You wanted a solution that would permanently end your ability to get pregnant, so you opted for Essure®, which was approved by the FDA in 2002 as a nonsurgical female sterilization technique. And the Essure system has certainly delivered on its promise that you won’t be delivering a child.
That said, you heard the news that Essure was discontinued in 2019 because of complications, and you’re concerned. Stories of pelvic pain and abnormal vaginal bleeding have made their way into your awareness, and you’re wondering whether you should take preemptive action and remove your Essure even though you’re not experiencing any of the symptoms.
This is a complicated question, and the team here at Women’s Clinic of the Rio Grande Valley can certainly provide some guidance. Our own Dr. Fernando Otero is a leading expert in minimally invasive gynecologic surgeries, and he has acquired a good deal of experience in Essure removal surgeries, which are highly complex.
We know that a lack of symptoms is the topic of our blog post, but we want to cover the potential side effects of Essure so you can make sure you’re not experiencing anything unusual that might tie back to the device.
The FDA has been tracking Essure reports and the top symptoms include:
Many of these symptoms stem from the Essure device breaking apart, as well as patient incompatibility — the Essure device is made from nickel and some women may be allergic to the metal.
As well, there were reports of more than 4,600 pregnancies, despite having the Essure device.
While the women who ran into problems with their Essure devices certainly had their challenges, we want to underscore the fact that some women don’t have issues. One small study found that only about half (48%) of Essure recipients that responded to a survey had any negative experiences with the device.
We also want to point out that the Essure removal process is complex. The way Essure works is that metal coils were inserted into each of your fallopian tubes. Over the following months, tissues in your fallopian tubes grew around the inserts, effectively blocking eggs and sperm from entering your uterus.
Since the Essure system is integrated into your tissues, it means that Dr. Otero has to dissect some tissue to remove the coils. Dr. Otero may also recommend removing your fallopian tubes entirely if the coils are firmly implanted. Whatever the approach, it’s not exactly a simple procedure.
Making matters more complicated, the real challenge is removing the device without it breaking. The Essure inserts are fragile and they can break apart and cause more problems — in fact, some Essure problems only occurred during removal.
Dr. Otero is an expert in the Essure removal field, so you can rest assured that you’re in good hands, but surgery is surgery and there are always risks.
Ultimately, the decision is up to you, but if you're not experiencing any symptoms, you may feel it’s better to leave well enough alone.
The best step at this point is to schedule an appointment with Dr. Otero so he can evaluate your Essure to see whether it’s causing problems or whether it might do so down the road. From there, we can help you move forward, with or without your Essure device.
To schedule your Essure consultation with Dr. Otero, simply contact one of our offices in McAllen or Edinburg, Texas.
