Six thousand office diagnostic-operative hysteroscopies

Objective: To compare CO2 and normal saline as distention media in office d iagnostic hysteroscopy. Methods: The outcome of more than 6000 office hyste roscopies was analyzed. We used carbon dioxide or saline as distension medi um. Minor hysteroscopic techniques were performed when indicated. Results: The major indication was abnormal uterine bleeding (45%). Satisfactory hyst eroscopy was achieved in 92.4% with CO2 and in 98.3% with saline (P < 0.05) . Local anesthesia was used in 54 patients (1.5%) with CO2 and in three pat ients (0.1%) with saline (P < 0.001). Four hundred and two women (16.3%) un derwent hysteroscopic procedures under saline hysteroscopy. Endometrial pol yps were removed in 281 patients, 75 IUDs were removed, 14 fibroids were ex tracted, uterine septa were excised in 11 cases and mild and moderate adhes ions were transected in 21 patients. Conclusion: Saline office diagnostic h ysteroscopy offers at least all the advantages of the CO2 hysteroscopy, and gives the possibility to easily 'find and treat in situ' many of the lesio ns observed. (C) 2000 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics . All rights reserved.