Fertility following fimbriectomy and tubo-ovarian microsurgery in the rabbit.

It is generally believed that tubal fimbriae function as a highly specialized and indispensable component of the ovum pickup mechanism. The present study was undertaken to examine the feasibility of creating a functional tubo-ovarian relationship following fimbriectomy. Fourteen New Zealand White rabbits underwent unilateral microsurgical fimbriectomy followed by creation of a distal ampullary flap which was oversewn to the exposed ovarian cortex. Two weeks after surgery, the animals were inseminated and induced to ovulate with an intravenous injection of 100 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin. Thirteen of fourteen uterine horns on the control side and ten of fourteen on the operated side became pregnant. The ratios of ova ovulated to those which implanted were 73.2% on the control side and 37.8% on the operated side. Morphologic studies revealed a normal complement of ciliated and secretory cells lining the endosalpinx of the juxtaposed ampullary flap. The portion of ovarian cortex covered by the flap similarly exhibited no morphologic abnormalities. These findings indicate that fertility can be maintained in the absence of fimbriae and suggest a surgical technique for restoration of fertility following elective sterilization by fimbriectomy or following pathologically induced destruction of the fimbriae.