Hysteroscopy

A hysteroscopy is a procedure where the doctor passes a hysteroscope—a narrow, telescope-like instrument with a camera on the end—through your vagina and cervix and into the uterus to directly examine the interior of your uterus. This procedure is used to determine if you have any fibroid tumours, polyps, scar tissue, or other obstructions that could be affecting your fertility.

During the procedure, the doctor inserts the hysteroscope into your uterus and may inflate the uterus with gas or saline liquid to get a better view of the uterine interior.

If the doctor finds anything abnormal, he or she may remove a small sample for further examination. You don’t need to have an incision with a hysteroscopy, and most women recover within an hour or two.

When is a hysteroscopy used?

A hysteroscopy may be performed to correct the following uterine conditions:

• Polyps and fibroids — Hysteroscopy is used to remove these non-cancerous growths found in the uterus.
• Adhesions —Uterine adhesions are bands of scar tissue that can form in the uterus and may lead to changes in menstrual flow as well as infertility. Hysteroscopy can help us to locate and remove the adhesions.
• Septums— Hysteroscopy can help determine whether you have a uterine septum, a malformation of the uterus that is present from birth.
• Abnormal bleeding — Hysteroscopy can help identify the cause of heavy or lengthy menstrual flow, as well as bleeding between periods or after menopause. Endometrial ablation is one procedure in which the hysteroscope, along with other instruments, is used to destroy the uterine lining in order to treat some causes of heavy bleeding.