Long-term complications of office hysteroscopy: analysis of 1028 cases

Abstract

Study objective: To estimate the long-term complication rate of office hysteroscopy with the vaginoscopic approach.

Design: Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-A).

Setting: University-affiliated teaching hospital with outpatient hysteroscopy facilities.

Patients: Between January 2005 and October 2007, all consecutive patients undergoing office hysteroscopy with the vaginoscopic approach were analyzed, 1028 procedures in total.

Interventions: Therapeutic or diagnostic office hysteroscopy with the vaginoscopic approach. The complication registration of the gynecology department and a random sample of one third of the medical records were analyzed for long-term complications.

Measurements and main results: Of the 1028 hysteroscopic procedures, 622 (60%) were diagnostic, 328 (32%) were therapeutic hysteroscopic procedures, and 78 (8%) procedures failed. In the complication registration and in the medical charts, 1 significant complication could be identified.

Conclusions: Office hysteroscopy with the vaginoscopic approach is a safe procedure. This study showed an extremely low risk of long-term complications.