Hysteroscopy
A camera placed inside the uterus through the cervix — used to look, biopsy, and treat without any abdominal incisions at all.
What it is
Hysteroscopy is the only gynecologic procedure that gives a direct view of the inside of the uterus. A thin telescope is passed through the cervix; a small amount of fluid distends the uterine cavity; we see everything in real time on a monitor.
There is no incision. For diagnostic hysteroscopy and many minor operative cases, the procedure can be done in the office under local — or, when needed, in the operating room with light sedation.
What it treats
Most often we use hysteroscopy to address:
- Abnormal uterine bleeding — to find the cause when imaging is unclear
- Endometrial polyps — removed during the same procedure
- Submucosal fibroids — those that distort the uterine cavity
- Retained products — after miscarriage or delivery
- Intrauterine adhesions (Asherman’s syndrome)
- Workup before fertility treatment
What to expect
Office hysteroscopy is comparable to a long Pap visit — a few minutes of cramping, a couple of hours to feel like yourself again. Operative hysteroscopy in the OR is outpatient; you are home the same afternoon.
Recovery is the easiest of any gynecologic procedure: no incisions, no stitches, no activity restrictions beyond a day or two of light bleeding. Most women return to work the next day.
Why we do many of these
The alternative — an open or laparoscopic approach for the same finding — is more invasive than the problem calls for. When a polyp or a small fibroid is the culprit, the right tool is the hysteroscope. Patients who have been told a “D&C” is the only option often have a better one.