Checking tubal patency, i.e. whether the fallopian tubes connecting the ovary and uterus are well permeable and not sticky or occluded, with the help of ultrasound is called hystero-salpingo contrast sonography (HyCoSy).
HyCoSy is a very gentle, safe and at the same time precise ultrasound treatment in which the patency of the fallopian tubes is examined with the help of a contrast agent. First, a thin catheter is carefully inserted into the uterus via the cervix. The foamy (harmless) contrast agent is then injected into the uterus via the catheter, which flows through the fallopian tubes and, if the fallopian tubes are healthy and free to pass through, flows out of the ovaries. A positive additional effect is that the fallopian tubes are also cleaned of small adhesions and deposits.
The procedure usually takes 15-20 minutes, can be performed without anesthesia, is non-invasive and generally painless. Side effects may include mild abdominal cramps and very short and light bleeding shortly after HyCoSy, but these should subside quickly. The best period for tubal patency testing is shortly after the end of the last menstrual period until shortly after ovulation, i.e. approximately from the 6th to the 12th day of the cycle.
