Transvaginal sonohysterography and hysteroscopy in the evaluation of female infertility, habitual abortion or metrorrhagia. A comparative study.

BACKGROUND: To assess the diagnostic value of sonohysterography in the evaluation of metrorrhagia and infertility with hysteroscopy as the standard. METHODS: Sixty-six women, 41 with metrorrhagia, 20 with infertility and five with habitual abortion, were examined by sonohysterography and hysteroscopy. Sterile saline instilled through a baby-feeding tube was used to distend the uterine cavity during sonohysterography. Hysteroscopy was performed with a 4 mm hysteroscope under general anesthesia. The endometrial polyps and submucous myomas were recorded and the findings subsequently compared. RESULTS: Of the 66 women, 60 were successfully examined by both sonohysterography and hysteroscopy. The overall sensitivity and specificity for sonohysterography was 90.9% and 100%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 100% and 90%, respectively. When examining the metrorrhagia and infertility groups separately the sensitivity and specificity and predictive values were found to be 88.5%, 100%, 100% and 76.9% (metrorrhagia) and 100% for all parameters in cases of infertility. No complications were recorded during the procedures. CONCLUSION: Sonohysterography is a simple, fast, well tolerated and accurate method to evaluate the uterine cavity in patients with metrorrhagia or infertility.     

Screening for coeliac disease in women with a history of recurrent miscarriage or infertility.

Because subclinical coeliac disease may decrease fertility or complicate pregnancy, we screened women with recurrent miscarriage of unknown aetiology (n = 63), unexplained infertility (n = 47) and infertility with a known cause (n = 82), for anti-endomysium antibodies in serum to find undiagnosed coeliac disease. One woman (1-6%) with recurrent miscarriage, another woman (2.1%) with unexplained infertility and one woman (2.0%) in the control group (n = 51), were considered to have coeliac disease. We could not demonstrate a higher frequency of coeliac disease in women with infertility or recurrent miscarriage, but suggest that undiagnosed coeliac disease is common in women.     

Timing of sonohysterography in menstruating women

A prospective, blind study was carried out on 44 patients to evaluate the most suitable time to perform transvaginal sonohysterography. On the day of arrival at our unit, regardless of their cycle day, the women underwent sonohysterographic evaluation, which was repeated during the first 10 days of the next cycle. Patients with sonohysterographic findings underwent hysteroscopy. According to the timing of the first examination, they were divided into two groups, i.e. group 1 for the first 10 days of the cycle, and group 2 for days 16 through 28. At the end of the study the groups were compared. The results showed a false-positive rate of 27% in group 2, while no false-positive was found in group 1. We concluded that the best time for sonohysterography in patients who still have their menstrual period is during the first 10 days of the cycle. Copyright Copyright 1999 S. Karger AG, Basel     

Microsurgery in infertility.

Interest in gynecologic microsurgery has increased greatly. Microsurgery in gynecology does not apply to reversal of sterilization solely but rather applies to all fertility operations. Microsurgery will yield the greatest rate of success in reversal of sterilization, since 1 is dealing essentially with healthy segments of fallopian tube. The precision afforded by microsurgery in such cases limits trauma to the minimum and results in a very high postoperative patency rate. This, along with essentially healthy although shortened tubes, leads to a high pregnancy rate. The postoperative rate in microsurgically treated patients is twice that in women operated upon with conventional techniques. Of 47 cases of reversal of sterilization reported last year, 30 patients had had 1 or more intrauterine pregnancies (63.8%). The pregnancy rate of these patients is expected to rise with longer follow-up. These results cannot be universally applied to sterilized women, for in many instances the remaining tubal segments are excessively damaged or too short for reconstruction.     

Uterine factors in infertility.

Uterine factors contributing to infertility include abnormalities in the myometrium and in the endometrium. Recent studies have mainly addressed endometrial factors. Several methods have been developed to evaluate endometrial function, including quantitative histology, electron microscopy, histochemistry and immunohistochemistry, hysteroscopy, measurement of endometrial protein levels in plasma or endometrial washings, and ultrasonography. The relationship between endometrial abnormality and types of infertility has been explored by various investigators, as has endometrial receptivity in women over 40 years of age, with interesting results. Unfortunately, the best treatment for endometrial defect is still unknown. A better understanding of the precise nature of the abnormality should lead to effective treatment.     

Tubal factors in infertility.

Proximal, distal, and peritubal damage can be caused by a number of pathologic processes such as inflammation, endometriosis, and surgical trauma. The diagnosis of tubal occlusion relies primarily on hysterosalpingography, hysteroscopy, and laparoscopy. A number of innovative diagnostic procedures such as sonosalpingography, falloposcopy, and selective salpingography improved our ability to accurately diagnose tubal pathology. The long-standing surgical corrective approach to treat tubal occlusion has been replaced by noninvasive methods in selected patients with endoluminal damage. The development of noninvasive transcervical catheter methods to recanalize proximally obstructed fallopian tubes also allows access to the fallopian tubes for deposition of gametes and embryos and improves the diagnosis and treatment of tubal pregnancies. Transcervical tubal cannulation reduces the risks, costs, and morbidity of surgical procedures. The diverse applications of the transcervical tubal approach may also replace surgical invasive procedures in assisted reproductive procedures. Although radical changes have occurred in the treatment of proximal tubal occlusion, the repair of distal and peritubal damage frequently yields disappointing results, and will probably remain the challenge of the 1990s.     

Determining the best catheter for sonohysterography

OBJECTIVE: To compare the characteristics of six different catheters for performing sonohysterography (SHG) to identify those that offer the best compromise between reliability, tolerability, and cost. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENT(S): Six hundred ten women undergoing SHG. INTERVENTION(S): We performed SHG with six different types of catheters: Foleycath (Wembley Rubber Products, Sepang, Malaysia), Hysca Hysterosalpingography Catheter (GTA International Medical Devices S.A., La Caleta D.N., Dominican Republic), H/S Catheter Set (Ackrad Laboratories, Cranford, NJ), PBN Balloon Hystero-Salpingography Catheter (PBN Medicals, Stenloese, Denmark), ZUI-2.0 Catheter (Zinnanti Uterine Injection; BEI Medical System International, Gembloux, Belgium), and Goldstein Catheter (Cook, Spencer, IN). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): We assessed the reliability, the physician's ease of use, the time requested for the insertion of the catheter, the volume of contrast medium used, the tolerability for the patients, and the cost of the catheters. RESULT(S): In 568 (93%) correctly performed procedures, no statistically significant differences were found among the catheters. The Foleycath was the most difficult for the physician to use and required significantly more time to position correctly. The Goldstein catheter was the best tolerated by the patients. The Foleycath was the cheapest whereas the PBN Balloon was the most expensive. CONCLUSION(S): The choice of the catheter must be targeted to achieving a good balance between tolerability for the patients, efficacy, cost, and the personal preference of the operator.     

Screening for mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator gene in an infertility clinic

In 2001, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended screening for cystic fibrosis mutations in all Caucasian couples who were planning pregnancy or seeking prenatal care. Since 2001 we have offered cystic fibrosis screening to all Caucasian infertility patients. Only 2% of our patients have elected to have mutation screening for cystic fibrosis.     

Saline sonohysterography for monitoring asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer patients taking tamoxifen.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of sonohysterography for monitoring asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer patients on long-term tamoxifen therapy. METHODS: Thirty-eight asymptomatic postmenopausal patients receiving tamoxifen for breast cancer were enrolled into the study. The endometrium of study subjects was measured by transvaginal ultrasound. If a distinct echo measured < or = 5 mm, no further procedure was performed. For thickened or inadequately visualized endometrium by transvaginal ultrasound (TVS), sonohysterography was performed. Endometrial biopsies were performed for patients with generalized symmetrical changes on sonohysterography. In cases with focal changes, or inadequate SHG, hysteroscopy/dilatation and curettage (D&C) were performed. RESULTS: Transvaginal ultrasound examination showed 12 (31.6%) patients with thin endometrium < or = 5 mm, 18 (47.4%) cases with thickened endometrium while eight (21%) cases were not adequately visualized by TVS. Sonohysterography was satisfactorily performed in 22 of 26 (84.6%) cases. Of these, three cases showed thin endometrium, 10 patients had endometrial polyps (45.5%) and nine patients showed abnormal endometrial-myometrial junction. Histology revealed hyperplasia in three cases and well differentiated adenocarcinoma associated with one polyp. Endometrial curettage for cases with abnormal endometrial-myometrial junction showed endometrial hyperplasia in two cases. Hysteroscopy and D&C were performed for four (15.4%) patients where SHG was unsuccessful, histopathology revealed inactive endometrium in three cases and one was hyperplastic. CONCLUSIONS: Sonohysterography is superior to unenhanced transvaginal sonography in specifying the abnormal ultrasonographic appearance induced by prolonged tamoxifen therapy, it is easily performed, cost-effective and very well tolerated by the patients with no complications. Sonohysterography is recommended as a minimally invasive diagnostic tool for the assessment of endometrial changes in asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer patients on long-term tamoxifen therapy with thickened endometrium or inadequately visualized endometrial echo on transvaginal sonography.     

Laparoscopic tubal surgery in infertility.

Besides its diagnostic value, laparoscopy is a useful operative tool in the treatment of infertility. We have used dilatation of phimotic tubal ostia and salpingolysis by laparoscopy as our primary approach. In the total series of 33 cases a pregnancy rate of 42.1 percent was obtained.     

Hyperprolactinemic male infertility.

Serum prolactin was studied in 25 fertile and 127 infertile men. The latter included 91 oligospermic, 27 azoospermic, and 9 hypogonadotropic hypogonadal men. The mean prolactin level in all three groups of infertile men was significantly above that of the fertile group. There was no correlation among serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, sperm count, and serum prolactin values. Hyperprolactinemia was found in five patients (two oligospermic, one azoospermic, and two hypogonadotropic hypogonadal men). Bromocriptine, 2.5 mg twice daily, suppressed hyperprolactinemia. In one man with hyperprolactinemic oligospermia, treatment with bromocriptine yielded significant improvement in sperm count (to normal values).     

Endometritis and infertility.

Endometrial biopsy is an essential tool in the evaluation of the infertile couple. Among the various causes of infertility which may be elucidated by such a biopsy, endometritis plays a significant role. In this review endometritis has been subdivided into three distinct pathologic entities: acute, chronic, and fibrotic. Detailed histologic features are discussed separately for each of these varieties. Most of the acute inflammations of the endometrium are cauased by bacteria. They are usually of short duration, respond well to treatment, and only rarely are associated with long-standing infertility. Chronic endometritis, on the other hand, can be caused by a variety of agents such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. However, in the majority of cases with chronic endometritis the etiology cannot be determined and these are then considered nonspecific. Tuberculous endometritis, which is discussed under the heading of chronic endometritis, constitutes a common cause of infertility in certain countries but much less so in the United States. Other less common conditions such as mycoplasma infection and cytomegalic virus infection, have also been associated with reproductive failure. However, chronic endometritis, especially the most common so-called nonspecific type, is a relatively uncommon cause of infertility. The syndrome of intrauterine adhesions or synechiae has been classified here as fibrotic endometritis because of the pathogenesis and histopathology of this lesion. This entity is commonly associated with infertility and may constitute the end result of a long-standing inflammatory process in the endometrium. The diagnosis of endometritis is not a simple one and necessitates close cooperation between the clinician and pathologist. Pertinent clinical and detailed histopathologic data have to be exchanged between the treating physician and pathologist, especially in cases of infertility, in order for the patient to have benefit from the examination of endometrial tissue obtained.