Cornual Suture at the Time of Laparoscopic Salpingectomy Reduces the Incidence of Interstitial Pregnancy after In Vitro Fertilization.

Study Objective: To investigate the effect of cornual suture at the time of laparoscopic salpingectomy on the incidence of interstitial pregnancy (IP) after in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Design: Single-center, retrospective review (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

Setting: University hospital.

Patients: Patients with hydrosalpinx who were treated with salpingectomy before IVF-embryo transfer and managed in our center were included in this study.

Interventions: A total of 542 patients who underwent laparoscopic salpingectomy from April 2011 to March 2014 comprised group A. A total of 502 patients who underwent cornual suture at the time of laparoscopic salpingectomy from April 2014 to February 2016 comprised group B.

Measurements And Main Results: The overall IP rate was significantly lower in group B (7/293, 2.39%) than in group A (27/373, 7.24%; p < .05). The intrauterine pregnancy and ongoing pregnancy/live birth rates were significantly higher in group B than in group A (both p < .05). All 34 patients with IP underwent laparoscopic cornuostomy and cornual repair. Seven of 11 patients with combined interstitial and intrauterine pregnancies carried the intrauterine pregnancy to term and delivered via cesarean section, whereas 4 patients underwent inevitable miscarriage. IP rupture occurred in 8 of 34 patients at a mean of 23.43 ± 2.77 days after embryo transfer. The earliest time of rupture was on day 20 after embryo transfer.

Conclusion: An optimized salpingectomy technique plays an important role in pretreatment before embryo transfer in patients with hydrosalpinx. Cornual suture at the time of salpingectomy helps reduce the risk of IP.