Fallopian Tubes
The fallopian tubes are tubular structures that are attached to the right and left sides of the uterus. Each tube is about the size of a pencil and consists of a lumen surrounded by smooth muscle. The lumen is trumpet shaped being narrow at the end adjacent to the uterus and wide at the end adjacent to the ovaries. The narrowest portion of the tube is called the ishmus and the widest area at the end is referred to as the fimbria.
Three important events are associated with the fallopian tubes.
These are…
1. picking up the eggs (oocytes) from the ovary
2. fertilizing the oocytes
3. transporting the fertilized ovum into the uterus
The fallopian tubes can be irreparably damaged by pelvic infections. These infections occur when sperm carry bacteria from the vagina into the upper female reproductive tract. Although we typically think of pelvic infections being associated with pain and fever, serious infections are completely unrecognized about 50% of the time. Therefore, the damage may not be discovered until they are examined. The types of damage that we are most likely to see after a pelvic infection include a complete or partial occlusion of the tube or scar tissue around the tube. The function of the fallopian tubes can also be impaired by conditions like endometriosis or appendicitis. These conditions are more likely to cause scar tissue around the tubes rather than blocking the tubes.
The fallopian tubes can be evaluated with a hysterosalpingogram or a laparoscopy combined with chromotubation (passing dye through the tubes).
