How can balloon tuboplasty open a blocked fallopian tube?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Diagram showing the female reproductive system with labeled ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, and vagina, alongside hormone pathways and the process from ovulation to fertilization and early embryo development. — infertility Major structures and hormones involved in the initiation of pregnancy. Also seen, at right, is the development of an egg cell (ovum) from follicle to embryo.

Balloon tuboplasty is a minimally invasive technique used to treat infertility caused by blocked fallopian tubes. The procedure works by inserting a catheter through the cervix and guiding it into the fallopian tube until it reaches the site of the obstruction.1

Once the catheter is positioned at the blockage, a small, deflated balloon is passed through it. The balloon is then inflated, which serves to dilate the tube and clear the obstruction. By mechanically widening the narrowed or blocked passage, this technique aims to restore the tube's patency, potentially allowing for natural conception without the need for more extensive surgical interventions.1