Essure Removal Specialist

Tassone Gynecology Shawn Tassone, MD, PhD Our Services Essure Removal

Tassone Gynecology

Shawn Tassone, MD, PhD

Gynecologist located in Round Rock, TX

Having an Essure procedure — blocking the fallopian tubes — to prevent pregnancy has been performed for the last 14 years. But for some patients, this permanent birth control can be painful or uncomfortable, leaving you with no choice but to have these blocks removed. At Tassone Gynecology in Austin, Texas, Dr. Shawn Tassone understands the conflicts you’re faced with. As a board-certified OB/GYN, he is available to go over all of your concerns and help you with your Essure removal.

Essure Removal Q & A

How do Essure devices work in the first place?

An Essure is a permanent birth control device that gets implanted into your fallopian tubes. This procedure, done right in the office, requires your doctor to insert tiny coils through your vagina and cervix, to get to your fallopian tubes. Once the coils are in place, your body naturally starts forming a tissue barrier around them. This tissue buildup, which takes about 3 months to form, prevents sperm from reaching your eggs, so you can’t get pregnant.

Can Essure coils really be removed?

Yes. While the initial implantation is done in-office without any sort of anesthesia, you will need to go under general anesthesia to have them removed. During the surgery — which takes about 30-45 minutes — Dr. Tassone will make small incisions in your lower abdomen, followed by a small opening in each of your fallopian tubes. This will allow him to remove the Essure coils. He’ll close up the Essure removal sites and leave the ends separated a little, to minimize your chances of getting pregnant. Dr. Tassone has personally removed over 300 sets of Essure coils.

What is Essure removal recovery like?

Since Essure removal is a surgery requiring you to go under general anesthesia in an operating room, you’ll need at least 24 hours to recover just from the anesthesia. It’s common for patients to complain of cramping for 3-4 days after Essure removal, but the pain isn’t anything worse than you’d experience during your period. Pain medications can help with this. Your small incisions should heal within the first week, and you should be fully recovered after about 2 weeks.

Is it possible to get pregnant after Essure removal?

It can be difficult, but it can certainly happen. If you don’t want to grow your family, talk with Dr. Tassone about other birth control measures to use, such as a birth control pill or intrauterine device. Or if you think you might want to conceive again, Essure reversal might be an option. Even with Essure reversal though, it can still be very difficult to get pregnant, so you’ll want to carefully weigh out all of your options with Dr. Tassone.