Tubal ligation – having your tubes tied – is a permanent sterilization technique used when you’ve decided that your childbearing days are over. The process blocks or cuts the fallopian tubes, the path through which eggs released by the ovaries pass on their way to fertilization and implantation in the uterus. Since sperm can no longer reach eggs, fertilization and pregnancy simply can’t happen once these passageways seal off.
You can combine tubal ligation with other abdominal procedures, such as a C-section, at the time of a vaginal childbirth, or virtually any other time, since contemporary techniques minimize surgical impact and recovery times. The doctors at OBGYN Care specialize in minimally invasive gynecological surgery, including tubal ligation techniques. Here’s what you need to know about how these procedures work.
Traditionally, surgery required open incisions, wounds large enough for the surgeon to navigate visually, as well as permitting the use of handheld surgical tools. For access to deep internal organs, this meant cutting through healthy muscles and connective tissue, and recovery was often more about these innocent bystanders healing than the target of surgery itself.
The smaller the incision, the faster a patient heals. Rates of infection and post-surgical complications fall. The technical challenges require a way to visualize the surgical target as well as development of tools that can function through keyhole incisions.
Laparoscopy introduced the tiny cameras and tools needed to reduce damage to surrounding tissue, and more recently, robotically assisted surgery introduced three-dimensional imaging and computer control, permitting a level of surgical precision unmatched by the human hand. Dr. Catalin Marinescu of OBGYN Care specializes with the da Vinci surgical robotic platform, the leading device of its type.
Laparoscopy is well-suited for tubal ligation since the laparoscopic camera enters through an incision made in the navel, leaving no visible scar after surgery. Tools access your body through two or three other small incisions in the lower abdomen.
These small incisions mean little blood loss, minimal scarring, fast recovery times, and much less pain than other surgical approaches. There’s also no need for hospital admission. Minimally invasive tubal ligation is usually an outpatient procedure, so you’re home the same day as the surgery.
Recovery time for laparoscopic tubal ligation typically takes between one and two weeks. You may feel discomfort or pain around the incision sites, and there are a few common surgical side effects, including cramping, fatigue, bloating, and dizziness. Your OBGYN Care provider reviews recovery protocols with you during the preparatory phase leading to surgery. Generally, you’ll avoid heavy lifting and sex until you get the all-clear at a follow-up appointment.
While tubal ligation reversal is possible in some cases, it’s considered a permanent sterilization method and it’s not recommended for women who may want to have children later, since surgical reversal isn’t reliable.
Find out more about minimally invasive tubal ligation and its suitability for you by contacting either location of OBGYN Care. You can call your preferred office directly or use the online request link on this page. Tubal ligation offers a safe and reliable alternative for the woman seeking permanent birth control. Book your consultation today.
