Problems with the Essure Device?

Several years after the release of the Essure device, ACFS (being a well-known center for tubal ligation and Essure reversals) started getting calls from women who wanted to have their Essure devices removed but did not have any interest in restoring fertility with tubal reimplantation. Most of these women were experiencing symptoms that began (sometimes immediately) after they had an Essure procedure performed. While most women who undergo Essure sterilization have no complaints and are perfectly happy with the contraceptive method, some of the symptoms common to those with problems include:

1. Pelvic pain and discomfort
2. Heavy and irregular menstrual bleeding
3. Unexplained fatigue or “brain fog”
4. Depression or other mood changes
5. Unexplained weight gain or fluid retention
6. Metallic taste in the mouth
7. Headaches

While the above symptoms can be caused by issues other than Essure, too often, complaints related to the Essure are automatically dismissed without truly listening to patients and considering their Essure as a potential root-cause for certain problems once other medical conditions have been thoroughly ruled out.

ACFS wholeheartedly believes that some patients have complications from their Essure and will never ignore a woman’s symptoms. Some of these complications may be due to device malposition or migration, whereas others could be due to a general foreign body reaction or a specific allergy to nickel. Of note, many women are already aware of their own sensitivity to nickel because they develop skin reactions when wearing inexpensive jewelry containing the metal. In our early experience with removing Essure devices from symptomatic patients, we were amazed by how many patients noted significant improvement or total resolution of their problems within days to weeks of Essure removal. Now, we accept these improvements as the norm in properly-selected patients. We are thankful to have been able to help so many women experiencing complications due to Essure to find the answer to their problems and to return to a normal and symptom-free life.

Dr. Lipskind performs Essure removal as a laparoscopic, same-day surgery with 3-4 tiny incisions of 0.5 cm in length (one in the belly button and two or three at the waistline). The procedure takes approximately 1-2 hours, and contrary to popular myth does not require a hysterectomy. He has never performed a hysterectomy when a woman wished to keep her uterus and has never been unable to completely remove the devices from the uterus and fallopian tubes. The initial recovery time is 1-2 weeks, with most patients feeling significantly better just days after the surgery.

If you want to learn more about essure removals, call your ACFS fertility team today at (480) 860-4792.