TOPICAL ANESTHESIA FOR HYSTEROSCOPY IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Study Objective. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical anesth esia in reducing pain and the frequency of vasovagal reactions during diagnostic hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy in postmenopausal wome n. Design. Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Setting . A university hospital. Patients. Forty-two postmenopausal women unde rgoing diagnostic hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy. Interventions. Two milliliters of 2% mepivacaine or saline solution was injected tran scervically into the uterine cavity before performing the procedures. Measurements and Main Results. Pain was evaluated on a visual analog s cale, and heart rate and blood pressure were monitored continuously. A nesthesia reduced the pain experienced at hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy, but not significantly The frequency of vasovagal reactions wa s significantly lower in the anesthetized group. Conclusions. Topical anesthesia effectively prevents the occurrence of vasovagal reactions in postmenopausal women undergoing hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy .