There is a lot of erroneous information which exists about tubal ligation reversal surgery.
An IVF doctor recently published a list of erroneous ‘facts’ intended to persuade patients to forget about tubal reversal and to consider in-vitro fertilization instead. The complete list of these biased ‘facts’ can be found in our first article in this blog series: So Called “Facts” About Tubal Ligation Reversal.
This series was created to provide readers with a better understanding of each one of these statements and to determine if these statements are fair representations of tubal reversal surgery.
This article deals with the IVF expert’s ‘fact’ number 2:
Tubal reversal surgery is a major surgery requiring hospitalization.
This statement is partly factual, but does require explanation. Tubal reversal is surgery and, in every sense of the word, it is a ‘major’ surgery, but it is not as risky as you might imagine.
Is Reversing Tubes Major Surgery?
I was trained as an Ob/Gyn surgeon. I was always taught (and I do sincerely believe) all surgery should be considered major surgery. Any medical procedure has risk. There are risks with procedures as simple as starting an IV and drawing blood and there are risks with procedures as complex as heart transplants and neurosurgery. All medical procedures should be considered major, but not all medical procedures have the same risks.
Tubal reversal is a major surgery, but tubal reversal is also a very safe surgery. Tubal reversal is not without risk, but reversing tubes has much less risk than many other abdominal and pelvic surgeries.
Risks of Tubal Reversal And Risks Of IVF
We have previously published an article about the risks of tubal reversal surgery. Our experience has demonstrated tubal reversal surgery is safe and can safely be performed in an out-patient setting. IVF is also a relatively safe medical treatment, but IVF is not without risks. We have also published a similar article about the risks of IVF.
Does Tubal Reversal Have To Be Done In A Hospital?
Many health care professionals mistakenly believe tubal reversal surgery must be done in a hospital operating room and requires overnight hospital stay. Rather, the opposite is true. Tubal reversal does not have to be done in a hospital operating room and it does not require overnight stay.
Tubal reversal should be done in a safe hospital-like setting, but it does not need to be done in a hospital.
In fact, if you want your tubal reversal surgery to be really expensive then request your tubal reversal be done in a hospital operating room and request to stay overnight and you will pay in excess of $15,000! While you are at it you might as well stay several additional nights to add more cost to the entire package. While in the hospital, you may be exposed unnecessarily to a variety of hospital-acquired infections.
Is Tubal Reversal Safe?
At A Personal Choice our reversal surgeries are safely done in an out-patient, state of North Carolina certified ambulatory, surgical facility. Anesthesia is provided by two board certified anesthesiologists. Most surgeries last less than 90 minutes with minimal blood loss that averages one tablespoonful (15 ml) . Our patients stay in a local hotel the night after their surgery and will be seen by reversal staff the day after surgery.
Our patients will pay $5,900 for their surgery and will have pregnancy success which is greater and more affordable than most of those patients who undergo IVF treatments.
Tubal Ligation Reversal Facts
Tubal reversal is major surgery because it involves general anesthesia and an abdominal incision; however, tubal reversal is very safe surgery and is much safer when performed at A Personal Choice than when compared to other major gynecology procedures as performed in hospitals.
The IVF expert’s second statement is a fact which has been additionally burdened with a biased opinion about tubal reversal! Tubal reversal is major surgery (fact) and requires hospitalization (opinion).
Although many doctors believe tubal reversal requires an overnight hospital stay, reversing tubes does not require an overnight stay, can safely be done out-patient, and is more affordable when done as out-patient surgery without an overnight hospital stay.
The next article in this series deals with tubal reversal ‘fact’ #3 : Does Insurance Pay For Tubal Reversal? What About IVF?
Submitted by Dr. Charles Monteith
