Preoperative and postoperative correlation of histopathological findings in cases of endometrial hyperplasia

OBJECTIVES: To determine the preoperative and postoperative correlation of histopathological findings in cases of endometrial hyperplasia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and three patients with endometrial hyperplasia detected by surgical curettage performed due to various gynecologic pathologies were treated by hysterectomy. We compared retrospectively the histopathological diagnoses found on curettage with those found on hysterectomy specimens. The classification scheme endorsed by the International Society of Gynecological Pathologists was used to classify the endometrial hyperplasia. The histologic findings found on the endometrial tissue of curettage specimens were correlated with those from hysterectomy specimens. Histopathologic evaluation was performed by a single skilled gynecologic pathologist. RESULTS: A total number of 103 women--76 (73.8%) premenopausal and 27 (26.2%) postmenopausal--were determined to have endometrial hyperplasia on histopathological evaluation of endometrial tissues obtained by endometrial curettage performed for evaluation of various bleeding abnormalities. These included 94 patients with simple hyperplasia without atypia (91.3%), two patients with simple hyperplasia with atypia (1.9%), five patients with complex hyperplasia without atypia (4.9%), and two patients with complex hyperplasia with atypia (1.9%). Histopathological evaluation of endometrial tissue obtained from hysterectomy specimens (of patients diagnosed with hyperplasia on curettage) revealed a total number of 65 cases (63.1%) with endometrial hyperplasia, and 38 cases (36.9%) with various histopathological findings. The correlation between preoperative and postoperative endometrial histologic findings was found to be statistically insignificant (r = 0.105, p = 0.29). Among 94 patients who were found to have simple hyperplasia without atypia on curettage specimens, 55.3%, were found to have simple hyperplasia without atypia, 1.1% simple hyperplasia with atypia, 5.3% complex hyperplasia without atypia, 9.6% secretory endometrium, 4.3% proliferative endometrium, 21.3% disorganized proliferative endometrium, 1.1% corpus luteum persistency, 1.1% basal endometrium, and 1.1% endometrium cancer on final hysterectomy specimens. CONCLUSION: Postoperative diagnosis of endometrial pathology might be different from that of preoperative especially in cases with simple endometrial hyperplasia without atypia.     

Implementation of assisted reproductive technologies following conservative management of FIGO grade I endometrial adenocarcinoma and/or complex hyperplasia with atypia

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to report a series of infertility therapy outcomes following conservative management of endometrial adenocarcinoma and/or complex hyperplasia with atypia. METHODS: A retrospective review of the University of Iowa assisted reproductive technology database was performed. All women presenting with International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO) grade I uterine adenocarcinoma and/or complex hyperplasia with atypia were assessed for type and duration of medical management, initial, interim treatment, and preinfertility treatment endometrial biopsy (BX) findings. Assessment of infertility treatment outcomes and postinfertility endometrial biopsy findings were performed. All of the pathology samples were re-reviewed at the Gynecologic Oncology Tumor Board to confirm the diagnosis by a pathologist with a particular expertise in gynecologic pathology. RESULTS: Four infertile women, three nulligravid and one primigravid, were evaluated with the diagnosis of FIGO grade 1 endometrial adenocarcinoma and/or complex hyperplasia with atypia desiring to preserve fertility. Two women with FIGO grade 1 endometrial adenocarcinoma were successfully treated with high-dose progestational agents resulting in normal proliferative endometrium. In addition, both women with complex hyperplasia with atypia were successfully treated with progestins and/or ovulation induction. Successful pregnancy outcomes were achieved for three of the four women with assisted reproductive technology. A total of five successful pregnancies and eight healthy live-born infants were achieved among three women. One of the four women was unable to conceive despite three cycles of in vitro fertilization. Hysterectomy was performed for recurrent complex hyperplasia with atypia. In our series, we found it can take 3-10 months (mean, 6.25 months; median, 6 months) to obtain benign endometrium preceding infertility therapy. CONCLUSION: This report demonstrates that conservative management of well-differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma and/or complex hyperplasia with atypia followed by aggressive assisted reproduction is an option to highly motivated and carefully selected women.     

Endometriumhyperplasie und -karzinom

Endometrial hyperplasia can cause bleeding disorders and some are also precancerous lesions of an endometrial cancer. Vaginal sonography plays an important role in the diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia. This can be combined with a sonographically supported progestin test for further differential diagnosis. For a definitive diagnosis, hysteroscopy and curettage is the method of choice. An exact histological classification of endometrium hyperplasia is necessary. For medical treatment of endometrial hyperplasia without atypia, cyclic or continuous treatment with an oral progestin or alternatively intrauterine progestin treatment by a levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) may be useful. After treatment of complex or atypical hyperplasia, control of histological specimen is necessary. In atypical hyperplasia or early stage of endometrial cancer in patients who desire a pregnancy, conservative therapy should be used cautiously and only in combination with strict clinical and sonographical controls.     

不孕症合并子宫内膜非典型增生患者助孕治疗的临床分析

目的探讨不孕症合并子宫内膜非典型增生患者经保守治疗后助孕治疗的疗效和安全性。方法回顾性分析8例不孕症合并子宫内膜非典型增生患者，经孕激素或促性腺激素释放激素激动剂（GnRHa）治疗子宫内膜非典型增生缓解后，采用助孕治疗，观察助孕治疗的疗效及其对子宫内膜的影响。结果经孕激素或GnRHa治疗后，8例患者子宫内膜非典型增生全部缓解。共进行单纯促排卵治疗7个周期，促排卵联合人工授精2个周期，体外受精-胚胎移植（IVF—ET）7个周期，冻融胚胎移植2个周期。单纯促排卵周期均未妊娠，人工授精1个周期双胎妊娠；7个IVF—ET周期中，胚胎移植6个周期，3个周期获得临床妊娠；冻融胚胎移植1个周期获得临床妊娠。现足月分娩6活婴。1例未妊娠患者在促排卵后4个月发现子宫内膜癌变。结论不孕症合并子宫内膜非典型增生的患者经孕激素或GnRHa治疗缓解后，及时助孕治疗能提高妊娠率，但需严密观察，注意子宫内膜癌发生的可能。     

Natural history of endometrial hyperplasia

Seventy-seven patients with endometrial hyperplasia, 48 with simple hyperplasia without atypia (SH), 17 with complex hyperplasia without atypia (CH), one with simple hyperplasia with atypia (SHA), and 11 with complex hyperplasia with atypia (CHA) were prospectively followed-up by total curettage every 12 months for 3 years. Progression to carcinoma occurred in only one of the 77 patients; she showed grade 1 adenocarcinoma. The overall regression rates were 79% for SH, 100% for SHA, 94% for CH, and 55% for CHA, respectively. In patients with CHA whose disease reverted to normal endometrium, regression was most likely to occur within the first year. Received: 28 August 2000 / Accepted: 19 October 2000     

Histopathologic correlation of dilatation and currettage and hysterectomy specimens in patients with postmenopausal bleeding

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: To evaluate the consistency of preoperative and postoperative histopathological findings in postmenopausal patients with abnormal bleeding. METHODS: Pathologic diagnoses of 42 postmenopausal women with abnormal bleeding or increased endometrial thickness who underwent both dilatation and curettage (D and C), and hysterectomy for proper indications were retrospectively examined. RESULTS: The most common diagnosis was irregular proliferative endometrium in both the pre- and postoperative groups with 16 patients each (38%). After subgroup analysis, 50% of the patients with a preoperative diagnosis of complex hyperplasia without atypia, had complex atypical hyperplasia, and two-thirds of the patients with a preoperative diagnosis of complex atypical hyperplasia had endometrial cancer as the final diagnoses. CONCLUSION: Preoperative D and C endometrial pathology findings positively correlated with postoperative hysterectomy pathology results. However, as the real pathology gets worse , D and C seems to under-diagnose the real pathology. In cases with complex hyperplasia with or without atypia , a second D and C or hysteroscopic evaluation may be recommended.     

Clear cells of the endometrium: an indicator of estrogen level

We examined 70 cases of curettage (24 in normal proliferative phase and 46 with endometrial hyperplasia) and determined the percentage of clear cells among all glandular cells. The number of clear cells was increased in endometrium with hyperplasia without atypia or with minimal atypia (Grade of the endometrial hyperplasia I-IV. Classification of Hendrickson and Kempson 1979). It decreased as the hyperplasia became more severe. Besides we noticed an increase of clear cells in late proliferative phase. The relation of clear cells to estrogen level has been discussed.     

Persistence of endometrial activity after radiation therapy for cervical carcinoma

Radiation therapy is a proved treatment for cervical carcinoma; however, it destroys ovarian function and has been thought to ablate the endometrium. Estrogen replacement therapy is often prescribed for patients with cervical carcinoma after radiation therapy. A review of records of six teaching hospitals revealed 16 patients who had endometrial sampling for uterine bleeding after standard radiation therapy for cervical carcinoma. Fifteen patients underwent dilatation and curettage, and one patient underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy when a dilatation and curettage was unsuccessful. Six patients had fibrosis and inflammation of the endometrial cavity, seven had proliferative endometrium, one had cystic hyperplasia, one had atypical adenomatous hyperplasia, and one had adenocarcinoma. Although the number of patients who have an active endometrium after radiation therapy for cervical carcinoma is not known, this report demonstrates that proliferative endometrium may persist, and these patients may develop endometrial hyperplasia or adenocarcinoma. Studies have indicated that patients with normal endometrial glands have an increased risk of developing endometrial adenocarcinoma if they are treated with unopposed estrogen. Patients who have had radiation therapy for cervical carcinoma should be treated with estrogen and a progestational agent to avoid endometrial stimulation from unopposed estrogen therapy.     

The diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia on curettage: how reliable is it?

Objective  To evaluate the consistency of preoperative and postoperative histological findings in cases of endometrial hyperplasia. Materials and methods  Fifty-five patients with endometrial hyperplasia detected by surgical curettage were treated by hysterectomy. The histopathological diagnoses found on curettage specimens were compared and correlated with those found on hysterectomy. Endometrial hyperplasia was classified according to the classification scheme of the International Society of Gynecological Pathologists. Results  Fifty-five patients were diagnosed with endometrial hyperplasia on curettage specimens performed for evaluation of various bleeding abnormalities. The average age of the patients was 51.8 years (range 35–74). Thirty patients (55%) were postmenopausal. The interval between curettage and hysterectomy was 1–33 weeks. Of the patients, 26 (47%) had simple hyperplasia, 24 (44%) complex hyperplasia and 5 patients (9%) had complex atypical hyperplasia. Histopathological evaluation of hysterectomy specimens of these patients showed a total number of 35 cases (64%) with endometrial hyperplasia, 1 case of endometrial carcinoma and 19 cases with other pathological findings. The consistency rate between curettage and hysterectomy specimens was 45% (25/55 cases). Following hysterectomy, we found that none of the 26 simple hyperplasia cases and only one of the 24 complex hyperplasia cases coexisted with endometrial carcinoma. On the other hand, three of the five cases of complex atypical carcinoma coexisted with endometrial carcinoma. Conclusions  Curettage endometrial pathology tends to be more consistent with final hysterectomy pathology in simple hyperplasia. However, in cases of complex hyperplasia with atypia, curettage seems to under diagnose the real pathology.     

Endometrial hyperplasia with secretory changes

OBJECTIVE: Secretory changes in endometrial hyperplasia are uncommon. The aim of this study is to review the morphologic and clinical findings of 24 cases of endometrial hyperplasia with secretory changes. METHODS: In 24 patients diagnosed with endometrial hyperplasia with secretory changes during 6 years, clinical characteristics such as menopausal status and hormone treatment were correlated with morphological features. A matched age control group of 24 women with conventional endometrial hyperplasia was used to compare the hormonal effect. RESULTS: Nineteen patients were premenopausal. Nine women showed simple hyperplasia without atypia and 15 complex hyperplasia, 7 of them with atypia. Seventeen women were under hormonal treatment at the time of diagnosis, 10 of them with progestins. In 7 patients endometrial adenocarcinoma could be seen, 5 coexisting with endometrial hyperplasia with secretory changes and in 2 appearing after 1 and 4 months. In control group only 2 patients were undergoing progestin hormonal treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Secretory changes can be found in hyperplastic endometrium, particularly in premenopausal women under hormonal treatment with progestins, with the risk of misdiagnosis.     

Balloon thermoablation in a woman with complex endometrial hyperplasia with atypia. A case report.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial ablation is an alternative to hysterectomy in patients with menorrhagia refractory to medical therapy. The histologic changes in the hyperplastic endometrium secondary to endometrial ablation are not well understood. CASE REPORT: A 44-year-old woman, gravida 4, para 4, had menorrhagia, was at high risk for medical treatment and underwent thermal balloon ablation. The dilatation and curettage specimen at the time of the procedure revealed complex hyperplasia of the endometrium with atypia. Subsequently a hysterectomy was performed, and the pathology specimen showed scarring, fibrosis and focal, weakly proliferative phase endometrium. There was no evidence of hyperplasia or malignancy. CONCLUSION: Endometrial ablation with a thermal balloon seems to have resulted in resolution of endometrial hyperplasia. However, hyperplasia of the endometrium should still be a contraindication to such a procedure because of the inability to accurately assess the endometrium after ablation.     

Resectoscopic surgery in 10 women with abnormal uterine bleeding and atypical endometrial hyperplasia

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of the resectoscope in the diagnosis and treatment of women with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) and atypical endometrial hyperplasia. DESIGN: Retrospective case series (Canadian Task Force classification III-3). SETTING: University-affiliated teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Ten women. Intervention. Hysteroscopic evaluation after preoperative endometrial biopsy indicated simple hyperplasia without atypia, complex hyperplasia with atypia, or inadequate specimen. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Atypical hyperplasia was confirmed in eight patients after total endomyometrial resection. Hysterectomy was offered to all patients but accepted by only two: one for bilateral ovarian serous cystadenomas and the second for a granulosa cell ovarian tumor. No residual endometrium was found in hysterectomy specimens. Seven women were amenorrheic and well 1 to 9 years after resection. An additional patient with amenorrhea died from colon cancer 2 years after resection. CONCLUSION: Resectoscopic surgery confirmed or detected atypical endometrial hyperplasia in eight women and excluded it in two patients with AUB and a previous diagnosis of simple hyperplasia, atypical hyperplasia, or inadequate specimen. Skillful resectoscopic surgery may be an alternative to hysterectomy in selected patients with atypical hyperplasia who are compliant with regular and long-term follow-up.     

Letrozole as primary therapy for endometrial hyperplasia in young women.

OBJECTIVE: To study letrozole as a primary therapeutic agent for endometrial hyperplasia with or without atypia in young women. METHODS: Five premenopausal women presenting for infertility were diagnosed as having endometrial hyperplasia. A second biopsy was performed after they were treated for 3 months with 2.5 mg of letrozole per day. Serum levels of estradiol and progesterone were measured each month. RESULTS: Curettage of the endometrium at the end of treatment revealed no evidence of endometrial hyperplasia or atypia in any of the patients. Low serum levels of estradiol were found in all patients. CONCLUSION: This case series indicates that aromatase inhibitors deserve attention for the conservative treatment of endometrial hyperplasia. However, more studies are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of this agent.     

高分化子宫内膜样癌及子宫内膜重度不典型增生患者孕激素治疗的临床分析

目的探讨35岁以下高分化子宫内膜样癌及子宫内膜重度不典型增生患者采用孕激素治疗以保留患者子宫的疗效,并随访其治疗后的生育情况.方法采用回顾性分析的方法对1991年至2005年北京协和医院收治的35岁以下、接受孕激素治疗（以醋酸甲羟孕酮为主）的25例高分化子宫内膜样癌及子宫内膜重度不典型增生患者的临床病理资料进行研究.其中,子宫内膜样癌8例（内膜癌组）,子宫内膜重度不典型增生17例（不典型增生组）.孕激素治疗前对患者进行全面的分期评估,治疗后每1～6个月诊刮以评价疗效,对有生育要求者随访其生育情况.结果内膜癌组患者孕激素治疗前经全面的分期评估,证实为早期、高分化子宫内膜样癌.除1例子宫内膜样癌患者尚未评估疗效外,内膜癌组其他7例及不典型增生组17例患者治疗后有效者分别为6例（6/7）、17例（100%）;缓解者分别为5例（5/7）、14例（82%）;缓解后复发者分别为1例（1/5）、3例（21%）,复发时间为缓解后6～30个月;随访缓解后要求生育的14例患者中,内膜癌组4例患者尚未生育,不典型增生组10例患者中4例妊娠共7次.1例自然受孕后失访;3例经促排卵治疗后受孕并足月分娩,其中1例产后人工流产3次.结论对于要求保留子宫的高分化子宫内膜样癌及子宫内膜重度不典型增生的年轻患者,孕激素治疗是一种治疗选择.孕激素治疗前应对子宫内膜样癌患者进行详细全面的分期评估,辅助生殖措施的介入有望提高治疗后的妊娠率.     

Atypical endometrial hyperplasia in an 18-year-old woman

The natural history and the factors that lead to the acquisition of atypia in endometrial hyperplasias in young aged women, especially under the age of 20, have not been fully elucidated. In such cases, although there exists a considerable risk of progression to carcinoma, a conservative antiestrogenic treatment is primarily indicated, in attempt to preserve the reproductive ability of the young woman. We report of a 18-year-old girl with atypical hyperplasia of the endometrium, a diagnosis confirmed by reviewing of the histologic material by specialized gynecopathologists. The patient has been treated with gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (leuprolide acetate) and tibolone for 1 year, which led to endometrial atrophy and amenorrhea, without hypoestrogenic side effects. Six months after cessation of the therapy the endometrial hyperplasia relapsed (this time without atypia), but in about 2 years of follow-up and after short courses of treatment with clomiphene citrate and progestins the biopsy of the endometrium revealed a functional endometrium and the patient presents with an almost regular menstrual cycle.     

Cytological diagnosis of endometrial cancer and preinvasive endometrial lesions. A comparison of the Endo-Pap sampler with fractional curettage

The value of the Endo-Pap endometrial cell sampling device in the cytological assessment of the endometrium was compared with fractional curettage. 318 symptomatic women were studied consecutively, among whom were 42 with malignant tumors of the uterus. Satisfactory material for cytological diagnosis of the endometrial state was obtained in 96%, whereas only 91% of the histopathological material was suitable for interpretation. 35 of 36 women with primary cancers of the corpus uteri had atypical endometrial cytology (sensitivity 0.97). Of 42 uterine cancers, including one metastatic ovarian carcinoma, two adenocarcinomas and three squamous carcinomas of the cervix, 40 were detected by endometrial cytology (sensitivity 0.95). All 5 cases of high grade cytological atypia in endometrial polyps or endometrial hyperplasia could be diagnosed by abnormal endometrial cytology and 4 of 5 patients with adenomatous endometrial hyperplasia were diagnosed correctly. Endometrial cytology obtained with the Endo-Pap sampler is a simple and cheap diagnostic method with which to detect endometrial cancer. It is also effective for diagnosis of preinvasive endometrial lesions with highgrade cytological atypia. Clinicians should recognize that out-patient investigation of the endometrial state by endometrial cell sampling with the Endo-Pap is reliable and can usually replace fractional curettage.     

The value of curettage in diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the value of diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia by curettage and to determine the results of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunostaining in differentiating endometrial carcinoma from endometrial hyperplasia. METHODS: According to Kurman's criteria, we treated 150 patients with endometrial hyperplasia detected by curettage and compared retrospectively the diagnosis by curettage with that by hysterectomy. PCNA expression was examined using immunohistochemostaining on 60 patients with complex atypical hyperplasia detected by curettage. RESULTS: Simple hyperplasia was found by curettage in 53 patients, complex hyperplasia in 11, simple atypical hyperplasia in 26, and complex atypical hyperplasia in 60. All patients were rediagnosed after hysterectomy. As a result, 65 were found to have simple hyperplasia, 7 complex hyperplasia, 15 simple atypical hyperplasia, 29 complex atypical hyperplasia, and 34 endometrial carcinoma. The accuracy of histological diagnosis by curettage was 76.7-92.0% and was dependent on different types of hyperplasia. Simple atypical hyperplasia and complex atypical hyperplasia were more likely to coexist with endometrial carcinoma than both simple hyperplasia and complex hyperplasia (chi2 = 26.3, P < 0.001), and complex atypical hyperplasia was more likely to coexist with endometrial carcinoma than simple atypical hyperplasia (chi2 = 9.78, P < 0.005). In complex atypical hyperplasia patients, coexistence with endometrial carcinoma was more common after menopause than before menopause (chi2 = 3.93, P < 0.05). In complex atypical hyperplasia patients, the expression of PCNA in cases associated with endometrial carcinoma was higher or stronger than in cases associated without endometrial carcinoma (chi2 = 7.68, P < 0.01, or U = 252.00, P < 0.01). Conclusions. Curettage tends to be more highly accurate in diagnosing simple hyperplasia than complex atypical hyperplasia, which is often found by hysterectomy to be associated with endometrial carcinoma. The expression of PCNA may be helpful in differentiating complex atypical hyperplasia from endometrial carcinoma.     

Serum and tissue angiogenin in patients with endometrial hyperplasia

ObjectiveTo evaluate angiogenin levels in both tissue and serum of patients with endometrial hyperplasia with and without atypia.MethodsSixty women were classified according to the histopathological findings of endometrium into three groups. The control group consisted of 20 women with normal non-hyper plastic endometrium. The second group included 20 women diagnosed as complex endometrial hyperplasia without atypia. The third group included 20 women diagnosed as complex endometrial hyperplasia with atypia. Serum and tissue angiogenin were measured by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) technique and confirmed in tissues with Western Blotting (WB) technique.ResultsThere was a statistically significant increase in serum and tissue angiogenin levels of endometrial hyperplasia groups compared to those of control group (P<0.001). Serum and tissue angiogenin levels were with a statistically significant higher (P<0.001) in group III compared to group II. The sensitivity of serum angiogenin to detect the potential possibility of endometrial hyperplasia with atypia in endometrial hyperplasia patients was 100%, specificity 85%, positive predictive value 86.9%, negative predictive value 100%, positive likelihood ratio 6.6%, negative likelihood ratio 0% and accuracy 91.7%.ConclusionElevated levels of serum angiogenin in endometrial hyperplasia could assist in determining which patients are at high risk for atypical change requiring aggressive treatment.     

Descriptive epidemiology of endometrial hyperplasia in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: To evaluate the prevalence and epidemiologic characteristics of endometrial hyperplasias in women with abnormal uterine bleeding. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis on data gained from 294 patients with histologically documented endometrial hyperplasia (with or without atypia), detected among 1,469 women who underwent fractional dilatation and curettage in our department due to abnormal uterine bleeding from 1986 to 1998. Epidemiologic characteristics were abstracted from the patients' medical charts. RESULTS: 294/1469 women were found with endometrial hyperplasia (258 without atypia and 36 atypical hyperplasias). Thirty-six of them were under 40 years of age. Four of the detected endometrial hyperplasias progressed to endometrial carcinoma (one with simple hyperplasia, two with complex and one with atypical hyperplasia). Obesity and hypertension were justified as risk factors in our study population. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of endometrial hyperplasia according to our data was 20%. There were statistically significant differences in most epidemiologic parameters between the two types of hyperplasia. The progression of four endometrial hyperplasias to endometrial adenocarcinoma indicates the need for intense follow-up even in cases where patients undergo conservative therapy.     

Unusual presentation of a woman with polycystic ovaries and complex endometrial pathology

A 28-year-old woman with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) had attempted four assisted conception treatments, all of which were complicated by lack of response of the endometrium to the hypo-oestrogenic state induced with gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa). Consequently, two treatment cycles were abandoned, one prior to the ovulation induction of a fresh IVF treatment and the other prior to oestrogen replacement for a frozen-thawed embryo transfer treatment cycle. Extended down-regulation eventually resulted in endometrial thinning and allowed completion of the other two treatments, but the outcome was negative. A targeted mid-cycle ultrasound scan in a natural cycle at follow-up showed thick, non-homogenous endometrium. A repeat hysteroscopy on this occasion showed abnormal endometrium with chalk-like deposits. Histological diagnosis was chronic endometritis and endometrial hyperplasia with focal atypia. Microbiological tests, including those for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, were negative. Because of atypical endometrial hyperplasia, this patient is currently under close follow-up by the original referring team. This case highlights inherent endometrial pathology presenting as non-responding endometrium to hormonal down-regulation, the limitations of conventional ultrasound scans, and the complimentary role of concomitant hysteroscopy in the correct identification of endometrial lesions that may negatively affect the assisted conception treatments.