Latest news
New purpose-built IVF unit opens at The James Cook University Hospital - March 2015
A new purpose-built IVF unit has opened its doors at The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.
The state-of-the-art facility brings all reproductive medicine services together in one place and includes its own theatre, lab, tank room, air quality control, recovery area, patient rooms, changing rooms, reception and waiting area.
As demand for fertility services across Teesside continues to grow the development will ensure the hospital can continue to accommodate increasing numbers of patients.
“Previously the unit was divided into different sites within the hospital and shared a theatre with obstetrics and the gynaecology day unit, but now we have our own purpose-built theatre which will treat up to 10 patients a day,” said lead consultant gynaecologist Mr Fayez Mustafa.
“We have everything now behind one door which is much more convenient for patients.
“We are very proud of our new unit. It has already successfully treated its first patients and future patients are extremely impressed when we give them a tour of the new facilities.”
The unit offers both NHS and private fertility treatment to people in the North of England and has one of the best success rates in the country.
It offers a comprehensive service including advanced techniques such as egg freezing, oncology freezing (freezing eggs/sperm of cancer patients) and surgical sperm extraction.
For more information on reproductive medicine services at James Cook click here.
Reversal of sterilisation
(Microsurgical tubal reanastomosis)
Microsurgical tubal reanastomosis is a surgical method used to reverse a female sterilisation (an operation that involves interrupting the passage of eggs from the ovaries to the uterus). As a highly skilled microsurgeon, Mr Mustafa is able to offer this procedure as an option for women who may, for various reasons, wish to re-establish their fertility.
What is the success rate?
The success of this operation depends on many factors:
- - the skill of the microsurgeon
- - the length and health of the remaining fallopian tube segments to be rejoined
- - the woman's age at the time of reversal surgery
- - the method of tubal sterilization
- - scar tissue in the pelvis
- - the sperm test results of the partner and other infertility factors. Re-opening of the tubes provides a high chance (but not a guarantee) for pregnancy if the woman's tubes are healthy and there are no other infertility factors.
Under optimal conditions, the pregnancy rate is 75-80% in properly selected cases. This chance for success, as well as the time to achieve conception following microsurgical tubal reanastomosis surgery, is influenced by the above factors. Conception after the surgery usually occurs within the first year.
What does the operation involve?
Microsurgical tubal reanastomosis is a two to three hour operation performed under general anaesthesic (being put to sleep). A laparoscopy (placing a small scope through the navel) will usually be done at first to evaluate the reversibility of the tubes. If conditions are appropriate, a bikini cut (a small side-to-side incision) is made just above the pubic hair line. An operating microscope is used to connect the small ends of the tube together with very fine suture material.
Typically, an overnight hospital stay is necessary, and most patients return to normal activities within two weeks.
What are the risks?
Risks are extremely rare but may, as in any operation, include anaesthetic complications; bleeding, infection or damage to other organs may occur. Following reversal of sterilisation, the risk of ectopic pregnancy (tubal pregnancy) increases from 1 in 100, to 5 in 100 pregnancies.
For further information relating to this treatment please contact Mr Mustafa.
IVF time-lapse technology
We are very excited to announce that IVF time-lapse technology is currently available on a private basis at The James Cook University Hospital.
The most significant IVF development within the last 25 years, time-lapse imaging takes thousands of pictures of developing embryos, and can not only boost the success rate of IVF by up to over 50%, but the technology can also tell us which embryo is the most viable and has the highest potential to deliver a live birth. The technique is currently only available to private patients and adds £400 to a course of IVF treatment.
In standard IVF, embryos are removed from the incubator once a day to be checked under the microscope. This means that they briefly leave their temperature-controlled environment and single daily snapshots of their development are possible. Using the time-lapse method, embryos do not leave the incubator – the device takes high resolution images every 5-20 minutes and the embryos never leave the climate controlled chambers.
Currently available at very few IVF units within the UK, further details on this latest cutting-edge technology can be obtained from Mr Mustafa at your consultation.
Families celebrate at special Christmas Party
December 2012
The department of reproductive medicine at The James Cook University Hospital held a special Christmas party in celebration of all of the families they have helped in recent years.
Since its beginnings in 1993 the IVF unit has played an essential role in fulfilling the hopes and dreams of hundreds of couples to become parents, and has gained a reputation amongst the local population as an innovative, friendly, and supportive unit.
Patients past and present were invited to join in the festivities at this very special occasion at The James Cook University Hospital on Saturday 8 December 2012 from 2pm to 4pm.
There were fun activities and entertainment for children of all ages including Punch and Judy, magic shows, balloon modelling, face painting, and a Mima art trolley. Father Christmas paid a visit and were refreshments available for the children.
Lead consultant, Mr Fayez Mustafa, said: “We are really looking forward to meeting the children and their parents again and enjoying this festive time of the year with them all.”