Hysteroscopic treatment of intrauterine lesions in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

STUDY

OBJECTIVE

To compare the safety and efficacy of hysteroscopic surgery in the management of intrauterine lesions in premenopausal and postmenopausal women and, in particular, to investigate whether glycine absorption is different between these populations.

DESIGN

Comparative study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

SETTING

Tertiary care university hospital.

PATIENTS: Thirty postmenopausal and 78 premenopausal women with intrauterine polyps or myomas.

INTERVENTION: Hysteroscopic myomectomy or polypectomy.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

RESULTS

One hundred eight procedures were completed successfully by hysteroscopy; in two cases myomectomy was completed in a second operation for a deeply embedded myoma. No major complications occurred in either group. Median operating time, mean glycine absorption, and median postoperative hospital stay were not significantly different between groups. During mean follow-up of 15 months (range 1-39 mo), four women underwent hysterectomy (1 for endometrial cancer, 1 for complex hyperplasia with atypia, 2 for pelvic pain and menorrhagia).

CONCLUSION

Hysteroscopic surgery is an effective and safe therapeutic option for intrauterine lesions regardless of a woman's menopausal status.