Hysteroscopy
When and Why
Specialists perform hysteroscopy in order to diagnose and treat uterine gynecologic problems and specially in infertility.
Its main purpose is the investigation of uterine bleeding. The doctor should exclude the case of a neoplasia. Uterine bleeding could also be the result of hormone perturbation or benign uterine disease, for instance polyps.
By hysteroscopy, the doctor can diagnose all these conditions are with ease and accuracy under direct vision. Also, he/she can do a biopsy if there is evidence. The high sensitivity of the method has established it as the ‘golden rule’ in the diagnosis of endometrial disorders. It tends to replace the classic curettage of the endometrium.
Other conditions that they can investigate or treat with hysteroscopy are overly painful menstruation and irregular or unusually light menstrual periods. Other conditions are morphological abnormalities of the uterus such as the diaphragm, abortions and pelvic pain.
When investigating infertility, we can obtain information about the morphology and size of the endometrial cavity, as well as the quality of the endometrium, the place of embryo implantation of the fetus.
The doctors should perform hysteroscopy either diagnostic or operative in the first half of the woman’s cycle (more particularly between the 6th and 12th day of the period. If they perform hysteroscopy, beyond these time limits, the results are unreliable and lead the doctors to misconceptions.
How a diagnostic hysteroscopy is performed?
During office hysteroscopy, the gynecologist places the patient in a lithotomy position (the usual gynecological position). Then, he/ she inserts the hysteroscope is through the vagina and the cervix into the uterine cavity.
The doctor can see the cervical lumen sequentially, the panoramic representation of the intrauterine cavity and a localization of the tubal orifices. He also performs a detailed examination of all pathological foci of the intrauterine cavity.
The doctor gives the ability to the patient to monitor the screen and inform her about the findings during the examination. At the end of the examination, the patient leaves the clinic, as after any usual gynecological examination.
It is a day hospital procedure.
Types of hysteroscopy
Specialists consider it to be technically more accurate and advantageous to hysterosalpingography and uterine cavity curettage.
Diagnostic hysteroscopy and 3D ultrasound are two commonly performed gynecologic procedures to evaluate the endometrial cavity. Doctors must do these tests to women that have a miscarriage history or are about to begin an IVF cycle. The Scientific validity and reliability of these two methods results to avoiding needless surgeries and the woman’s inconvenience. In this way, we create the conditions for a future pregnancy.
Indications of diagnostic hysteroscopy
Uterine bleeding – infertility – post menopausal bleeding
Operative hysteroscopy is an extremely pioneering procedure in the gynecology field. We get the best results without scars, without stitches. The woman stays in hospital for a few hours and then she can return to her everyday activities.
During operative hysteroscopy, doctors use small instruments to correct the condition through the hysteroscope. It helps to correct polyps, fibroids and adhesions as painless as possible by regenerating the endometrium. In this way a woman has better chances of getting pregnant, as the embryo finds fertile ground to get attached. This increases a successful pregnancy rate.
Hysteroscopic surgical distinctions in:
Hysteroscopy must be done by an expert in this field
