A hysteroscopy is a procedure used to examine the inside of the uterus (womb). It’s carried out using a hysteroscope, which is a narrow tube with a telescope at the end. Images are sent to a computer in order to get a close-up of the womb.
A Hysteroscopy is a procedure used to examine the inside of a uterus by way of a microscope. Until recently, it was necessary for this examination to be done under general anaesthesia in hospital, as it was a painful process involving dilation of the cervix and a scope 6-7mm in size.
However, with new developments in fibre optics and advancements in creating smaller cameras, a hysteroscope of 1.9 mm diameter has been developed (the Versa Scope), and more recently this has been upgraded to the AlphaScope.
Here at The Gynae Centre, we are proud to announce the introduction of the AlphaScope into our surgery facilities. This allows for a better examination of the uterus without the need for anaesthesia and with only minimal sedation.
Why would I need a Hysteroscopy?
A Hysteroscopy may be required for various reasons.
The procedure is usually performed as day procedure without the need of a speculum. Preoperative sedation by simple analgesics 1-2 hours beforehand is typically sufficient, the procedure takes 15-30 min to complete, and patients are usually discharged after one hour.
With a Diagnostic Hysteroscopy, some women might experience period like cramps for 1-2 days, but usually there is very little discomfort. However, more demanding operative procedures such as the removal of fibroids may cause bleeding and pain for between 3-5 days.
