Hysteroscopy is a procedure that allows fertility specialist to look inside your uterus in order to diagnose and treat causes of infertility.
Hysteroscopy is a procedure that allows gynecologist to look inside your uterus in order to diagnose and treat causes of infertility, recurrent miscarriage, Polyps or fibroid tumors inside the cervical canal and inside the uterine cavity or abnormal uterine bleeding. Hysteroscopy can also be used to help pinpoint the location of abnormalities in the uterine lining for sampling and biopsy. Hysteroscopy can also be used to perform surgical sterilization.Hysteroscopy is done using a hysteroscope, a thin, lighted tube that is inserted into the vagina to examine the cervix and inside of the uterus. Hysteroscopy can be either diagnostic or operative.
Hysteroscopy is useful for diagnosing and treating some problems that cause infertility, miscarriages, and abnormal menstrual bleeding. Sometimes other procedures, such as laparoscopy, are done at the same time as hysteroscopy.
What is diagnostic hysteroscopy?
Diagnostic hysteroscopy is used to examine the inside of the uterus, also known as the uterine cavity and may also be used to confirm the results of other tests such as hysterosalpingography (HSG). This procedure is helpful in diagnosing abnormal uterine conditions such as polyps, internal fibroids, scarring, and developmental abnormalities. A diagnostic Hysteroscopy takes only a few minutes and can sometimes be performed in the Outpatients Department while you are awake.
What is operative hysteroscopy?
Operative hysterocopy may be used to both diagnose and treat certain conditions such as uterine adhesions, septums, fibroids or abnormal bleeding which can often be removed through the hysteroscope. If an abnormal condition was detected during the diagnostic hysteroscopy, an operative hysteroscopy can often be performed at the same time, avoiding the need for a second surgery. During operative hysteroscopy, small instruments used to correct the condition are inserted through the hysteroscope. A Hysteroscopy for the treatment of a certain medical condition is usually performed under a general anaesthetic in the Day Surgery Unit.
Why hysteroscopy Is Done
Hysteroscopy is used both to diagnose and treat abnormal vaginal bleeding. If areas of bleeding are found during the procedure, the tissue may be destroyed by laser beam or electric current (electrocautery) or surgically removed at the same time. Hysteroscopy is done to locate and evaluate the cause of uterine bleeding, such as uterine fibroids, when blood loss is severe and Confirm a diagnosis before the start of treatment with medicines that have significant side effects(related to hormones).
Conditions treated hysteroscopically include endometrial polyps or fibroids that can be removed to enhance fertility. Hysteroscopy is used for conditions below:
1) Infertility: A couple may not be able to achieve pregnancy for a number of reasons. Sometimes the cause of female infertility is related to the defect in the shape or size of the uterus. One example of this is a seperate uterus (a thin sheet of tissue divides the inside of the uterus into two sections). Hysteroscopy may find and help treat these problems.
2) Abnormal Growths: Sometimes benign growths, such as polyps and fibroids, can be diagnosed with the hysteroscope. Hysteroscopy might help a doctor to biopsy a growth in the uterus to find out whether it may be cancer or may become cancer. These structures can be removed with operative hysteroscopy in 20 minutes in the Outpatients Department.
3) Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: A woman has this condition if she has heavier or longer periods than usual or has any bleeding after her periods have stopped at menopause. Hysteroscopy may help the doctor and find the cause of abnormal bleeding that other methods have not found. It may be used to take a biopsy.
4) Repeated Miscarriages: Some women experience consecutive pregnancy losses before 20 weeks. Hysteroscopy can be used to identify the reason of recurrent losses. Adhesions and uterine abnormalities may result in this problem and can be fixed by hysteroscopy.
5) Adhesions: Bands of scar tissue or adhesions may form inside of the uterus. This is so called Asherman's syndrome. These adhesions may cause infertility and changes in menstrual flow. Hysteroscopy may help dissect adhesions.
6) Displaced IUDs: An intrauterine device (IUD) is a small plastic device inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy. In some cases, it moves out of its proper position inside the uterus. It then embeds itself in the uterine wall or the tissues around it. It can be found and removed hysteroscopically.
The time it takes to perform hysteroscopy can range from less than 5 minutes to more than an hour. The length of the procedure depends on whether it is diagnostic or operative and whether an additional procedure, such as laparoscopy, is done at the same time. In general, however, diagnostic hysteroscopy takes less time than operative.
Few things to be noted or taken care of while opting for Hysteroscopic Procedure.
1) Hysteroscopy is a safe and simple approach. Problems such as injury to the cervix or the uterus, infection, heavy bleeding, or side effects of the anesthesia occur in less than 1% of the cases.
2) Hysteroscopy is best done during the first week after the menstrual period. This allows a better view of the inside of the uterus. With general anesthesia, you breathe a mixture of gases through a mask and you will not be conscious during the surgery.
3) Before a hysteroscopy, the opening of your cervix may need to be dilated (made wider) with a special device. The hysteroscope then is inserted through the cervix and into the uterus.
4) A liquid may be released through the hysteroscope to expand the uterus so that the inside can be seen better. A light shone through the device allows the doctor to view the inside of the uterus and the openings of the fallopian tubes into the uterine.
5) You may feel faint or sick or you may have slight vaginal bleeding and cramps for a day or two. get in touch with your doctor if you have fever, severe abdominal pain, heavy vaginal bleeding or discharge.
What are the benefits of hysteroscopy?
Hysteroscopy as compared with other more invasive procedures is more beneficial because of shorter hospital stay, shorter recovery time, less pain medication needed after surgery, avoidance of hysterectomy and possible avoidance of open abdominal surgery.
What are the risks and complications of hysteroscopy?
It is expected to experience light vaginal bleeding and some cramping after the hysteroscopy procedure. Some cramping may be felt during the procedure, depending upon the type of anesthesia. Complications of hysteroscopy are rare and include perforation of the uterus, bleeding, infection, damage to the urinary or digestive tract, and medical complications resulting from reactions to drugs or anesthetic agents. Accidental perforation of the uterus is the most common complication and occurs in 0.1% of diagnostic hysteroscopy procedures and 1% of therapeutic (surgical) hysteroscopies. Severe or life-threatening complications, however, are very uncommon. Some of the complications above may prevent completion of the surgery.
Hysteroscopy is considered minor surgery and usually does not require an overnight stay in the hospital. However, in certain circumstances, such as if your doctor is concerned about your reaction to anesthesia, an overnight stay may be required. Hysteroscopy allow physicians to diagnose and correct many gynecological disorders on an outpatient basis. Patient recovery time is brief and significantly less than the recovery time from abdominal surgery through larger incisions. Before undergoing hysteroscopy, patients should discuss with their physicians any concerns about the procedures and their risks.
In your journey of parenthood when you are facing infertility problems it is always advisable to get the fertility treatments at the earliest. For any infertility issues like recurrent miscarriage, Polyps or fibroid tumors inside the cervical canal and inside the uterine cavity or abnormal uterine bleeding do not hesitate to consult your OB-GYN. Many problems can easily be corrected with medication or minimally invasive surgical procedures like hysteroscopy and laparoscopy. For couples facing more difficult challenges, they should consult the fertility specialist or Ivf Centre like Al-Manar Fertility & Endoscopy Center in Basrah, Iraq. For more assistance or further information, feel free to contact them at http://almanarfertility.com or http://almanarfertility.com/services.php or you can give them a call at 964 7814444401.