Retrograde seeding of endometrial epithelial cells by uterine-tubal flushing

Roy F.P.M. Kruitwagen, R F Kruitwagen, Kruitwagen RF, Poels LG, Lambert G. Poels, L G Poels, W N Willemsen, Willemsen WN, Wim N.P. Willemsen, Jap PH, P H Jap, Paul H.K. Jap, Thomas CM, Chris M.G. Thomas, C M Thomas, R. Rolland, Rune Rolland, Rolland R
Fertility and sterility · 1991 · doi:10.1016/s0015-0282(16)54533-6 · PMID:1894018
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Uterine-tubal flushing introduced endometrial epithelial cells into peritoneal fluid, with cell numbers varying by menstrual cycle phase and reduced by methylene blue.

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the amount of endometrial epithelial cells in peritoneal fluid (PF) after uterine-tubal flushing (40 mL) throughout the menstrual cycle. DESIGN: We cultured the cell pellet of flush medium present in the peritoneal cavity. SETTING: University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands. PATIENTS: Ninety-two women with various infertility-related factors. INCLUSION CRITERIA: (1) ovulatory cycle, (2) patent tubes, and (3) no adhesions. INTERVENTIONS: None MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The number of developing epithelial cell colonies were counted after 7 days. We started to record the amount of flush medium recovered during the study. RESULTS: The amount of flush medium recovered was positively correlated with the presence of endometriosis (P = 0.017). Endometrial epithelial cells were identified in 85 flush media (92%). The number of epithelial cell colonies varied from 0 to 100 or more and was higher when flushing was performed during the early follicular phase (P less than 0.01). High estradiol-17 beta and progesterone levels in culture medium did not change the number of developing cell colonies. Methylene blue significantly reduced the number of cell colonies (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Uterine-tubal flushing results in varying numbers of endometrial epithelial cells in PF. Methylene blue adversely affects the growth potential of these cells.

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Condition tags

endometriosisinfertility

MeSH descriptors

Endometrium Fallopian Tubes Therapeutic Irrigation Cell Division Cell Division Endometrium Epithelial Cells Estradiol Estradiol Female Humans Methylene Blue Methylene Blue Progesterone Progesterone Regression Analysis

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