Sterilisation

This refers to permanent contraception. Some women find after they have completed their family that they would prefer to avoid hormonal contraception.

Hysteroscopic  Essure Procedure

This procedure involves a Hysteroscopy to obtain a detailed view of the Uterine Cavity. The procedure is a Day Stay procedure performed under General Anaesthesia.  In particular, the Tubal Ostia (openings of the Fallopian Tubes into the Uterus) are visualised. Small coils are introduced into each Tubal Ostia to occlude the openings. The procedure lasts about 20 minutes.

The recovery after this procedure is very fast. You may experience minor cramps or light bleeding for 24 hours. You are advised to avoid swimming and intercourse for 48 hours post procedure.

After three months, scar tissue has grown into the Tubal Openings and they are fully occluded. This means that alternate contraception is required for three months following the procedure. The main advantages of this procedure compared to the traditional Laparoscopic Sterilisation is that no incisions in the skin are required – thus no scarring. Recovery is faster  - women can return to normal activities the following day.

Laparoscopic Sterilisation

This procedure involves a Laparoscopy to obtain a detailed view of the pelvis. The procedure is a Day Stay procedure performed under General Anaesthesia.  In particular, the Fallopian Tubes are visualised. Clips are placed on the Fallopian Tubes to occlude them.

Recovery from Laparoscopic Sterilisation

Recovery is the same as for a Laparoscopy. You will be given spare dressings from the hospital. The dressings which are on the two small cuts are water proof. They can be left intact for one week. It is fine to have a shower and get the dressings wet.

Most women will experience a sharp pain in the right shoulder tip or the base of the neck. This is referred pain from the gas being caught under the diaphragm.  This will settle over the first 24 hours. Most women will continue to experience a bloated sensation and sharp shooting sensations for the next 3-5 days. Feeling tired is common. You are advised to avoid swimming and intercourse for one week post procedure. You can expect to take 3-5 days off work. Dr Cook will call the day after the surgery to confirm that you are progressing well. She will review you 7-10 days post-operatively to monitor your progress, discuss the procedure and the pathology.

The main advantage of this procedure is that it provides immediate contraception. The main disadvantages (when compared to the Hysteroscopic Essure procedure) is that there are small cuts on the abdomen through which instruments are inserted. This results in minor scarring. The recovery is longer (5 days with Laparoscopic Sterilisation compared to one day with Essure procedure).