TOPICAL ANESTHESIA FOR DIAGNOSTIC HYSTEROSCOPY AND ENDOMETRIAL BIOPSYIN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN - A RANDOMIZED PLACEBO-CONTROLLED DOUBLE-BLIND-STUDY

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical anaesthesia i n reducing pain and incidence of vasovagal reactions during diagnostic hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy in postmenopausal women. Design Randomised placebo-controlled double-blind study. Setting University h ospital. Participants Eighty postmenopausal women undergoing diagnosti c hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy. Interventions Two millilitres o f 2% mepivacaine or saline solution were injected transcervically into the uterine cavity before performing the procedures. Main outcome mea sures Evaluation of pain reduction on a visual analogue scale and cont inuous monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure. Results The use of the anaesthetic significantly reduced the pain experienced at hystero scopy and endometrial biopsy. The occurrence of vasovagal reactions wa s significantly lower in the anaesthetised group. Conclusions Topical anaesthesia attenuated pain and effectively prevented the occurrence o f vasovagal reactions during hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy in po stmenopausal women.