Hysteroscopy: where did we start, and where are we now? The compelling story of what many considered the "Cinderella" of gynecological endoscopy.

Hysteroscopy has truly revolutionized the field of diagnostic and operative gynecology. It is presently regarded as the gold standard method for both the diagnosis and treatment of intrauterine diseases and it has fundamentally altered the way gynecologists treat patients with such conditions. These pathologies can now be diagnosed and treated in an outpatient setting, thanks to technological advancements and instrument downsizing. Two hundred years of development and notable innovation are now reflected in the present hysteroscopic practice. This review attempts to trace the boundaries-pushing history of hysteroscopy by highlighting the advancements in technology and the therapeutic and diagnostic benefits offered by this groundbreaking approach.

Endometrial biopsy: Indications, techniques and recommendations. An evidence-based guideline for clinical practice.

This practice guideline provides updated evidence for the gynecologist who performs endometrial biopsy (EB) in gynecologic clinical practice. An international committee of gynecology experts developed the recommendations according to AGREE Reporting Guideline. An adequate tissue sampling is mandatory when performing an EB. Blind methods should not be first choice in patients with suspected endometrial malignancy. Hysteroscopy is the targeted-biopsy method with highest diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness. Blind suction techniques are not reliable for the diagnosis of endometrial polyps. In low resources settings, and in absence of the capacity to perform office hysteroscopy, blind techniques could be used for EB. Hysteroscopic punch biopsy allows to collect only limited amount of endometrial tissue. grasp biopsy technique should be considered first choice in reproductive aged women, bipolar electrode chip biopsy should be preferred with hypotrophic or atrophic endometrium. EB is required for the final diagnosis of chronic endometritis. There is no consensus regarding which endometrial thickness cut-off should be used for recommending EB in asymptomatic postmenopausal women. EB should be offered to young women with abnormal uterine bleeding and risk factors for endometrial carcinoma. Endometrial pathology should be excluded with EB in nonobese women with unopposed hyperestrogenism. Hysteroscopy with EB is useful in patients with abnormal bleeding even without sonographic evidence of pathology. EB has high sensitivity for detecting intrauterine pathologies. In postmenopausal women with uterine bleeding, EB is recommended. Women with sonographic endometrial thickness > 4 mm using tamoxifen should undergo hysteroscopic EB.

Quality of Life, Anxiety and Depression in Women Treated with Hysteroscopic Endometrial Resection or Ablation for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background and Objectives: Hysteroscopic endometrial resection (ER) or global endometrial ablation (GEA) are feasible methods to treat heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was to assess patient's quality of life (QoL) in women treated with ER/GEA compared to hysterectomy. Materials and Methods: Electronic searches in MEDLINE Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov, EMBASE, PROSPERO and Cochrane CENTRAL were conducted from their inception to July 2022. Inclusion criteria were RCTs of premenopausal women with HMB randomized to conservative surgical treatment (ER/GEA) or hysterectomy. The primary outcome was the evaluation of QoL using the SF-36 score. Results: Twelve RCTs (2773 women) were included in the analysis. Women treated with hysteroscopic ER/GEA showed significantly lower scores for the SF-36 general health perception (mean difference (MD) -8.56 [95% CI -11.75 to -5.36]; I2 = 0%), social function (MD -12.90 [95% CI -23.90 to -1.68]; I2 = 91%), emotional role limitation (MD -4.64 [95% CI -8.43 to -0.85]; I2 = 0%) and vitality (MD -8.01 [95% CI -14.73 to -1.30]; I2 = 74%) domains relative to hysterectomy. Anxiety, depression scores and complication rates were similar between treatments. Relative to uterine balloon therapy, amenorrhea was more common with EA/GER (relative risk 1.51 [95% CI 1.03 to 1.20] I2 = 28%), but posttreatment satisfaction was similar. Conclusions: Women's perception of QoL might be seen to be less improved after hysteroscopic ER/GEA rather than hysterectomy. However, such findings need to be confirmed by additional trials due to the high number of outdated studies and recent improvements in hysteroscopic instrumentation and techniques.

Uterine Septum with or without Hysteroscopic Metroplasty: Impact on Fertility and Obstetrical Outcomes-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Research.

Objective: we performed a systematic review/meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of septate uterus and hysteroscopic metroplasty on pregnancy rate-(PR), live birth rate-(LBR), spontaneous abortion-(SA) and preterm labor (PL) in infertile/recurrent miscarriage-(RM) patients. Data sources: a literature search of relevant papers was conducted using electronic bibliographic databases (Medline, Scopus, Embase, Science direct). Study eligibility criteria: we included in this meta-analysis all types of observational studies that evaluated the clinical impact of the uterine septum and its resection (hysteroscopic metroplasty) on reproductive and obstetrics outcomes. The population included were patients with a diagnosis of infertility or recurrent pregnancy loss. Study appraisal and synthesis methods: outcomes were evaluated according to three subgroups: (i) Women with untreated uterine septum versus women without septum (controls); (ii) Women with treated uterine septum versus women with untreated septum (controls); (iii) Women before and after septum removal. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the outcome measures. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Subgroup analysis was performed according to the depth of the septum. Sources of heterogeneity were explored by meta-regression analysis according to specific features: assisted reproductive technology/spontaneous conception, study design and quality of papers included Results: data from 38 studies were extracted. (i) septum versus no septum: a lower PR and LBR were associated with septate uterus vs. controls (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.27−0.76; p < 0.0001; and OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.12−0.39; p < 0.0001); a higher proportion of SA and PL was associated with septate uterus vs. controls (OR 4.29, 95% CI 2.90−6.36; p < 0.0001; OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.52−4.31; p = 0.0004). (ii) treated versus untreated septum: PR and PL were not different in removed vs. unremoved septum(OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.49−2.49; p = 0.82 and OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.35−1.86; p = 0.62); a lower proportion of SA was associated with removed vs. unremoved septum (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.21−1.04; p = 0.001); (iii) before-after septum removal: the proportion of LBR was higher after the removal of septum (OR 49.58, 95% CI 29.93−82.13; p < 0.0001) and the proportion of SA and PL was lower after the removal of the septum (OR 0.02, 95% CI 0.02−0.04; p < 0.000 and OR 0.05, 95% CI 0.03−0.08; p < 0.0001) Conclusions: the results show the detrimental effect of the uterine septum on PR, LBR, SA and PL. Its treatment reduces the rate of SA.

Distension media delivery systems in hysteroscopy: past, present and future.

To examine the uterine cavity and/or to perform hysteroscopic surgery, one has to access the uterine cavity through the cervix, distend the cavity with a fluid (liquid or gas) to visualize it with a telescope and/or a camera system and use energy (mechanical or thermal) to affect and/or remove tissue. Distension of the uterine cavity then is an important component of hysteroscopy, and during the last century, numerous attempts have been made to achieve an undistorted and unobstructed panoramic view of the uterine cavity. In order to achieve this goal, the uterine cavity has been distended with fluids using a variety of techniques, including gravity-assisted systems, pressure cuffed systems, and electronic pumps. Excessive fluid intravasation during hysteroscopy can lead to significant complications, and hence, automated fluid delivery systems have been developed recently to provide a safe and more efficient method of fluid delivery. This review aims to describe the evolution of distension media delivery systems chronologically from the 1900s to the present day.

Reproductive outcomes of infertile women undergoing "see and treat" office hysteroscopy: a retrospective observational study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess the feasibility and efficacy of office hysteroscopy to diagnose and treat the specific uterine pathologies frequently diagnosed and thought to be associated with female infertility. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using office hysteroscopy, we examined the uterine cavity in women with primary or secondary infertility and evaluated the reproductive outcomes of those affected by one or more pathologies, including cervico-isthmic adhesions, intrauterine polyps and intrauterine adhesions. Additional patient characteristics considered were age and parity, uterine pathology, pain during hysteroscopy, and outcomes including spontaneous pregnancies achieved and time between treatment and pregnancy. RESULTS: Reproductive outcomes of 200 patients affected by one or more uterine pathologies were evaluated. Cervico-isthmic adhesions were the most frequent findings in older women, with nearly 80% of them achieving pregnancy sooner than the others in our study. Spontaneous pregnancy rates following office hysteroscopy were 76%, 53% and 22% in women with cervico-isthmic adhesions, polyps (< 5 mm) and intrauterine adhesions, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Office hysteroscopy is a feasible and highly effective diagnostic and therapeutic procedure for cervico-isthmic and intrauterine adhesions, as well as for small polyps, allowing the resolution of female infertility related to these pathologies, without trauma and with only minimal discomfort.