A randomized prospective comparative study of general versus epidural anesthesia for transcervical hysteroscopic endometrial resection

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to compare general versus epidural ane sthesia during hysteroscopic endometrial resection for dysfunctional uterin e bleeding. STUDY DESIGN: In a prospective comparative study, 24 women with abnormal ut erine bleeding that was unresponsive to conservative medical management wer e randomly assigned to undergo hysteroscopic endometrial resection with eit her general or epidural anesthesia. RESULTS: The durations of the endometrial resection procedure were similar for women who had general and epidural anesthesia (28.3 +/- 4.2 minutes vs 27.5 +/- 5.4 minutes, respectively). However, there was a statistically sig nificantly lower absorption of distention fluid in women who underwent the procedure with general rather than epidural anesthesia (380.8 +/- 158.2 mL vs 648.3 +/- 157.1 mL, respectively; P<.0005). CONCLUSION: A significantly lower amount of glycine distention fluid was ab sorbed during endometrial resection in women who underwent the procedure wi th general rather than epidural anesthesia.