Atypical hyperplasia of endometrium and hysteroscopy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk of discovering an endometrial cancer when atypical hyperplasia was diagnosed by either endometrial samples using the pipelle device or hysteroscopic resection products. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective monocentric study from january 1990 to july 2000. Twenty-three patients with atypical hyperplasia were included. Initial endometrial status was provided by endometrial biopsyduring diagnosis hysteroscopy (12 cases) or by operative hysteroscopic resection products (11 cases). For 23 patients, operative hysteroscopy and analyse of products resected were performed. For all patients, there was no hysteroscopical aspect evocative of adenocarcinoma. For 23 patients, histopathological analysis of the hysterectomy piece precised the final diagnosis. RESULTS: Among the 23 hysterectomy pieces, 7 adenocarcinomas were diagnosed (30.4%). Risk for discovering adenocarcinoma when atypical hyperplasia was diagnosed by means of the pipelle biopsy device was 50% (6/12). Risk for discovering adenocarcinoma when atypical hyperplasia was diagnosed by means of operative hysteroscopy resection products was 5.9 % (1/17). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Atypical endometrial hyperplasia evidenced by pipelle biopsy device is often associated with adenocarcinoma. Diagnosis hysteroscopy however does not show evident pathological aspect of adenocarcinoma in such cases. Operative hysteroscopy allows in most cases correction of endometrial status. Risk of omitting adenocarcinoma when atypical hyperplasia is discovered on hysteroscopic resection pieces is low.     

¿Hiperplasia endometrial atípica o adenocarcinoma de endometrio? Un reto

Objective

To determine the prevalence of endometrial adenocarcinoma in patients with a diagnosis of atypical endometrial hyperplasia after endometrial biopsy.

Patients and methods

Twenty patients with a diagnosis of atypical endometrial hyperplasia after endometrial biopsy by means of office hysteroscopy and/or after endometrial resection by means of operative hysteroscopy.

Results

Hysterectomy was performed in 15 patients and eight cases of endometrial adenocarcinoma were found. Reintervention was required in two patients, who underwent laparoscopic lymphadenectomy.     

Resectoscopic surgery may be an alternative to hysterectomy in high-risk women with atypical endometrial hyperplasia

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Endometrial hyperplasia is found in 2% to 10% of women with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). Up to 43% of patients with cytologic atypia harbor coexisting adenocarcinoma, and approximately 20% to 52% of atypical hyperplasias, if untreated, progress to cancer. The objective of this study was to estimate the incidence of atypical endometrial hyperplasia encountered during routine resectoscopic surgery in women with AUB and to evaluate the role of resectoscopic surgery in the management of women with AUB and atypical endometrial hyperplasia who refused and/or were at high risk for hysterectomy. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). SETTING: University-affiliated teaching hospital. PATIENTS: From January 1990 through December 2005, the senior author (GAV) performed primary resectoscopic surgery in 3401 women with AUB. Among these, there were 22 women with atypical (17 complex, 5 simple) endometrial hyperplasia. INTERVENTIONS: All women underwent hysteroscopic evaluation and partial (n = 3) or complete (n = 19) endometrial electrocoagulation and/or resection. Subsequently, 6 women had hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The median (range) for age, parity, and body mass index were 55 years (24-78 years), 2 (0-4), and 30.1 kg/m2 (22.5-52.2 kg/m2), respectively. Among the 3401 women, there were 22 cases of atypical endometrial hyperplasia, 12 of which were incidentally diagnosed at the time of hysteroscopy (complex 10, simple 2, incidence 0.35%). After hysteroscopic diagnosis or confirmation of diagnosis, 6 women underwent hysterectomy and BSO. Of the remaining 16 women, followed for a median of 5 years (range 1.5-12 years), 1 was lost to follow-up, 1 had only a biopsy to preserve fertility, 1 died from lung cancer after 4 years, and 1 died from colon cancer after 5 years. One patient developed endometrial cancer after 10.5 years with postmenopausal bleeding. She remains alive and well 3.5 years after hysterectomy and BSO. The remaining 11 patients are amenorrheic at a median follow-up of 6 years (range 1.5-12 years). CONCLUSIONS: Resectoscopic surgery in 3391 women with AUB detected 12 incidental cases of atypical endometrial hyperplasia (incidence 0.35%). Skillful resectoscopic surgery may be an alternative to hysterectomy in women with AUB and atypical endometrial hyperplasia, who refuse or are at high-risk for hysterectomy and who are compliant with regular and long-term follow-up.     

Valor de la histeroscopia en la hiperplasia endometrial con atipias

Objective

To evaluate the utility of hysteroscopy in the diagnosis of atypical hyperplasia and its ability to identify concurrent endometrial cancer.

Subjects and methods

We describe the clinical activity from January 1, 1996 to December 31, 2002, in our hospital gynecology unit. All cases of atypical hyperplasia were collected. Diagnoses made by hysteroscopy combined with different techniques of endometrial biopsy and surgical specimen analysis after hysterectomy were evaluated. All these data were correlated to analyze their diagnostic capacity.

Results

A large percentage of endometrial cancers (11/18) was previously diagnosed exclusively by hysteroscopy, based on morphological approaches. Endometrial biopsy underestimated 22.7% of cases of adenocarcinoma and overestimated 46.8% of cases of atypical hyperplasia.

Conclusions

Hysteroscopy could be a highly useful diagnostic tool to identify endometrial cancer in women with a finding of atypical endometrial hyperplasia on biopsy. Studies with a sufficiently large number of patients to show statistical significance are required.     

子宫内膜不典型增生患者的内膜癌漏诊因素分析

目的:探讨子宫内膜不典型增生患者子宫内膜癌漏诊的因素及合理治疗方案。方法:回顾分析132例子宫内膜不典型增生子宫切除前后的临床病理资料。根据术前内膜取样方式分为宫腔镜组与诊刮组,比较两种方式的诊断符合率。比较术前病理与术中冰冻病理、术后常规病理,分析其主要临床病理资料。结果:132子宫内膜不典型增生患者中,术后证实为子宫内膜癌者42例(31.82%)。诊刮组的内膜癌漏诊率为32.99%(32/97),高于宫腔镜组28.75%(10/35),但无统计学差异(P0.05)。42例内膜癌患者中,95.24%(40/42)为子宫内膜样腺癌,ⅠA期38例(90.48%),高分化癌34例(80.95%)。术中行冰冻病理检查者115例,其中11例子宫内膜癌漏诊。长期月经紊乱、未生育患者子宫内膜癌漏诊的风险增高。结论:子宫内膜病理诊断为不典型增生的患者有子宫内膜癌漏诊的风险,尤其是长期月经紊乱、未生育的女性。子宫内膜不典型增生的治疗应采取个体化治疗方案。     

Hysteroscopic findings of endometrial carcinoma. Evaluation of 104 cases

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: Retrospective evaluation of hysteroscopic findings in the accurate diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: A retrospective monocentric study from January 1995 to December 2004. One hundred and four patients with hysteroscopic aspects evocative of endometrial carcinoma confirmed by endometrial biopsy during diagnostic hysteroscopy, by surgical hysteroscopic resection pieces or by hysterectomy specimen were included. RESULTS: Among the 104 patients, diagnostic hysteroscopy pointed out endometrial features suggestive of endometrial carcinoma in 102 cases. In two women diagnostic hysteroscopy failed to diagnose endometrial malignancy which was identified on pieces of polyps by surgical hysteroscopic resection. DISCUSSION: Polypoid proliferations cerebroid in appearance, with ulceration and necrosis, friable and with irregular vessels, represent endometrial findings highly indicative of malignancy. The diagnosis may be missed in cases of focal neoplasias, within endometrial polyps or in conditions of unsatisfactory endouterine visualization.     

Histopathologic behavior of endometrial hyperplasia during tamoxifen therapy for breast cancer

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study is to prospectively evaluate the effects of tamoxifen on the pathological behavior of endometrial hyperplasias without atypia, diagnosed before the start of adjuvant endocrine therapy, in menopausal patients suffering from breast cancer. METHODS: Twenty-six patients suffering from estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer and candidate to receive adjuvant tamoxifen, were found to be affected by endometrial hyperplasias before the start of endocrine therapy. All women showed a baseline endometrial stripe, measured by transvaginal ultrasonography, thicker than 4 mm and the diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia was made by hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy. Two patients showing complex atypical hyperplasia underwent vaginal hysterectomy, whereas the remaining 24 patients, suffering from endometrial hyperplasia without atypia, were followed on a yearly basis during the period of tamoxifen intake, by hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy. RESULTS: Baseline histopathology showed simple and complex hyperplasia in 20 and in 4 patients, respectively. The median follow-up period was 38 months; in particular, all patients underwent endometrial assessment after 12 months, while 22, 16, 10 and 4 patients were followed-up after 24, 36, 48 and 60 months of tamoxifen therapy, respectively. Progression from complex hyperplasia to complex atypical hyperplasia (1 patient) and from complex and simple hyperplasia to adenocarcinomas (2 patients) was found within 24 months of tamoxifen intake in 3 patients (12.5%). In 2 patients (8.3%), a progression from simple to complex hyperplasia was detected within 36 months of tamoxifen treatment. In 13 patients (54.1%), stable histology of simple or complex hyperplasia was found, whereas 6 patients (25.0%), with focal hyperplasia harbored in an endometrial polyp, showed a normalization of endometrial histology after polyp resection. CONCLUSIONS: Endometrial hyperplasias without atypia diagnosed before endocrine therapy for breast cancer in menopausal patients show an early and high progression-rate to atypical lesions under tamoxifen influence.     

Hysteroscopic view in atypical endometrial hyperplasias: A correlation with pathologic findings on hysterectomy specimens

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether hysteroscopic imaging can contribute to decrease the rate of undetected endometrial carcinomas concurrent with atypical hyperplasia diagnosed by endometrial biopsy. DESIGN: Retrospective study. DESIGN CLASSIFICATION: Canadian Task Force Classification II-3. SETTING: Public hospital. PATIENTS: Hysteroscopic reports of 25 menopausal patients undergoing endometrial biopsy yielding a diagnosis of atypical hyperplasia were reviewed. On the basis of this diagnosis, all patients were treated by hysterectomy, and the pathologic findings on the uterine specimen were correlated with the diagnoses obtained by hysteroscopic view. INTERVENTIONS: Hysteroscopy was video-assisted and carried out with normal saline solution used as liquid distension medium; a 5-mm sheathed hysteroscope, with a working channel, was used for each examination. After hysteroscopic inspection, an endometrial sampling targeted under vision was performed by mechanical or electrosurgical instrumentation. When extensive features of hyperplastic or neoplastic growth were observed, we combined a blind sampling procedure with Vabra-curettage. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values of hysteroscopic inspection to foresee the diagnosis of endometrial cancer incidentally detected on hysterectomy specimen. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: On the basis of histopathologic study of uterine specimens, non atypical hyperplasias were detected in 3 patients, the diagnosis of complex atypical hyperplasia was confirmed in 11 patients, whereas a concurrent infiltrating endometrial adenocarcinoma was detected in 11 patients (44.0%). In the 14 patients with diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia, no feature suggesting endometrial malignancy was reported by hysteroscopic inspection. In the 11 cases showing infiltrating carcinomas, hysteroscopic view was consistent with endometrial malignancy in 9 patients and with endometrial hyperplasia in 2 patients. An intramucous endometrial carcinoma without evidence of myometrial invasion was found on hysterectomy specimens of these two latter patients. From these figures, sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values of hysteroscopy to foresee a diagnosis of infiltrating carcinoma were 84.6%, 100%, 87.5%, and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Hysteroscopic view is a sensitive and specific method to identify among patients with a diagnosis of atypical hyperplasia on endometrial biopsy those with a coexisting infiltrating carcinoma.     

Pretreatment and prospective assessment of endometrium in menopausal women taking tamoxifen for breast cancer

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the pretreatment incidence of endometrial pathology and to prospectively assess the endometrial morbidity emerging during tamoxifen intake for breast cancer. STUDY DESIGN: One-hundred and forty-six menopausal breast cancer patients, candidate to receive tamoxifen underwent endometrial assessment by Transvaginal Ultrasonography (TU) before the start of therapy. A double-layered endometrial stripe measuring more than 4mm indicated hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy. Endometrial abnormalities detected before the start of tamoxifen were treated by operative hysteroscopy or by hysterectomy; no therapy and yearly hysteroscopic follow-up was scheduled for patients showing non-atypical hyperplasias. All women were asked to undergo TU on a yearly basis; during the follow-up period, indication for hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy were the following: (i) an endometrial lining measured above 4mm at the first time, (ii) at least a 50% increase of endometrial thickness since the last finding in patients previously assessed by hysteroscopy, (iii) a recorded vaginal bleeding, and (iv) previous findings of endometrial hyperplasia. Histopathologic result from biopsy or hysterectomy was the reference test to establish the baseline prevalence of endometrial pathology and the emerging prevalences of morbidity after 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months of tamoxifen therapy. RESULTS: One-hundred and five patients were followed for 60 months, whereas 113, 126, 137 and 141 patients were evaluated up to 48, 36, 24 and 12 months, respectively. In 44 out of 146 patients, pretreatment TU showed an endometrium thicker than 4mm and in 31 (21.2%) of these patients abnormalities consisting of 16 endometrial polyps, seven polyps harboring simple hyperplasia, four simple hyperplasias, three atypical hyperplasias and one adenocarcinoma were found. During tamoxifen intake benign endometrial abnormalities were detected in 36 out of 114 assessable patients showing normal endometrium before the start of tamoxifen therapy (31.5%) and in seven out of 27 patients with baseline endometrial abnormalities (25.9%). Overall, an endometrial pathology emerged in 30.4% of patients during tamoxifen administration and in no patients we found an atypical lesion. CONCLUSIONS: In menopausal breast cancer patients the incidence of endometrial abnormalities before the start of tamoxifen therapy is high and includes 2.7% of atypical pathology. After the diagnosis and treatment of baseline atypical lesions were accomplished, no atypical endometrial lesion emerged after the start of tamoxifen administration. Based on these findings, we believe that pretreatment assessment of endometrium is recommended in all menopausal women candidate to receive tamoxifen therapy.     

Hysteroscopic evaluation of endometrial polyps.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the validity of hysteroscopy for predicting cancer in endometrial polyps based on their number, size and hysteroscopic appearance. METHOD: Retrospective observational study of 653 women diagnosed hysteroscopically as having endometrial polyps. After outpatient or surgical hysteroscopic resection or resection following hysterectomy, the diagnosis was confirmed by histological examination. The incidence of cancer in women who had polyps was determined in the light of menopausal status, symptoms, size, number and appearance of the polyps. RESULT: Carcinoma was found in only 3.9% of the women who consulted for menopausal metrorrhagia and were diagnosed as having a polyp. Hysteroscopy had a sensitivity of 36% and a specificity of 98% for a diagnosis of cancerous polyp or atypical hyperplasia. CONCLUSION: The appearance and number of endometrial polyps seen by hysteroscopy may be useful in predicting cancer in the polyps, although resection and histological examination will still be necessary to confirm the diagnosis.     

Detection of benign intracavitary lesions in postmenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding: a prospective comparative study on outpatient hysteroscopy and blind biopsy

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the specificity of blind biopsy in detecting benign intracavitary lesions as causes of postmenopausal bleeding in comparison with directed biopsy via hysteroscopy. DESIGN: Prospective trial without randomization (Canadian Task Force classification II-1). SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS: Three hundred nineteen postmenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding. INTERVENTIONS: All patients underwent both blind biopsy (Novak's curette) and directed biopsy via hysteroscopy (after at least a week). All patients with benign intracavitary lesions underwent operative hysteroscopy to enable the removal of polyps and intracavitary myomas or endometrial resection if required. All patients with pathologic reports of complex hyperplasia and atypical hyperplasia (20 patients) underwent vaginal hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy. All patients with histology reports of endometrial carcinoma (15 patients) underwent abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral adnexectomy, and pelvic lymphadenectomy. Histopathologic findings from endometrial specimens obtained after operative hysteroscopy or uterine specimens obtained after hysterectomy were used as a reference test to establish the prevalence of disease. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values of blind biopsy and hysteroscopy were assessed to distinguish benign intracavitary formations such as polyps, submucous myomas, and endometrial hyperplasia in postmenopausal patients with abnormal uterine bleeding. The level of agreement was evaluated by use of the coefficient of concordance kappa. Blind biopsy showed a sensitivity of 11% and a specificity of 93%, with an accuracy of 59% in detecting endometrial polyps, a sensitivity and specificity of 13% and 100%, respectively, with an accuracy of 98% for submucous myomas, and values of 25%, 92%, and 80%, respectively, in diagnosing hyperplasia. On the other hand, hysteroscopy demonstrated a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 97%, with an accuracy of 91% in diagnosing endometrial polyps, a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 98%, respectively, with an accuracy of 99% for submucous myomas. The coefficient of concordance kappa (95% CI) was 0.12 for blind biopsy and 0.82 for hysteroscopy, corresponding, respectively, to slight concordance and almost perfect agreement with final pathologic diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Blind biopsy (Novak's curette) demonstrates very low sensitivity and accuracy in the diagnosis of benign focal intracavitary lesions. Hysteroscopy is confirmed as the gold standard in the assessment of abnormal uterine bleeding in menopause, permitting the elimination of the false-negative results of blind biopsy through direct visualization of the uterine cavity and the performance of targeted biopsy in case of doubt.     

Incidence of endometrial carcinoma in patients with endometrial hyperplasia

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to establish the risk of developing endometrial adenocarcinoma in patients diagnosed with endometrial hyperplasia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The incidence of endometrial hyperplasia and its relation with endometrial adenocarcinoma was evaluated in 1,139 patients who presented with abnormal bleeding between January 2000 and December 2004; D&C was performed in all cases. There were 591 (51.88%) cases of simple endometrial hyperplasia, out of which 110 (18.61% from 51.88%) cases had atypia, 60 (5.26%) cases of complex hyperplasia, out of which 19 (31.66% from 5.26%) had atypia, and the remaining 488 (42.84%) had different forms of mixed hyperplasia. RESULTS: The incidence of endometrial adenocarcinoma was 3.87% in atypical hyperplasia and 0.81% in other forms, and was related only to cases with atypia in which the incidence was 0.61%. CONCLUSIONS: The most indicated measure to prevent endometrial carcinoma in cases with complex endometria hyperplasia with atypia is hysterectomy, while for other forms of hyperplasia, hormonal treatment is used but only under strict control.     

Endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma in endometrial polyps: clinicopathologic and follow-up findings.

The objectives of this study were: 1) to evaluate findings in follow-up hysterectomy specimens after a diagnosis of complex atypical hyperplasia or carcinoma in endometrial polyps (EMPs) for possible significance in management strategies; and 2)to identify features in these polyps, that are predictive of the presence of endometrial hyperplasia or carcinoma in subsequent hysterectomy. Records of all cases of EMPs with endometrial hyperplasia were retrieved from the files of New York University Medical Center from 1993 to 2005. Those cases with follow-up hysterectomy were selected for the study. Of the 29 patients with complex atypical hyperplasia within the polyp, 19 out of 29 (66%) patients had hyperplasia of the non-polyp endometrium, and adenocarcinoma was observed in 9 out of 29 (31%) patients on follow-up hysterectomy. The percentage of polyp area involved by the hyperplasia was predictive of finding endometrial disorder in subsequent hysterectomy (P = 0.005). Of the 8 patients with adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) within the polyp 3 (38%) had myoinvasive adenocarcinoma. In contrast, in cases without AIS, 4 out of 21 (19%) had myoinvasive adenocarcinoma in follow-up hysterectomy. Eight of the nine cases with carcinoma in endometrial polyp had endometrial pathology on hysterectomy. Approximately two thirds of the patients with hyperplasia and 90% of patients with adenocarcinoma in endometrial polyps show endometrial pathology on subsequent hysterectomy. The above findings reinforce the need for hysterectomy especially in postmenopausal women with atypical complex hyperplasia or carcinoma in endometrial polyps even if these changes appear confined to the polyp in initial sampling.     

Prevalence of underlying adenocarcinoma in women with atypical endometrial hyperplasia.

There is controversy regarding the prevalence of underlying endometrial adenocarcinoma among women with a diagnosis of atypical endometrial hyperplasia. This study further defines that risk. At our institution atypical endometrial proliferations non-diagnostic for invasive adenocarcinoma are diagnosed as either atypical endometrial hyperplasia (ATHY) or as an "atypical proliferative lesion of the endometrium, suggestive but not diagnostic of atypical endometrial hyperplasia" (APL). Between 1996 and 2003, these diagnoses were made on either endometrial biopsy or endometrial curettings in 60 women who subsequently received a hysterectomy. Endometrial adenocarcinoma was identified in 48% (29/60) of the hysterectomy specimens. Age and sampling method had no significant impact on the prevalence of adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinoma was no more likely to be subsequently identified when a woman had a preoperative diagnosis of ATHY (24 of 52, 46%) compared to APL (5 of 8, 63%). In some women with a diagnosis of ATHY a comment was made in the report that "carcinoma cannot be ruled out". These cases had a significantly higher prevalence of underlying adenocarcinoma (16 of 25, 64%) compared to cases of ATHY in which such a comment was not made (8 of 27, 30%) (p = 0.025). In conclusion, there is a high prevalence of underlying endometrial adenocarcinoma among women undergoing hysterectomy for any of atypical endometrial proliferation.     

Cytological analysis of the distension fluid used during diagnostic office hysteroscopies in patients with suspected endometrial pathology

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the feasibility and usefulness of cytological analysis of the distension fluid used during diagnostic office hysteroscopy in patients with suspected endometrial pathology. METHODS: In 243 consecutive patients undergoing diagnostic hysteroscopy for suspected endometrial pathology a few milliliters of the distension medium used for uterine visualization were collected and sent for cytological analysis. Findings of these "endometrial washings" were compared to visual hysteroscopic impression, endometrial biopsy and uterine histology--when available. RESULTS: Endometrial washings were considered adequate in 227 patients (93.4%). In 12 cases (5.3%) atypical cells were detected: all of these presented either atypical complex hyperplasia or endometrial cancer at the final histological evaluation of the uterus. Four of the 16 (25%) patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer or atypical complex hyperplasia at the final histopathological analysis of the uterus had inadequate washings. No patient with cancer or atypical hyperplasia had negative cytology. CONCLUSIONS: Collection and analysis of the distension fluid is feasible and, when positive, has a remarkable value in the diagnosis of endometrial cancer and its precursors.     

Clinical over- and under-estimation in patients who underwent hysterectomy for atypical endometrial hyperplasia diagnosed by endometrial biopsy: the predictive value of clinical parameters and diagnostic imaging

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical and imaging characteristics in patients diagnosed with atypical endometrial hyperplasia based on endometrial biopsy in comparison with the final diagnosis from resected uteri; i.e. to determine the rates of underestimation (endometrial cancer), equivalent diagnosis (atypical hyperplasia), and overestimation (hyperplasia without atypia or non-hyperplastic lesion). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 33 patients who were diagnosed with atypical endometrial hyperplasia by endometrial biopsy using a small curette and then underwent total abdominal hysterectomy between September 1992 and May 2002. Clinical parameters obtained from patients' charts, and imaging analyses using transvaginal ultrasonography (TUS) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging were retrospectively re-examined. RESULTS: Among 33 patients who underwent hysterectomy due to a diagnosis of atypical hyperplasia, nine cases (27.2%) were underestimated (cancer), nine cases (27.2%) were equivalent and 15 cases (45.6%) were overestimated as indicated by examination of the endometrium of the resected uterus. There was no difference among these groups in either clinical parameters or diagnostic images obtained by TUS or MR. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of atypical endometrial hyperplasia by endometrial biopsy often resulted in under- or over-estimation, as shown by examination after hysterectomy. As there is neither a reliable clinical parameter nor imaging feature to distinguish between these groups, hysterectomy is still the best treatment for these patients if they are willing to give up their fertility.     

行宫腔镜手术发生严重并发症35例临床分析

目的：探讨行宫腔镜检查和宫腔镜电切术发生严重并发症的早期诊断,治疗及预防。方法：对12921例患者行宫腔镜检查,同时行B超扫描;对2221例患行宫腔镜电切术,同时行B超或腹腔镜监护,结果：发生严重并发症35例,其中出血9例,经宫腔球囊置入、电凝、填塞或子宫体切除治愈;子宫穿孔11例,经保守治疗、腹腔镜或子宫切除治愈,空气栓塞1例,经抢救存活,术后感染4例,经抗生素治疗治愈,尿道电切前列腺（TURP）综合征5例,经利尿及静脉输注盐水治愈,子宫内膜去除－输卵管绝育术后综合征（PASS）4例,经扩宫、排出积血,行宫腔粘连或子宫切除治愈,术后8年发生子宫内膜癌1例,再次手术治疗,结论：行宫腔镜检查,以球囊压迫宫腔可有效控制出血,应注意B超腹腔镜监护不能完全防止子宫穿孔,控制灌流液压和手术时间,可减少TURP综合征的发生。行宫腔镜电切术后应加强随访,早期发现PASS和子宫内膜癌,避免空气栓塞的发生。     

Controversies in the management of atypical hyperplasia: Conservative management vs. simple hysterectomy

Objective:   Review the status of diagnosis of atypical hyperplasia. Discuss therapeutic options based on recently prospective pathologic studies.
Research:   Review recent prospective histopathology studies of atypical endometrial hyperplasia. Discuss recent advances in treatment of atypical endometrial hyperplasia. Review pretreatment imaging studies and their impact on treatment decision-making.
Results:   The diagnosis of atypical endometrial hyperplasia by endometrial biopsy is associated with a higher-than-expected incidence of invasive adenocarcinoma in hysterectomy specimens. This calls into question the safety of conservative therapy. Newer imaging studies and improved pathologic diagnosis may help to identify patients eligible for conservative therapy.
Conclusions:   Atypical endometrial hyperplasia is typically associated with invasive endometrial adenocarcinoma. Adequate sampling and expert pathological review may be helpful. Further research and clinical trials will answer the question of optimal treatment of atypical endometrial hyperplasia for those patients who desire preservation of fertility.     

Atypical complex endometrial hyperplasia treated with the GyneLase system

A 47-year-old premenopausal, para 1, gravida 1 woman complained of menometrorrhagia. She had no risk factors for endometrial hyperplasia or cancer, and office endometrial biopsy indicated focal, nonatypical endometrial hyperplasia. Seven months later the patient was scheduled for hysteroscopic endometrial resection. Instead she was treated by hysteroscopy, curettage, and the GyneLase system. The curetting indicated atypical, complex endometrial hyperplasia. The woman refused hysterectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy and adjunctive therapy with progesterone. She agreed to close surveillance and further treatment if she had any vaginal bleeding. At 13 months she remains amenorrheic, the endometrial echo is 2 mm, and follicle-stimulating hormone level is 63 IU/L. Based on the patient's amenorrhea and ultrasound uterine measurement, it is tempting to assume that GyneLase treatment may have cured her atypical hyperplasia. However, at this time, we have no evidence to substantiate this assumption.