Hysteroscopy

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Why is a hysteroscopy performed?
A hysteroscopy is performed on patients who have abnormal bleeding before and after the menopause if a scan and biopsy cannot be taken in the clinic or if the scan or biopsy suggest that further investigation or treatment is necessary.

What is a hysteroscopy?
Hysteroscopy is a minor operation when a small telescope is passed through the cervix into the womb cavity to look for thickening of the lining of the womb, polyps (like skin tags), fibroids or malignancy. It is not necessary to make incisions on your abdomen or in the vagina or cervix. Hysteroscopy may be performed without an anaesthetic or using a general anaesthetic if the cervix needs to be opened before passing the telescope.

The doctor caring for you will discuss each of these methods with you before deciding which way would be more suitable for you. At the time of the hysteroscopy, the doctor may suggest you have a biopsy taken; this is to ensure the lining of the womb is not abnormal. Once taken, the biopsy is sent to the laboratory where it will be examined to exclude or confirm a diagnosis.

What should I expect following a hysteroscopy?
If the hysteroscopy has been performed without the need for a general anaesthetic, you will be able to leave the department almost immediately afterwards and return to normal activities within 24 hours. Having the procedure performed using a general anaesthetic means that you may feel a little under the weather for a few hours, but you will be back to normal within a few days.

The telescopes used are very fine, so most people having hysteroscopy performed experience little discomfort. Mild period like pains are the common symptom reported, but these will almost always settle with pain killers such as mefenamic acid (ponstan) which the doctor will prescribe before you are discharged from the hospital.

If a biopsy is taken, you will have some minor bleeding for a few days following the procedure. This should be light and not like a period.

Rarely, a mild infection can occur and this would be suggested by vaginal discharge or constant pain in the lower abdomen. If this is the case you may need treatment with antibiotic.