Contrast infusion sonography to assess microinsert placement and tubal occlusion after Essure.

Objective: To develop a technique for contrast infusion sonography and assess the possible use in determining microinsert placement and tubal status after Essure sterilization.

Design: Techniques and instrumentation.

Setting: Healthy women in an academic multispecialty group.

Patient(s): Ten women desiring permanent sterilization who have recently undergone Essure hysteroscopic sterilization.

Intervention(s): Contrast infusion sonography, an adaptation of hysterosalpingo contrast sonography, performed at 3-23 weeks after Essure placement.

Main Outcome Measure(s): To determine how readily tubal status and microinsert location could be assessed with this adaptation of hysterosalpingo contrast sonography.

Result(s): All microinserts were readily identified and tubal status was assessed by identification or absence of real-time contrast agent flow.

Conclusion(s): This technique is very promising and could represent a convenient alternative to hysterosalpingogram (HSG) 3 months after Essure placement.