Laparoscopic Sterilization

Home
Our Specialties
Laparoscopic Sterilization

Laparoscopic sterilization, or bilateral tubal ligation (BTL) is a method of permanent birth control that prevents a woman’s eggs from traveling through the fallopian tubes to possibly be fertilized by a sperm cell. The procedure blocks the fallopian tubes through a minimally invasive technique, laparoscopy. A flexible viewing and operating tube called a laparoscope is inserted into the abdomen through small incisions. The surgeon blocks (occludes) the fallopian tubes by various means, including clipping, cautery, or removal of a segment of the tubes. To perform the BTL, the surgeon makes one or two small incisions on the abdomen. One is 12mm in size and placed within the belly button. If an additional incision is necessary, a 5mm incision is placed on the lower abdomen. The average time for this outpatient surgery is 15 to 30 minutes. After the surgery, pain medicine is usually required for the first several days. Anti-inflammatory medications should be taken on a regular schedule, with narcotic medicine on an as-needed basis. Patients may return to work 48 to 72 hours post-operatively, but are advised not to perform any heavy lifting or strenuous exercise until after a follow-up visit with the surgery.

UAB Obstetrics and Gynecology offers comprehensive women’s health care in a private, personal environment, with physicians and nurses who are dedicated to delivering excellent care. Because our physicians are nationally recognized specialists in their fields, you can rest assured that you are receiving the most advanced care available. UAB Obstetrics and Gynecology is consistently ranked among the best programs of its kind in the country by U.S. News & World Report.

As part of the UAB Division of Women’s Reproductive Healthcare, UAB Obstetrics and Gynecology’s services range from complete obstetric care to the medical and surgical treatment of complicated gynecological concerns. We work closely with the UAB Medicine Interventional Radiology team to diagnose and treat your condition, using the latest and most accurate technology and imaging methods, including fluoroscopy, ultrasound, and CT scans. Because UAB Medicine is an academic health center, patients may be offered participation in clinical research trials, which can give you access to new techniques and treatments that are not available elsewhere in the area. Our physicians are here for you at all times, from your first routine gynecological exam, to delivering your baby, to guiding you through menopause. When you establish a relationship with our doctors, you can rely upon that relationship throughout your lifetime.