Objective: To compare endometrial and subendometrial blood flows among patients with and without hydrosalpinx (HSP) during in vitro fertilization treatment as measured by a three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound.
Design: A prospective observational study.
Setting: A tertiary assisted-reproduction unit.
Patient(s): Twenty-one patients with HSP were compared with 42 matched controls without HSP.
Intervention(s): None.
Main outcome measure(s): Endometrial thickness, endometrial pattern, endometrial volume, pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI) of uterine vessels, and the vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI), and vascularization flow index (VFI) of endometrial and subendometrial regions were measured on the day of oocyte retrieval.
Result(s): The proportion of the non-multilayered endometrial pattern was significantly higher in the HSP group than in the non-HSP group. Patients in the HSP group had significantly lower endometrial and subendometrial VI and VFI. Endometrial thickness, endometrial volume, uterine PI, uterine RI, and endometrial and subendometrial FI were similar between the two groups. No significant differences were observed in endometrial and subendometrial VI, FI, and VFI among patients with unilateral and bilateral HSP.
Conclusion(s): A change in endometrial pattern and a decrease in endometrial and subendometrial blood flows may be the reasons for impaired implantation in patients with HSP.