The idea behind Essure® was a good one — a permanent birth control solution that didn’t rely on surgery. Unfortunately, enough women developed complications from the implant that the manufacturer voluntarily discontinued its manufacture. If you’re among these women, removal is the best option, and we have the expertise necessary to perform the procedure here at the Women's Clinic of the Rio Grande Valley.
Under the direction of Dr. Fernando Ortero, our team understands how to best remove your Essure implants to alleviate your side effects. Here’s a look at who should have the devices removed and how we go about it.
As we mentioned, the idea behind Essure was a good one. With Essure, we placed two coils around your fallopian tubes, and this caused scar tissue to form over three months, permanently blocking these passageways.
The procedure to place Essure was what really drove its popularity, as this was the first nonsurgical, female sterilization technique. To implant the coils, we simply guided them through your vagina and cervix with specialized tools during an in-office procedure that didn’t require general anesthesia.
For many women, Essure met their goals and they didn’t didn’t have to give a second thought to becoming pregnant.
For some, however, complications developed, which included:
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms and you’ve had Essure implanted, the first step is to come see us so that we can determine whether Essure is to blame. If we find that the implants are causing your problems, we typically recommend removal.
Under the best circumstances, we can go in with a hysteroscope to remove your Essure devices. A hysteroscope is a small tube equipped with a camera and a light, which allows us to locate and remove the Essure implants without resorting to surgery.
If your Essure coils are firmly implanted, we may turn to a salpingectomy, a procedure in which we cut into your fallopian tubes to remove the coils.
Another possibility is a cornual resection, a laparoscopic procedure in which we remove the coils and a portion of your uterus.
Deciding which approach is appropriate for your Essure removal is made after we thoroughly evaluate the position and involvement of your Essure coils.
If you opt for Essure removal, it’s paramount that you choose a provider who has experience with this type of procedure so that you can minimize any further complications, such as breaking the coils during removal.
At our practice, Dr. Ortero is such a provider, and he has helped many of our patients regain their quality of life by successfully removing their Essure devices. Rest assured, he uses minimally invasive techniques whenever possible to avoid any collateral damage and to reduce your surgical risks.
If you’d like to explore Essure removal further, contact us at one of our offices in McAllen or Edinburg, Texas, to schedule a consultation. Give us a call or click the “request appointment” button.
