Differential diagnosis of septate and bicornuate uterus by sonohysterography eliminates the need for laparoscopy

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether sonohysterography can differentiate septate from bicornuate uterus. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Outpatient infertility clinic of a university hospital. PATIENT(S): Twenty patients with history of recurrent pregnancy loss and hysterosalpingographic diagnosis of septate or bicornuate uterus. INTERVENTION(S): Sonohysterography was done in all patients. Laparoscopy was performed to confirm diagnosis in 10 patients and was not done in 10 patients. All patients with septate uterus underwent hysteroscopic metroplasty; simultaneous laparoscopy was done in women who had diagnostic laparoscopy. Abdominal metroplasty was performed in patients with bicornuate uterus. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Shape of the uterine cavity after surgery and pregnancy outcome. RESULT(S): The shape of the uterine cavity was normal in seven cases in each group and almost normal in six other patients after surgery. There were two pregnancy losses after metroplasty, one in a woman who had laparoscopy and one in a woman who did not have laparoscopy. One case of bicornuate uterus occurred in each group. CONCLUSION(S): Sonohysterography can differentiate septate and bicornuate uterus and may eliminate the need for laparoscopy to diagnose these uterine anomalies.     

Comparison of hysteroscopic and hysterectomy findings for assessing the diagnostic accuracy of office hysteroscopy

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of office hysteroscopy by comparing the hysteroscopic findings with the histologic findings on the hysterectomy specimens.DESIGN: Retrospective clinical study.SETTING: University-affiliated hospital.PATIENT(S): Review of the hospital records of 443 patients who underwent office hysteroscopy and, within 2 months, hysterectomy.INTERVENTION(S): We compared the hysteroscopic findings (including targeted biopsies) with the histologic findings that were obtained after hysterectomy. The results of this study were then compared with those of a previous study in which we examined the diagnostic accuracy of dilatation and curettage (D&C).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of office hysteroscopy.RESULT(S): When compared with the histologic diagnosis of the uterus, the hysteroscopic findings showed a diagnostic sensitivity of 98%, a specificity of 95%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 96%, and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98%. Hysteroscopy was found to have a greater diagnostic accuracy than D&C: the sensitivity and the NPV of the two diagnostic procedures were statistically different.CONCLUSION(S): Office hysteroscopy is confirmed as a powerful diagnostic tool, but targeted biopsies, performed with a small diameter operative hysteroscope, must be performed in cases of suspect endometrium to confirm the image-based diagnosis.     

Investigation of the infertile couple: hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy is the gold standard investigation for abnormal uterine bleeding

During the last decade hysteroscopy has become the tool of choice for the evaluation of the endometrial cavity, including for assessment of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). Many clinicians would consider that, in most patients, the combination of transvaginal sonography and out-patient endometrial biopsy with diagnostic hysteroscopy could replace the need for dilation and curettage. Hysteroscopy was reported to have sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value and positive predictive value of 94.2, 88.8, 96.3 and 83.1% respectively, in predicting normal or abnormal endometrial histopathology. The highest accuracy of hysteroscopy was in diagnosing endometrial polyps, whereas the worst result was in estimating hyperplasia. Therefore, since the incidence of focal lesions in patients with AUB is high, it seems that the most beneficial approach is to proceed with hysteroscopy complemented by endometrial biopsy early in the assessment of AUB. Nevertheless, the usage of distension media to flush the uterine cavity raises the concern that when the endometrium harbours pathology, there is the potential risk of retrograde dissemination of malignant cells into the peritoneal cavity. The clinical significance of the dissemination of endometrial cells during hysteroscopy is still undetermined.     

Prognostic significance of hysteroscopic imaging in endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to relate hysteroscopic features of endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma to stage, grade and overall survival. METHODS: Sixty women with endometrioid adenocarcinoma underwent laparotomy and staging according to current FIGO classification. Before surgery hysteroscopy was performed in all patients to establish the morphology of neoplasia, the extent of endometrial lining involvement, and endocervical spreading. These hysteroscopic parameters were related to overall survival, surgical stage, and grade of disease. RESULTS: First-stage carcinomas were found in 50 patients, second-stage in 4, third-stage in 3, and fourth-stage in 3 patients. Well-differentiated tumors were detected in 32, moderately differentiated in 21, and poorly differentiated in 7 patients. The cumulative 48-month probability of survival was 86.6%. The morphology of adenocarcinomas was unrelated to both their stage and their grade; no relationship to survival was found. The extent of carcinomatous spread within the endometrial cavity was significantly related to stage, grade, and survival. Endometrial lining involvement of less than 50% was associated with 100% survival, 97.1% of first-stage diseases, and 96.6% of low-grade carcinomas. These percentages dropped to 73.1, 65.3 (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.001), and 76.9% (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.035), respectively, when tumoral growth involved more than half of the endometrium. Hysteroscopy detected all carcinomas metastasizing to the cervix; in 8 patients we overdiagnosed endocervical spreading, although histology was negative. From these figures, hysteroscopy showed a sensitivity and specificity in predicting cervical spread of 100 and 87.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The extent of endometrial lining involvement in patients with endometrioid carcinoma provides preoperative information on the risk of extrauterine spread. We confirm the high accuracy of hysteroscopy in excluding cervical spread.     

Hysteroscopic removal of foreign bodies and its method of monitoring

Objective To evaluate transcervical removal of foreign bodies(TCRF)and to estimate the effectiveness of its monitoring methods.Methods One hundred and thirteen women were identified as having residual intrauterine devices(IUD),residual pregnancy products,unabsorbed strings and broken hooks,which were not removed during routine curettage of IUD removal.All patients were monitored using B ultrasonography while TCRF was performed.Four cases were monitored by laparoscopy simultaneously.One case was monitored by laparoscopic ultrasonography.Results Foreign bodies of one hundred and nine patients were taken out by TCRF.Uterine bleeding, amenorrhoea,discharge,abdominal pain,mlcturition and hematuria disappeared postoperatively.Fetal bones embedded into intramural uterin in four cases were not removed completely.Of these four,one became pregnant 4 months later after TCR and term delivered.One case encountered uterine perforation that was sutured by laparoscopy.Conclusions TCRF is safe and efficient.Sufficient cervical canal distension,selection of equipment and methods to be used is important for successful TCRF.As a non-invasive and effective monitoring method,B ultrasonography is the first choice to monitor for TCRF.For patients with high risk factors for uterine perforation,laparoscopic monitoring should be done simultaneously.Laparoscopic ultrasonography monitoring has both the advantages of B ultrasonography and laparoscopy monitoring,but is invasive and expensive.     

宫腔镜在中西医结合治疗经断复来中的应用研究

[目的]探索官腔镜在中西医结合治疗经断复来中的指导作用.[方法]选择2005年2月-2007年8月166例年龄在48～91岁绝经后出血患者,随机分为中西医结合治疗组,中医治疗组.所有患者常规选用宫腔镜检查,其中中西医治疗组89例,中医治疗组77例.中西医结合治疗组常规治疗(口服西药,镜下治疗及手术治疗) 中药治疗,中医治疗组采用传统中医辨证治疗.[结果]中西医结合治疗组总有效率为89.7%,中医治疗组总有效率为66.2%.[结论]中西医结合治疗组效果优于中药组.     

宫腔镜检查在复发性流产患者诊治中的作用

目的探讨宫腔镜检查在复发性流产(recurrent spontaneous abortion,RSA)患者中的诊治作用。方法 2009年1月至2013年5月对苏州大学附属第二医院就诊的95例RSA患者进行宫腔镜检查,对其检查结果进行分析。结果 95例RSA患者中,子宫腔粘连70例(73.68%),子宫内膜息肉12例(12.63%),子宫腔畸形7例(7.37%),子宫内膜炎3例(3.16%),子宫黏膜下肌瘤1例(1.05%)。研究发现末次流产距就诊时限与宫腔粘连程度有明显相关性(P<0.05),时间间隔越长,宫腔粘连的程度越严重;自然流产次数与宫腔粘连程度没有明显相关性(P>0.05)。结论宫腔镜检查具有直观、操作简单、安全高效、并发症少等优点,在RSA的诊治中具有重要意义。     

Audit of endometrial biopsy at outpatient hysteroscopy

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Outpatient hysteroscopy (OPH) and endometrial biopsy (EMB) are less invasive alternatives to inpatient hysteroscopy and dilatation and curettage for assessment of the endometrium. Using local anaesthetic, the procedure is readily tolerated and can be completed in an ambulatory setting. This study aims to audit OPH and EMB conducted over three consecutive years with regard to the ability to complete the procedure and subsequent pathology. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected from the medical records of patients who underwent OPH during the study period. Data collected included demography, medical history, procedure details and outcome. An indicative assessment of the resource requirements for provision of these services in an outpatient versus inpatient setting was also conducted based on published cost information. RESULTS: Between June 2003 to June 2006, 435 OPH were performed and 427 of these were available for audit. Four hundred and five (94.8%) of the procedures were successful. Sixty-five (18.8%) EMBs were reported to be insufficient, of which 41 (63%) were in postmenopausal women (P < 0.001). Women who presented with postmenopausal bleeding were significantly more likely to have an insufficient sample (P < 0.001). The Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups cost for inpatient hysteroscopy is $A1,786, including $A711 in theatre costs and $A258 in ward costs. These costs are not incurred with OPH. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that hysteroscopy and EMB can be easily and successfully performed as an outpatient procedure in Australia. Pathology can be readily identified and management planned. Moreover, an opportunity exists for a reduction in resource use by utilising this procedure instead of inpatient hysteroscopy where possible.