Salpingectomy: What to expect from surgery and recovery

A salpingectomy is exactly what it sounds like: surgery to remove one or both fallopian tubes. It’s common, it’s usually planned (sometimes urgent),
and it’s one of those procedures that sounds scarier than it often iskind of like “root canal,” except your dentist isn’t involved and you’ll
probably get better snacks afterward.

People have salpingectomies for a few major reasons: treating an ectopic pregnancy, removing a damaged or blocked tube, reducing ovarian cancer risk,
or choosing permanent birth control. Recovery can be surprisingly manageableespecially with laparoscopic (minimally invasive) surgerybut it still
helps to know what’s “normal,” what’s “call the doctor,” and what’s “I swear the gas bubble moved into my shoulder and is now paying rent.”

This guide walks through what happens before surgery, what the day-of looks like, what recovery typically feels like, and how salpingectomy can
affect fertility and future health. It’s general infonot personal medical adviceso your surgeon’s instructions always win.

What is a salpingectomy (and what does it remove)?

A salpingectomy removes one fallopian tube (unilateral) or both fallopian tubes (bilateral). The tubes are the
pathways where an egg travels from the ovary toward the uterus. Removing tubes can treat certain tube-related problems andwhen both tubes are
removedacts as permanent contraception.

Common reasons people have this surgery

• Ectopic pregnancy: A pregnancy growing outside the uterus (often in a fallopian tube). A salpingectomy may be needed, especially if there’s rupture or significant damage.
• Permanent birth control: Bilateral salpingectomy is a permanent sterilization option for people who are sure they don’t want future pregnancy.
• Damaged or blocked tube: From infection, scarring, or other conditions that make the tube nonfunctional or painful.
• Before IVF in some cases: If a fluid-filled tube (hydrosalpinx) is affecting fertility outcomes, removing the tube may be recommended.
• Ovarian cancer risk reduction: Opportunistic salpingectomy may be offered during other pelvic surgeries or instead of tubal ligation.

Salpingectomy vs. “tubes tied” vs. other similar-sounding surgeries

A lot of confusion comes from the phrase “getting your tubes tied.” In real life, “tubal ligation” is a broad umbrella for procedures that block or
interrupt the tubes. A salpingectomy removes the tube (part or all), while many other methods block, clip, band, or cauterize.

• Tubal ligation: Tubes are blocked/closed in some way (not literally tied).
• Salpingectomy: Tube is removed (one or both).
• Salpingo-oophorectomy: Tube + ovary removed (this can affect hormones/menopause if both ovaries are removed).
• Hysterectomy: Uterus removed (tubes may be removed at the same time).

Before surgery: what the prep usually involves

Your pre-op appointment is the time to bring your questions, your medication list, and your “I’m fine” face (optional). Depending on why you’re
having surgery and your medical history, your team may order labs, pregnancy testing, or imaging. You’ll also review anesthesia plans and any
medication adjustments (for example, blood thinners or certain supplements).

Questions worth asking ahead of time

• Is this laparoscopic or open surgery? If laparoscopic, how many incisions should I expect?
• Am I removing one tube or both? Partial or complete?
• If this is for sterilization: what are my alternatives, and how permanent is this?
• When can I shower, drive, exercise, lift weights, and have sex again?
• What pain control plan do you recommend (and what should I avoid)?
• What symptoms are normal vs. urgent?
• Do I need time off work, and for how long?

If the salpingectomy is for permanent contraception, informed consent typically includes discussing the permanence of the procedure, the possibility
of regret, and effective reversible alternatives (like IUDs or implants). This is not your team trying to talk you out of anythingit’s them doing
their job properly.

Day of surgery: what typically happens

Most salpingectomies are done under general anesthesia. If it’s laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon makes small incisions, inserts a camera and
instruments, and inflates the abdomen with carbon dioxide gas to create working space. If it’s an open abdominal surgery (less common for planned
cases), the incision is larger and recovery is usually longer.

Laparoscopic vs. open: why it matters for recovery

• Laparoscopic: Smaller incisions, less tissue disruption, typically quicker return to daily life.
• Open (laparotomy): Larger incision, more soreness, often longer restrictions and slower recovery.

Many people go home the same day after laparoscopic surgery, but someone else will need to drive you home. (Anesthesia + driving is a terrible
combination. Don’t let your brain tell you otherwise.)

Right after surgery: what you might feel

Waking up can include grogginess, chills, nausea, a sore throat (from the breathing tube), and soreness around incision sites. It’s also common to
feel bloated and crampy.

The infamous shoulder pain (yes, shoulder)

If you had laparoscopic surgery, you might feel pain in your shoulder or upper chest for a day or two (sometimes a few days). This can happen
because the gas used during laparoscopy can irritate the diaphragm, and the diaphragm shares nerve pathways that can “refer” pain to the shoulder.
It’s weird, it’s real, and it usually improves as the gas is absorbed and you move around gently.

Recovery timeline: what to expect week by week

Everyone heals differently, and your restrictions will depend on whether your procedure was laparoscopic or openand whether it was done alone or
alongside another surgery (like a hysterectomy or C-section). But here’s a typical roadmap.

First 24–72 hours

• Expect: Fatigue, soreness, bloating, mild nausea, and possible shoulder pain if laparoscopic.
• Do: Short walks, hydration, and light meals if tolerated.
• Avoid: Driving, alcohol, heavy lifting, and “seeing what happens if I do a deep core workout.” (Spoiler: regret.)

Days 3–7

• Pain often improves, but you may still get tired easily.
• Many people can do light household activity and desk-type workif their job allows it.
• Incisions may itch as they heal. That’s normal. Scratching like a raccoon is not recommended.

Weeks 1–2

• After laparoscopic salpingectomy, many people feel mostly back to baseline within days, but it may take up to about two weeks to resume typical daily life.
• Follow your surgeon’s guidance on exercise, lifting, and sexrestrictions can range from a couple weeks to longer depending on your situation.

Weeks 3–6 (especially after open surgery)

• If you had open surgery, a slower recoveryup to several weekscan be expected.
• Gradual return to exercise and lifting is typical, but “gradual” is doing a lot of work in that sentence.

Post-op care basics: pain, incisions, bathroom stuff, and movement

Pain control

Many people manage well with over-the-counter pain relievers (as approved by their surgeon), sometimes with a short course of prescription pain
medication right after surgery. A common goal is to stay ahead of pain in the first day or two, then taper down as you improve.

Incision care

Follow your discharge instructions closely. In general, keep the area clean and dry, watch for redness, swelling, or drainage, and avoid soaking in
a bath/pool/hot tub until your surgeon says it’s okay.

Constipation and gas

Constipation is extremely common after surgery due to anesthesia, reduced activity, and pain meds. Hydration, gentle walking, and any stool softeners
recommended by your surgeon can help. If you’re uncomfortable, tell your care teamno one wins a prize for suffering silently.

Activity: walking is your friend

Most people are encouraged to walk soon after surgery. Movement helps circulation (lowering clot risk), helps the bowels wake up, and can help move
that lingering gas along.

Fertility, periods, and hormones: what changes (and what usually doesn’t)

If you remove one tube

If you have a unilateral salpingectomy and the other tube works, pregnancy may still be possible. Fertility depends on many factors, including the
health of the remaining tube and the underlying reason for surgery.

If you remove both tubes

Bilateral salpingectomy makes natural pregnancy very unlikely because the egg can’t travel through fallopian tubes. However, if you still have a
uterus and ovaries, pregnancy through IVF may still be possible (eggs are retrieved, fertilized in a lab, and an embryo is transferred to the uterus).

Will you still get your period?

If your uterus is still in place, you should continue having periods. The tubes are not what create a period. If your periods stop unexpectedly after
surgery, contact your clinician.

Does it cause menopause?

Removing fallopian tubes alone generally does not cause menopause because the tubes don’t produce the hormones that drive your menstrual cycle.
Menopause is more directly affected when ovaries are removed.

Salpingectomy and ovarian cancer risk reduction

Researchers increasingly recognize that many “ovarian” cancers may start in the fallopian tubes. That’s why salpingectomy is sometimes offered as a
risk-reducing stepoften called opportunistic salpingectomy when it’s done during another pelvic surgery (like hysterectomy) or
instead of traditional tubal ligation.

For people at average risk, salpingectomy may lower ovarian cancer risk. For people at higher genetic risk (such as BRCA mutations), removing tubes
without ovaries may be discussed as a temporary step after childbearing, though it does not eliminate risk because ovaries and peritoneal
tissue can still develop cancer.

Bottom line: it can be a meaningful prevention strategy, but it’s not a magical force field. If cancer risk reduction is part of your decision, ask
your clinician what risk category you’re in and what approach best fits your health and goals.

Risks and complications: what’s rare but important

Salpingectomy is generally safe, but like any surgery it has risks. Your clinician will review your specific risk profile, but common categories
include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Reaction to anesthesia
• Blood clots
• Damage to nearby organs/tissues (rare but possible)
• Wound problems (poor healing, separation, herniamore relevant with larger incisions)

When to call your doctor (or get urgent help)

Call your surgeon/clinic if you have worsening pain, redness or swelling at the incision, drainage/pus, fever/chills, painful urination, or swelling
or pain in your legs. Seek urgent help for severe symptoms like shortness of breath, fainting, or heavy bleeding.

If you had both tubes removed and you have symptoms of pregnancy later, contact a healthcare professional promptlypregnancy is rare, but any
post-sterilization pregnancy needs evaluation.

Sex, contraception, and STIs: quick reality check

A salpingectomy done for sterilization is intended to be permanent contraception. But it does not protect against sexually
transmitted infections, so condoms and safer-sex practices still matter if STI prevention is relevant for you.

Practical tips to make recovery smoother (without turning your home into a hospital)

• Set up a “recovery nest”: water, snacks, meds (as directed), chargers, and a pillow for abdominal support when coughing or laughing.
• Walk a little, often: gentle movement helps gas pain and bowel function.
• Plan for fatigue: even when pain is mild, tiredness can linger longer than expected.
• Don’t rush lifting: your core needs time, and “I feel okay” is not the same as “my tissues are fully healed.”

Recovery experiences: what people often describe (about )

Every recovery story is personal, but there are some patterns you’ll hear again and againalmost like a secret club, except the membership dues are
sweatpants and a heating pad. Many people say the hardest part is the anticipation. The week before surgery can feel like your brain is running
worst-case scenarios on a loop (“What if I wake up mid-surgery?” “What if I can’t climb stairs ever again?” “What if I accidentally say something
deeply embarrassing to the anesthesiologist?”). In reality, most patients remember being wheeled in, hearing a few calm voices, and then waking up in
recovery thinking, “Oh. That happened fast.”

The first day tends to be about grogginess and getting comfortable. People often describe a tight, “worked-out” soreness around the belly button or
incision sites. Laparoscopic patients sometimes say the incisions themselves aren’t the main eventbloating is. The abdomen can feel puffy and
stretched, and the gas pain may do the world’s least funny magic trick by showing up in the shoulder. A lot of folks are surprised that walking
(slowly, like a cautious penguin) helps more than lying perfectly still. Many report that short walks to the bathroom or down the hallway become
their main “exercise,” and that’s enough for the first couple days.

Sleep can be its own adventure. Some people prefer propping up with pillows or sleeping slightly elevated to reduce pulling on the abdomen. Others
say rolling over feels like a full-body negotiation: “Okay, stomach muscles, I’ll give you two business days’ notice.” If coughing or laughing hurts,
hugging a pillow against the abdomen can feel like a tiny life hack. Eating tends to be light at firsttoast, soup, crackersespecially if nausea
lingers. By day two or three, many people notice their appetite and energy start to return in small bursts, though fatigue can still hit like a
surprise email from your boss at 6 a.m.

Emotionally, experiences vary. Some people who chose bilateral salpingectomy for sterilization describe feeling relief and a sense of control over
their future. Others report a mix of relief and unexpected feelingsespecially if the surgery followed an ectopic pregnancy or fertility struggles.
In those cases, the physical healing is only part of recovery; grief and processing can take longer, and support from loved ones or counseling can be
genuinely helpful. People also commonly mention that the hardest “rule” is slowing down when they start feeling better. Around the one-week mark,
it’s easy to think you’re fully healed and try to do everything at oncelaundry, groceries, a heroic deep-clean, maybe rearranging furniture because
why not? Then your body reminds you that internal healing is still happening.

The most repeated advice from patients is simple: follow instructions, listen to your body, and don’t be shy about calling your care team if
something feels off. Recovery doesn’t have to be dramatic to be realand you’re allowed to take it seriously, even if you’re wearing socks that don’t
match.