methods in one particular patient in the course of a single intervention is impossible without a mutual interference (see: "Additional considerations" above).
  2. The "flow effect" is considered the less reliable method and thus, the sample size was aligned to this method. An odds ratio of approximately 10, an alpha of 5%, a power of 80%, a general disease likelihood of 39% and a sensitivity of 66% for occluded tubes result in a total amount of 59 tubes and, accordingly, 30 patients.
  3. Thus, the group for the "Parryscope"-technique should also contain 59 tubes (= 30 patients).
  4. The randomization of the total 60 patients is performed as block randomization in 4 blocks via the software "R".

Statistical analysis:

Numerical data will be reported as mean and standard deviations, nominal variables as number and frequency. The McNemar Test will be used for the calculation of the reliability of the hysteroscopic assessment of the tubes. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values will be provided including the according 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for both study groups (evaluated technique versus gold standard laparoscopic chromopertubation). Whether the according odds ratio is over 10 will be evaluated by the use of a binary logistic regression model. Statistical analyses were performed with the software "R". Differences were considered significant if p<0.05.

Data quality evaluation:

Extreme values will be double-checked. In addition, a random checks by two independent investigators to ensure the accuracy of the data will be conducted.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

60

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Austria
      • Vienna, Austria, 1090
        • Medical University of Vienna, Clinical Division of Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 45 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • The patient is subfertile, defined as being unable to become pregnant within a year despite unprotected sexual intercourse. It is also within the standard of care to be presumed subfertile if one has tried for six months and has known risk factors that would hinder conception, including but not limited to anovulation and endometriosis.
  • A concurrent diagnostic hysteroscopy and laparoscopy with chromopertubation are performed at the Clinical Division of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna.
  • The patient has given her written informed consent after detailed information on the study by medical professionals at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Medical University of Vienna.
  • The patient is over 18 and under 45 years old.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • The patient had a tubectomy on one or both sides.
  • There is no "informed consent".
  • The patients has active vaginal infection or other conditions that would preclude hysteroscopy.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: "Parryscope"-group
In these patients, Fallopian tube patency is assessed using the "Parryscope" technique. A small amount of air is introduced into the iv tubing by inverting the drip chamber to create air bubbles. When air enters the uterine cavity, a single large air bubble or stream of air bubbles traversing the ostia is considered indicative of tubal patency. At least 10 seconds of intracavitary evaluation is typically performed before air bubble entry to allow pressure equilibration if a hydrosalpinx is present [10]. At least 30 seconds of observation per ostia is performed if patency is not observed.
Diagnostic test: Hysteroscopic Fallopian tube assessment using the "Parryscope" technique
A small amount of air is introduced into the iv tubing by inverting the drip chamber to create air bubbles. When air enters the uterine cavity, a single large air bubble or stream of air bubbles traversing the ostia is considered indicative of tubal patency. At least 10 seconds of intracavitary evaluation is typically performed before air bubble entry to allow pressure equilibration if a hydrosalpinx is present [10]. At least 30 seconds of observation per ostia is performed if patency is not observed.
Active Comparator: "Tubal flow"-group
In these patients, Fallopian tube patency is assessed using the "flow" technique. a positive "flow" is defined as the observation of saline directly traversing the ostia, endometrial structures floating toward the ostia, or air bubbles traversing the ostia.
Diagnostic test: Hysteroscopic Fallopian tube assessment using the "Tubal flow" technique
a positive "flow" is defined as the observation of saline directly traversing the ostia, endometrial structures floating toward the ostia, or air bubbles traversing the ostia.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Fallopian tube patency using laparoscopic chromopertubation
Time Frame: In the course of subsequent laparoscopy, i.e. 20-60 minutes after the diagnostic intervention
tubal patency as assessed by chromopertubation (information provided separately for each side)
In the course of subsequent laparoscopy, i.e. 20-60 minutes after the diagnostic intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Medical University of Vienna

Collaborators

University of Mississippi Medical Center

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

May 31, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 25, 2019

Study Completion (Actual)

October 25, 2019

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 24, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 30, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

September 4, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

December 12, 2019

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 11, 2019

Last Verified

December 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 1341/2019

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

IPD Plan Description

Data will be provided on personal request

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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