What Are Tubal Implants?
Tubal implants were heralded as a revolutionary — and permanent — method of contraception for women. They didn’t require any incisions, and the soft coil implants that were placed in the fallopian tubes prevented pregnancy over the long-term.
However, serious side effects and problems arose for many women who opted for tubal implants, and for their safety, the implants had to be removed.
Dr. Peter Khamvongsa has been very involved in treating women who had tubal implants that needed to be removed. As with every aspect of his practice, Dr. Khamvongsa believes in treating every patient as an individual, as opposed to a set of symptoms.
Here are the facts you should know about tubal implants and how they are removed.
Facts about tubal implants
The brand name of the tubal implant birth control method was Essure. It was unprecedented in that it blocked your fallopian tubes, permanently, so that you would never be able to conceive. To many, this option was a relief and a true innovation.
Tubal implants, unfortunately, were too good to be true. They caused a host of frightening side effects in women, including:
- Pain in the pelvis, abdomen, and back
- Fallopian tube and uterine perforations
- Heavy bleeding
- Allergic reactions
- Improper movement of the implant within the body
- Systemic inflammation
- Unplanned pregnancy
- Headache
- Hair loss
- Significant bloating
- Metallic taste in the mouth
- Fatigue
- Depression
For the many women who suffered these debilitating side effects, prompt tubal implant removal was essential. The number of women with severe symptoms due to Essure continued to climb, and in 2019, the manufacturer of Essure, Bayer, took the device off the market in the United States.
How do you remove a permanent birth control device?
It’s not simple to remove Essure, because tubal implants were intended to be permanently placed.
Though some women have been lucky enough not to have these side effects after tubal implant placement, many others haven’t been as fortunate. The solution for them is removing Essure tubal implants as soon as possible, but there are only three way to do it:
- Hysteroscopic removal requires no incisions. Dr. Khamvongsa views your cervix with a microscopic camera in order to perform this procedure. Hysteroscopic removal is intended to be done soon after placement, if side effects are swift and severe.
- Laparoscopic removal is an outpatient procedure, usually completed within an hour, and requires just several small incisions. Laparoscopic robotic surgery is minimally invasive, and that means less pain, faster recovery, reduced scarring and bleeding, and many other advantages.
- Open laparotomy is standard abdominal removal of the implant.
Dr. Khamvongsa determines which removal method is appropriate for you depending on factors, such as how long you’ve had your implants and the specific problems you're experiencing.
Trust an expert in Essure removal
Dr. Khamvongsa feels called to help women in need of tubal implant removal. This is why he’s active within the Essure Problems website. One of the removal methods he performs was featured at the 2019 annual meeting of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists.
Tubal implant removal should be done sooner rather than later, especially if you’re experiencing life-altering side effects. Call our office at 786-220-8664 to schedule a consultation, or request an appointment on our website.