The hysteroscope has become a standard part of gynecologists' armamentarium, and hysteroscopy is taught routinely in residency curriculums. In recent years, its use in gynecology has changed from a diagnostic tool only to an instrument for gynecologic operations. An electrolyte-free irrigation fluid is used for hysteroscopic surgery, and it has a possibility of substantial absorption of irrigation fluid. The absorption depends on the rate, volume and nature of the irrigation fluid. Fortunately, large-scale fluid absorption is rare but leads to symptoms severe enough to require intensive care. Several methods have been proposed to reduce the risk but none of them is capable of preventing the complication from fluid absorption. In this case, the patient had pulmonary interstitial edema with hyponatremia after hysteroscopic uterine septectomy but that had resolved without sequelae.
Absorption ; Curriculum ; Edema ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Hysteroscopes ; Hysteroscopy ; Intensive Care ; Internship and Residency ; Pulmonary Edema

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the histologic effects of tamoxifen on the endometrium using hysteroscopy in postmenopausal women with breast cancer. METHODS: The study included 46 postmenopausal patients who were referred from another clinic due to thickening or bleeding of the endometrium after taking tamoxifen for breast cancer. All patients underwent transvaginal sonography (TVS) and hysteroscopic endometrial biopsy with a 5-mm, continuous-flow, operating hysteroscope. RESULTS: The incidence of malignancy was high (20%) in cases of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) after taking tamoxifen. However, in the non-AUB group with thick endometrium after taking tamoxifen, the incidence of adenocarcinoma was 3.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings confirm the estrogen-like effect of tamoxifen on the endometrium. Endometrial evaluation with TVS suggests further diagnostic procedures; moreover, histologic examination is necessary under hysteroscopy, especially in cases of endometrial bleeding after taking tamoxifen.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy ; Breast Neoplasms ; Endometrium ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hysteroscopes ; Hysteroscopy ; Incidence ; Postmenopause ; Tamoxifen ; Uterine Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the spectrum of hysteroscopic surgery to be extended. METHODS: Forty-three women who underwent hysteroscopic procedures with Urione(R) solution or normal saline as distension media between March 2001 and March 2009 were randomized. The clinical characteristics, laboratory data, and post-operative results were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The following hysteroscopic procedures were performed: endometrial biopsy, 26; endometrial polypectomy, 8; myomectomy, 7; ablation for dysfunctional uterine bleeding and endometrial hyperplasia, 1; and excision of an endometrial mass, 1. The mean size of the myomas was 3.2 cm. The average duration of hospitalization was 2 days. The average change in hemoglobin was 1.1 g/dl. The mean operative time was 36 minutes. CONCLUSION: The indications for hysteroscopic procedures can be extended. Pure intramural myomas, submucosal myomas, endometrial polyps, adenomyosis, endometrial hyperplasia, hydrometra, and abnormal uterine bleeding can be treated via a hysteroscope. Intra-operative transabdominal ultrasonographic guidance can be helpful during hysteroscopic procedures, and reduces the complication and morbidity rates.
Adenomyosis ; Biopsy ; Endometrial Hyperplasia ; Female ; Hemoglobins ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hysteroscopes ; Hysteroscopy ; Menopause ; Metrorrhagia ; Myoma ; Operative Time ; Polyps ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterine Hemorrhage

Hysteroscopy is a procedure that may appear minimally invasive, but may result in potentially disastrous complications. A hysteroscopy requires the insertion of a hysteroscope into the uterine cavity and the installation of a suitable distention medium for the visualization of the endometrium. Fluid overload due to the absorption of distention media during hysteroscopy can cause mild to severe complications, including hyponatremia, hypoosmolarity, nausea, vomiting, headache, arrhythmia, blindness, confusion, seizure, cerebral edema, brain herniation, and death. We report a case of a 41 year-old female patient who underwent elective hysteroscopic myomectomy under general anesthesia. Approximately 4 hours after the beginning of the surgery, the patient's serum sodium concentration dropped to 109 mM. She was treated with furosemide and recovered without sequelae.
Absorption ; Anesthesia, General ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Blindness ; Brain ; Brain Edema ; Endometrium ; Female ; Furosemide ; Headache ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Hysteroscopes ; Hysteroscopy ; Nausea ; Seizures ; Sodium ; Vomiting

INTRODUCTIONThis study aimed to develop a realistic and lifelike uterine model for the training of hysteroscopy skills.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA lifelike "uterine" model was constructed using female pig bladder. The pig bladder was enclosed within a malleable mould, with both ureters blocked by pins. Both rigid and flexible hysteroscopes were used in this study.

RESULTSBasic diagnostic hysteroscopy can be performed in the usual fashion using this lifelike model. The cost of each learning station is minimal. Pig bladder accurately simulates the human uterus with its realistic tactile feel, and conditions in the surgical environment, including obscuration of vision by debris, uterine "folds", realistic "ostia", incomplete shearing of tissue, "uterine" perforation, etc.

CONCLUSIONThis low-cost novel model provides realistic tissue resistance and yields an almost anatomically accurate hysteroscopic training tool, thereby allowing trainees to effectively acquire both diagnostic and therapeutic hysteroscopic skills.

Animals ; Education, Medical, Graduate ; methods ; Female ; Gynecology ; education ; Hysteroscopes ; Hysteroscopy ; education ; instrumentation ; Models, Anatomic ; Obstetrics ; education ; Singapore ; Swine ; Urinary Bladder ; Uterus

OBJECTIVE: Approximately 15-20% of all clinically recognized pregnancies result in spontaneous abortion and 60-70% of these are attributable to detectable chromosome abnormalities. Although the incidence of first trimester losses is high, spontaneous abortion material is often poorly described from a development perspective. The purpose of this study was to determine the usefulness of transcervical embryoscopy in diagnosing localized and generalized defects in the embryonic morphogenesis of missed abortions. The embryoscopic findings are supplemented by the results of cytogenetic analysis in all cases. METHODS: In this study, consisted of 26 women with the final diagnosis of missed abortion between August 1, 2003 and October 31, 2003 in Samsung Cheil Hospital. Prior to the instrumental evacuation of the uterus a rigid hysteroscope was passed transcervically into the amniotic cavity to obtain a detail view of the embryo. Karyotyping was done in all cases included in this study. RESULTS: Visualization of embryo or early fetus was successful in 24 cases. Among 24 examined cases, 21 cases had successful karyotype and as a result 11 (11/21, 52.4%) had abnormal karyotype. Among 21 cases which had successful karyope, 4 (4/21, 19.0%) had normal external features, 10 (10/21, 47.6%) had classified as growth-disorganized and 7 (7/21, 33.3%) had either isolated or multiple defects, including facial dysplasia, delayed limb development, facial fusion to chest, umbilical cyst, brownish discoloration of ventral part and increased nuchal thickness. Of the morphologically normal and growth-disorganized embryo in embryoscopic examination, only 1 and 4 (1/4, 25.0% and 4/10, 40.0%) had a abnormal karyotype. In contrast, of the morphologically abnormal embryo in embryoscopic examination, 5 (5/7, 71.4%) had a abnormal karyotype. CONCLUSION: Transcervical embryoscopy permits visualization of the embryo in utero, unaffected by the damage usually caused by its instrumental evacuation or spontaneous passage. This technique can be a helpful tool for understanding human embryonic malformations and genetic counseling for parents. Futhermore, correlation of morphological and cytogenetic findings in spontaneous abortion specimens could provide the need of further evaluation for future pregnancies in couples which had fear of repeated abortions. But, more larger scaled controlled study is needed for widely use of transcervical embryoscopy in missed abortion.
Abnormal Karyotype ; Abortion, Missed* ; Abortion, Spontaneous ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; Cytogenetics ; Diagnosis ; Embryonic Structures ; Extremities ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Fetoscopy* ; Fetus ; Genetic Counseling ; Humans ; Hysteroscopes ; Incidence ; Karyotype ; Karyotyping ; Morphogenesis ; Parents ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Thorax ; Urachal Cyst ; Uterus