Interventional Radiology: Infertility

Fallopian Tube Recanalization Fallopian tube recanalization (FTR) is an innovative, non-surgical procedure to diagnose and treat blockages in the fallopian tubes. FTR requires no anesthesia or incisions and is highly successful in resolving a wide range of fertility problems. In FTR, the interventional radiologist places a catheter in the uterus and injects X-ray dye to view the uterine cavity. If the physician detects a blockage, he or she will thread another catheter into the fallopian tube to open it. FTR typically takes less than an hour and most patients return to their normal activities the next day. Varicocele Embolization Varicoceles, tangled blood vessels or varicose veins in the scrotum, are a major cause of male infertility. We treat varicoceles non-surgically with a procedure called varicocele embolization. Your physician threads a catheter through a small skin incision and into the affected vein. They inject either a drug, a small balloon, or tiny metal coils, through the catheter to block off the varicocele. The swollen veins shrink, often resolving the infertility problem. In addition, varicocele embolization can be helpful when surgery has been unsuccessful.