Fallopian Tube Recanalization in Jamaica: What It Is, Who It Helps and Why It Changes Everything
- Ivan Scott
- Jun 9
- 10 min read
If you have been told your fallopian tubes are blocked and that your only options are IVF, surgery or accepting infertility, this article is written specifically for you. There is a third option that many Jamaican and Caribbean women have never been told about: a non-surgical, outpatient procedure called fallopian tube recanalization that opens blocked tubes, takes approximately 30 minutes, and in clinical studies achieves pregnancy rates higher than IVF at a fraction of the cost. It has been performed at Hazba Medical Center in Falmouth for six years. Dozens of women have had their tubes opened and confirmed patent by imaging. Many have gone on to conceive naturally. This is their story, and yours may be next.
Blocked Fallopian Tubes and Infertility in Jamaica
Infertility affects approximately 15% of couples worldwide who are trying to conceive. Among women with fertility challenges, fallopian tube disease accounts for between 25% and 35% of all infertility cases, making it one of the most common, and most treatable, underlying causes.
In Jamaica, the burden is compounded by high rates of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), prior STI infections and post-surgical complications all of which can scar or block the fallopian tubes. A significant proportion of Jamaican women seeking fertility care have tube involvement as either their primary or contributing factor. Yet until recently, most were told the only pathway forward was IVF expensive, invasive and not always accessible outside Kingston.
25–35%
of female infertility cases involve fallopian tube blockage
41%
pregnancy rate within 1 year of successful FTR
24%
pregnancy rate for IVF — lower than FTR
30 min
typical procedure duration. Outpatient. Same-day return home.
Sources: Society of Interventional Radiology; MDPI Journal of Clinical Medicine (2018); ECR 2025 Study, C-22647
"Fallopian tube recanalization has a technical success rate of up to 100% and pregnancy rates of approximately 41% — higher than the 24% pregnancy rate for IVF, at a significantly lower cost and without surgical intervention."
What Are the Fallopian Tubes and What Do They Do?
The fallopian tubes are two fine, tube-like structures each approximately 10 to 13 centimetres long connecting your ovaries to your uterus. They are the critical highway of female reproduction. Every month, when your ovary releases an egg during ovulation, that egg travels through the fallopian tube toward the uterus. Fertilisation the moment sperm meets egg happens inside the fallopian tube, not the uterus. The resulting embryo then travels down the tube into the uterus where it implants and pregnancy begins.
This means that if a fallopian tube is blocked, the egg and sperm cannot meet. Fertilisation cannot occur. Pregnancy is impossible through natural conception regardless of how healthy your eggs, your partner's sperm, or your uterus may be. A blocked tube is a physical barrier to conception
Types of Fallopian Tubal Blockages
Two types of blockage
Proximal blockage: occurs at or near the point where the tube connects to the uterus (the uterotubal junction). This is the most common type caused by mucus, debris, spasm or mild scarring and is the type most effectively treated by fallopian tube recanalization.
Distal blockage: occurs at the far end of the tube near the ovary and is usually caused by infection-related scarring or hydrosalpinx. This type is less amenable to recanalization and may require surgical evaluation.
What Is Fallopian Tube Recanalization?
Fallopian tube recanalization (FTR) is a minimally invasive, non-surgical procedure that uses a thin catheter guided under imaging to physically open a blocked fallopian tube from inside. There are no incisions. There is no general anaesthesia. The procedure is performed as an outpatient you come in, the procedure is done, and you go home the same day.
The term recanalization means "reopening a channel." Applied to the fallopian tube, it describes the process of identifying where the tube is blocked and carefully clearing that obstruction to restore natural patency the ability of the tube to allow passage of eggs and embryos.
Timing
The procedure is performed between days 6 and 11 of your menstrual cycle, after your period has ended but before ovulation. This timing maximises the opportunity for conception in the immediate cycle following the procedure.
Positioning and preparation
You lie in the same position as a gynaecological examination. A speculum is gently placed to access the cervix. Local anaesthesia may be used. You remain awake throughout. Mild cramping, similar to a period, is the most common sensation described by patients.
Catheter placement and Saline infusion
A thin catheter is passed through the cervix into the uterus. A Saline is injected, and imaging is used to visualise the uterine cavity and the opening of each fallopian tube. Where a blockage is seen, the tube will not fill with contrast confirming obstruction
Recanalization
A second, smaller catheter is threaded into the blocked fallopian tube. Using a fine guidewire, the obstruction is gently navigated and cleared. A brisk injection of contrast confirms the tube has opened and is now patent meaning the channel through the tube is restored and flow is unobstructed.
Confirmation and completion
Once patency is confirmed by imaging, the procedure is complete. At Hazba Medical Center, patients receive a full explanation of findings, a copy of their imaging report, and a follow-up plan. The entire procedure takes approximately 30 minutes and base on difficulty 2 hours. Most patients rest briefly and go home the same day.
HSG confirmation
A hysterosalpingogram (HSG), an imaging test that uses dye to confirm tube patency is used to verify that the tubes have been successfully opened. Many of our patients at Hazba have had post-procedure HSG results confirming restored patency. This objective confirmation is one of the most important distinctions between FTR and empirical fertility treatments.
The Numbers: FTR vs IVF vs ICSI in Jamaica
For many Jamaican women and families, the cost of fertility treatment is the single most significant barrier to accessing care. The comparison below reflects the reality of fertility treatment costs in Jamaica and the clinical outcomes associated with each pathway.
~$406,000 JMD
Pregnancy rate: 41%
Non-surgical · Outpatient
~$2.5M JMD
Pregnancy rate: 24%
~$4.5M JMD
Pregnancy rate: varies
This comparison contains one of the most important and least known facts in fertility medicine: fallopian tube recanalization, when the patient is an appropriate candidate, achieves a higher pregnancy rate than IVF at roughly one-sixth the cost.
This does not mean FTR replaces IVF. IVF bypasses the fallopian tubes entirely and is the appropriate choice for women whose tubes are irreparably damaged, or where male factor infertility or poor egg quality is the primary issue. But for women whose main fertility barrier is a proximal tubal blockage that can be physically cleared, FTR is not just an alternative — it is often the better clinical and financial choice.
Why FTR outperforms IVF in pregnancy rate
IVF fertilises the egg outside the body and transfers an embryo directly to the uterus. Even with perfect embryo quality, implantation is not guaranteed hence IVF's 24% pregnancy rate. Fallopian tube recanalization restores the natural conception pathway. When the tubes are successfully opened, eggs can be fertilised in their natural environment within the tube, and the resulting embryo travels naturally to the uterus the biological process it evolved to perform. This natural pathway explains FTR's higher pregnancy rate in appropriate candidates.
Who Is a Candidate for Fallopian Tube Recanalization?
Not every woman with blocked tubes is a candidate for recanalization. The procedure works best for a specific clinical profile. The assessment process at Hazba Medical Center determines candidacy before any procedure is performed.
Common Myths About Blocked Fallopian Tubes — Addressed
1: If my tubes are blocked, IVF is my only option.
Facts: For women with proximal tubal blockage, fallopian tube recanalization may be a more appropriate first-line treatment achieving higher pregnancy rates at significantly lower cost. IVF is reserved for cases where tubes cannot be successfully opened or where other fertility factors are present.
2: Blocked fallopian tubes can only be treated with surgery.
Facts: Fallopian tube recanalization is entirely non-surgical. No incisions, no general anaesthesia, no hospital admission. It is an outpatient procedure completed in approximately 30 minutes with minimal recovery time.
3: If one tube is blocked, you cannot get pregnant naturally.
Facts: Women ovulate from each ovary on alternate cycles. If one tube is open and healthy, natural conception remains possible. Women with one open tube can and do conceive without any fertility treatment. Recanalization of a blocked tube simply increases the number of fertile cycles available per year.
4: Once tubes are scarred by infection, nothing can be done.
Facts: It depends on the location and extent of the damage. Proximal blockages, even those caused by post-infection changes can often be successfully recanalized. Not all infection-related blockages are permanent, and the procedure itself can assess in real time whether clearing is possible.
5: This procedure is not available in Jamaica.
Facts: Fallopian tube recanalization has been performed at Hazba Medical Center in Falmouth, Trelawny, Jamaica for six years by Dr. Rojae Hazel, a University of the West Indies trained physician. It is one of a small number of clinics in Jamaica offering this procedure outside of Kingston and the only facility in Trelawny Parish providing it locally.
What Causes Fallopian Tubes to Become Blocked?
Understanding the cause of your blockage matters both for assessing candidacy for recanalization and for addressing any underlying issue that could cause re-blockage after the procedure. The most common causes in Jamaican women include:
Previous pelvic inflammatory disease (PID):
The most common cause in Jamaica. PID from untreated chlamydia, gonorrhoea or other STIs causes inflammation and scarring that can close the tubes. Many women are unaware they had PID at the time.
Accumulated debris or mucus:
Thick mucus or cellular debris can physically clog the proximal tube without causing structural damage. This is the most recanalization-responsive type of blockage.
Endometriosis:
Endometrial tissue growing near or around the tubes can cause adhesions that distort or block them.
Previous ectopic pregnancy:
A pregnancy that develops in the tube, requiring medical or surgical intervention, can damage tube structure.
Post-surgical adhesions:
Scar tissue from previous abdominal or pelvic surgery (including fibroids removal or caesarean section) can pull or block the tubes.
Congenital abnormalities:
Rare, but some women are born with structural tube differences affecting patency.
Has your HSG shown a blocked fallopian tube? Before pursuing IVF, find out if you are a candidate for fallopian tube recanalization at Hazba Medical Center in Falmouth, Trelawny.
About Dr Rojae Hazel
Dr. Rojae Hazel is the founder and lead physician at Hazba Medical Center in Falmouth, Trelawny. A graduate of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Dr. Hazel has been performing fallopian tube recanalization for over six years making Hazba Medical Center one of a small number of private clinics outside Kingston offering this procedure in Jamaica, and the only facility in Trelawny Parish providing it locally.
Dr. Hazel's approach to fertility care is grounded in providing Trelawny's women with access to the same specialist procedures that have previously required travel to Kingston or abroad at a cost that reflects the economic realities of Jamaican families rather than the premium pricing of larger urban centres.
"The most common thing I hear from women who come to me after a blocked tube diagnosis is that they were told IVF was their only option. For many of them, that was the end of the conversation because $2.5 million JMD is not a reality for most families in Trelawny. Recanalization is not right for everyone. But for the women who are candidates, it genuinely changes what is possible."
— Dr. Rojae Hazel, Hazba Medical Center, Falmouth, Trelawny
Frequently Asked Questions
Is fallopian tube recanalization available in Jamaica?
Yes. Fallopian tube recanalization has been performed at Hazba Medical Center, 10 Cornwall Street, Falmouth, Trelawny, Jamaica for six years by Dr. Rojae Hazel. It is one of a small number of private clinics in Jamaica offering this procedure outside of Kingston, and the only facility in Trelawny Parish providing it locally.
How much does fallopian tube recanalization cost in Jamaica?
The procedure is priced at approximately $406,000 JMD at Hazba Medical Center — compared to IVF at $2.5 million JMD and ICSI at $4.5 million JMD. This makes it significantly more accessible for Jamaican families while achieving clinical pregnancy rates comparable to or higher than IVF for appropriate candidates.
What is the success rate of fallopian tube recanalization?
Clinical studies report a technical success rate of up to 100% for opening proximal tubal blockages, with pregnancy rates of approximately 41% within one year of the procedure. This compares favourably to IVF's published pregnancy rate of around 24%. Success depends significantly on the type of blockage, patient age and the absence of other fertility factors.
Is fallopian tube recanalization painful?
Most patients experience mild cramping during and after the procedure — similar to strong period pain. Local anaesthesia is used. The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes and is performed while you are awake. Most patients go home the same day and resume normal activities within 24 hours.
How do I know if I am a candidate for the procedure?
Candidacy is determined by the location and nature of the blockage. The best candidates are women with proximal tubal blockage — at the point where the tube connects to the uterus — without extensive pelvic scarring, active infection or other major fertility factors. A consultation and HSG at Hazba Medical Center will determine whether you are a suitable candidate.
Can I conceive naturally after fallopian tube recanalization?
Yes — natural conception after successful recanalization is the goal of the procedure. Once the tube is confirmed open by post-procedure HSG, most couples are advised to attempt natural conception. The immediate cycles following the procedure are often the most fertile. A number of Hazba Medical Center patients have conceived naturally in the first or second cycle after recanalization.
What if the blockage comes back?
Re-occlusion, the tube blocking again after recanalization can occur in some cases, typically within 3 to 6 months. This is more common when the original blockage was caused by underlying infection or adhesions rather than simple debris. If re-occlusion occurs, the procedure can be repeated or alternative pathways such as IVF can be considered. The post-procedure care plan at Hazba is designed to maximise the fertility window after tube opening.
How do I book a consultation in Falmouth?
Call Hazba Medical Center at 1876-502-3362, message via WhatsApp or book online at hazbamedicalcenter.com. The clinic is at 10 Cornwall Street, Falmouth, Trelawny. Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 4pm. No referral is needed for an initial fertility consultation.
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