Tubal Reanastomosis (Tubal Reversal)
Tubal Reanastomosis (Tubal Reversal)
Tubal Reanastomosis (Tubal Reversal) is surgery to reopen, untie, or reconnect a woman’s fallopian tubes so she can become pregnant. A tubal ligation reversal, or Tubal Reanastamosis, is a surgical procedure to reverse a tubal ligation, sometimes referred to as “tied tubes.” About one million women in the United States undergo elective tubal ligation procedures each year, and many later seek the assistance of a surgeon to reverse them.
FAQS
Frequently asked questions about surgical procedures
Can I use my insurance and get these prices?
Payment is due 14 calendar days prior to your surgery date. If, after the cutoff, your account is not settled, your case must be postponed.
How quickly can I have surgery?
How will I meet my surgeon?
If I had a car or work accident, would you work with my employer or attorney for payment?
What if I get sick right before my surgery?
You could develop a respiratory infection, a urinary tract infection, COVID, or some other condition that may necessitate postponement. There is no penalty when this happens.
What’s Included:
- Facility fee
- Graft and hardware costs (if needed)
- Surgeon and assistant surgeon fees
- Anesthesiologist
- Time in the recovery unit (at no additional charge)
- Initial consultation visit
- One post-operative visit
*Please note: If you choose not to proceed with surgery after the initial consultation, or if you delay your procedure for more than 6 weeks, you will need to update your consultation at a cost of $375.
What’s not included:
- Lab testing before and after the surgery, as needed
- Electrocardiogram (EKG), depending on age. If you had one elsewhere in the past 6 months and it read “normal”, we can forego this expense.
- Imaging costs. X-rays and MRIs can be obtained anywhere.
- Physical therapy services
- Medications you’ll need (oral or IV antibiotic infusions if an infection arises)
- Wound care
- Bracing supplies
- Additional doctor visits (a pre-operative visit with the surgeon, in person, and any required post-op follow-ups after the suture removal to monitor your progress
- Additional surgical intervention if a complication arises
- Additional imaging or hospital care if a blood clot develops
Before the Procedure
Prior to the procedure, your physician will need information on the type of tubal ligation that was performed. Patient records reveal this information and are extremely helpful for the surgeon to determine the best tubal reversal procedure. The details may also impact the procedure’s success rate. If the patient’s operative notes are not available, a diagnostic surgery might be required to see if a reversal is an option.
Your physician will also conduct a full physical exam—including blood and imaging tests—on you and your partner to determine your candidacy. One particular test is called a hysterosalpinogram (HSG), which uses dye and X-rays, or saline and air with ultrasound, to examine the length and performance of your remaining fallopian tubes.
Always tell your health care provider or nurse what drugs you are taking, even drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription.
During the days before the surgery:
You may be asked to stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), warfarin (Coumadin), and any other drugs that make it hard for your blood to clot.
Ask your health care provider which drugs you should still take on the day of your surgery.
On the day of your surgery:
You will very often be asked not to drink or eat anything for 6 – 12 hours before the surgery.
Take the drugs your health care provider told you to take with a small sip of water. Your health care provider or nurse will tell you when to arrive at the hospital.
Tubal Reanastomosis (Tubal Reversal) Procedure
Tubal reversal surgery is done in a hospital or an outpatient center. You will be given general anesthesia, which means you will be pain-free during surgery and unaware of the operation taking place. During the procedure, the surgeon places a small lighted scope, called a laparoscope, through the belly button and into the pelvis. This allows the surgeon to look at the fallopian tubes and determine if reversal surgery is possible. If the tubal ligation can be reversed, the surgeon then makes a small surgical cut, called a “bikini cut,” near the pubic hairline. Microscopic instruments attached to the end of the laparoscope allow the surgeon to remove any clips or rings used to block your tubes and reconnect the ends of the tubes to the uterus, using very small stitches.
The surgery usually takes about two to three hours.
What to expect after your surgery
Recovery after a Tubal Reanastomosis (Tubal Reversal)
Recovery time depends on the surgical method used to perform the tubal reversal. Tubal reversal is a major abdominal surgery that is more difficult and takes longer to perform than the original tubal ligation operation.
Some women may need to stay in the hospital for one to three days. Today, however, tubal reversal surgery is most often done using microsurgical techniques. An overnight hospital stay may not be needed. Women who have the microsurgical method usually go home the same day, typically within two to four hours after the surgery is complete.
The doctor will prescribe painkillers to help you manage any discomfort. Most women resume normal activities within two weeks.
Risks
All surgeries carry risks, even a Tubal Reanastomosis (Tubal Reversal). While rare, complications may include:
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Allergic reaction to anesthesia and medication
- Injury to nearby organs
- Scar tissue, which obstructs the fallopian tubes
Can I Travel to St George for Surgery?
Yes, and we’ll help you make all your arrangements.
- We have arrangements to try to obtain free flights through a non-profit volunteer pilot organization. We can do this with 10 days’ advance notice in most cases.
- We have discount codes for the Holiday Inn in town. This hotel is 1.5 miles from the surgery center and 2 miles from our clinic.
- We’ll arrange to send your after-surgery medications to your hometown pharmacy for pickup before you leave.
What if I would rather drive to St George?
No problem, we can help with those plans as well. When you have surgery with us, we’ll need to make sure you’re safe and comfortable after surgery. We’ll arrange cold compression therapy that requires an AC/DC adaptor/transformer and frequent stops to stretch and refill the ice reservoir on the road.
We’ll ask about the vehicle you’ll travel in to ensure you have a way to elevate and stretch out in the vehicle on the road while someone else does the driving.
How are follow-up and initial consultations handled?
In-person and telehealth consultations are possible with the surgeon to whom your case is assigned. The initial visit is included in the surgical package and is valued at $375.
We can also obtain the flights from the volunteer pilot nonprofit if you’d like to come for initial and follow-up visits in person. One follow-up visit is included in the surgical package at a value of $175. Any additional visits are charged at the time of service to your credit or debit card.
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