A new system to classify submucous myomas: a Brazilian multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate 2 different predicting scores of submucous myoma removal, fluid balance, and operative time in woman undergoing hysteroscopic myomectomy. DESIGN: A multicenter and prospective study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: Six hysteroscopy centers in Brazil. PATIENTS: A total of 191 women who underwent hysteroscopic resection of 205 submucous myomas. INTERVENTION: Resection of submucous myomas (hysteroscopic myomectomy). Myomas were scored according to the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE) and STEPW (size, topography, extension, penetration, and wall) classifications. The validation of the 2 classifications was assessed with sensitivity and specificity of each classification, with their best cutoff point. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: To correlate ESGE and STEPW classifications with complete or incomplete removal of submucous myoma, length of surgery, surgical complications, and fluid balance. RESULTS: Removal of the myoma was complete in 190 (92.7%) of 205 myomectomies, and incomplete in 15 (7.3%). All 140 (100%) of 140 myomas with a score ≤ 4 in the STEPW classification were completely removed, and 50 (76.9%) of 65 myomas with a score >4 were removed. All 15 (100%) cases of incomplete hysteroscopic myomectomy had a STEPW score >4. With the ESGE classification, 156/164 (95.1%) cases of type 0 and type 1 myomas, and 34/41 (82.9%) of type 2 were completely resected. STEPW scores >4 were statistically associated with longer duration of surgery, surgical complications, higher levels of fluid balance, and use of gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue if compared with lower scores. The ESGE scores were not associated with any of these variables. CONCLUSION: Classifying submucous myomas with the STEPW classification allows better prediction of myoma removal, fluid balance, length of surgery and surgical complications in hysteroscopic myomectomy than ESGE classification.

[Hysteroscopic evaluation in patients with infertility]. / Avaliação histeroscópica em pacientes com infertilidade.

PURPOSE: to describe hysteroscopy findings in infertile patients. METHODS: this was a retrospective series of 953 patients with diagnosis of infertility evaluated by hysteroscopy. A total of 957 patients investigated for infertility were subjected to hysteroscopy, preferentially during the first phase of the menstrual cycle. When necessary, directed biopsies (under direct visualization during the exam) or guided biopsies were obtained using a Novak curette after defining the site to be biopsied during the hysteroscopic examination. Outcome frequencies were determined as percentages, and the χ2 test was used for the correlations. The statistical software EpiInfo 2000 (CDC) was used for data analysis. RESULTS: a normal uterine cavity was detected in 436 cases (45.8%). This was the most frequent diagnosis for women with primary infertility and for women with one or no abortion (p<0.05). Abnormal findings were obtained in 517 of 953 cases (54.2%), including intrauterine synechiae in 185 patients (19.4%), endometrial polyps in 115 (12.1%), endocervical polyps in 66 (6.0%), submucosal myomas in 47 (4.9%), endometrial hyperplasia in 39 (4.1%), adenomyosis in five (0.5%), endometritis (with histopathological confirmation) in four (0.4%), endometrial bone metaplasia in two (0.4%), and cancer of the endometrium in one case (0.1%). Morphological and functional changes of the uterus were detected in 5.6% of the cases, including uterine malformations in 32 (3.4%) and isthmus-cervical incompetence in 21 (2.2%). CONCLUSIONS: intrauterine synechiae were the most frequent abnormal findings in patients evaluated for infertility. Patients with a history of abortion and infertility should be submitted to hysteroscopy in order to rule out intrauterine synechiae as a possible cause of infertility.

Prevalence of hysteroscopic findings and histologic diagnoses in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of hysteroscopic findings and histologic diagnoses in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). DESIGN: Retrospective series of consecutive patients. SETTING: Tertiary care university hospital and private office. PATIENT(S): Four thousand fifty-four hysteroscopies with biopsy in patients with AUB evaluated between June 1993 and December 2004. INTERVENTION(S): Hysteroscopies were performed using 2.9-mm or 4-mm telescopes with CO(2) or saline as the distension media. Biopsies were done with a 5-mm grasper or with a Novak's curette. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Prevalence of hysteroscopic findings and histologic analysis of biopsies. RESULT(S): Endometrial polyp was the most frequent hysteroscopic finding, accounting for 1,374 (33.9%) cases. Normal uterine cavity and cervical canal were found in 814 (20.1%) patients. Submucous fibroids were diagnosed in 302 (7.5%) women. Normal endometrium was the most frequent histologic diagnosis, accounting for 1,888 (46.6%) cases. Endometrial polyp was found in 1,115 (27.5%) patients. Endometrial hyperplasia was diagnosed in 613 (15.1%) and endometrial cancer in 105 (2.6%) women. CONCLUSION(S): Endometrial polyps are the most frequent hysteroscopic findings in patients with AUB, whereas normal endometrium is the most frequent histologic diagnosis.