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Finally, women and their
partners considering permanent birth control have a new option — Essure! Unlike
tubal ligation and vasectomy, with Essure there are no incisions or punctures to
the body. Essure takes about 20 minutes, does not require general
anesthesia, and can be done right in my office.
How is the Essure
Inserted?
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The Essure does not require any
incisions. It can be done under local anesthesia. If you are
anxious, light sedation is all that is needed. First the inside of
the uterus is examined with a slender telescope called a hysteroscope.
The hysteroscope is attached to a video camera. |
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A narrow
inserter, called a catheter, is threaded through the hysteroscope and
into the uterus. |
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The catheter is then passed into the
fallopian tube. |
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Once micro-insert is placed
in the fallopian tube, the inserter is removed. The process is
then repeated for the other tube. The entire procedure only takes
a few minutes. Most women are able to resume their normal
activities the next day. |
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 During
the three months after the procedure, your body and the micro-insert
work together to form a tissue barrier that prevents sperm from reaching
the egg. The micro-inserts do not contain or release hormones and are
made with the same materials used in other medical products for many
years. For example, these materials have been used in blood vessel
grafts, heart valve replacements, and abdominal repair. An x-ray
called a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) is done after 3 months to be sure the
tubes are blocked. |
Safety and
Effectiveness
The Essure procedure
has undergone significant clinical testing in the United States, Europe, and
Australia. Data from clinical testing show that Essure was 99.8%
effective in preventing pregnancy after two years of follow-up.
98% of women who relied on Essure rated their long-term satisfaction with
Essure as "good" to "excellent"
The Essure
Procedure: Key Risks and Considerations
As with all medical procedures,
Essure may not be suitable for all women and there are risks associated with
Essure. The following are the key risks associated with Essure:
• The procedure should be
considered irreversible
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• Like all methods of birth
control, the Essure procedure should not be considered 100% effective
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• Not all women who undergo the
Essure procedure will achieve successful placement of both
micro-inserts
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• You must use another method of
birth control for at lease three months after the procedure
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• The Essure procedure is newer
than other procedures
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• Removal of the Essure
micro-inserts would require surgery
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For a detailed comparison of Essure to
Vasectomy and traditional tubal ligation, click here.
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