Clinical application of hysteroscopic hydrotubation for unexplained infertility in the mare.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic techniques for oviductal obstruction in the mare are limited. Nonsurgical and retrograde flushing may be an attractive alternative to current treatment methods for oviductal blockage. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate hysteroscopic selective hydrotubation as a treatment option for presumptive equine oviductal blockage. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. METHODS: A quantity of 10 mL of saline was flushed through the oviducts in 28 standing sedated mares, which had reproductive histories of unexplained subfertility, by inserting a catheter into the uterotubal junction under endoscopic guidance. All mares in the study had been mated through several cycles (2-20 oestrous cycles) by known fertile stallions prior to treatment, with no evidence of conception. The average number of cycles for each mare prior to treatment was 6.5 ± 4.5. RESULTS: Saline was successfully infused into a total of 50 oviducts. Of 28 mares, 26 conceived after the treatment. The average number of cycles for each mare to become pregnant after treatment was 1.8 ± 0.8. MAIN LIMITATIONS: Diagnosis of blocked oviducts was presumptive, and pretreatment infertility was used as the control. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that hysteroscopic hydrotubation using saline improved pregnancy rates in mares in which oviductal blockage was suspected as a cause of unexplained subfertility.