Hysteroscopy: Understanding This Flexible Diagnostic and Treatment Procedure

Pelvic pain and abnormal bleeding might lead you to wonder what’s going on inside your uterus. Thanks to hysteroscopy, a minimally invasive procedure, you can find out without surgery. 

Hysteroscopy doesn’t just help gynecologists diagnose conditions they can’t see from the outside. The procedure can also assist in treatment. It’s an outpatient procedure, meaning you can go home the same day. 

Compassionate obstetrician and gynecologist Asia Mohsin, MD, uses hysteroscopy to diagnose and treat simple and complex women’s health conditions at Progressive Women’s Health OB/GYN in Friendswood, Texas.

Here, we review the basics of hysteroscopy as an OB/GYN tool for diagnosis and treatment. 

How hysteroscopy works

Hysteroscopy uses an instrument called a hysteroscope to enter and view the inside of your uterus; it can also help Dr. Mohsin see your cervix up close. The hysteroscope is a thin tube with a light on the end that enters the uterus through your vaginal opening. 

To make sure the procedure feels comfortable, Dr. Mohsin might offer you anesthesia or a sedative beforehand. 

The rest is similar to a pelvic exam: You lie on an exam table as Dr. Mohsin inserts the hysteroscope. She sends a liquid solution through the hysteroscope into your uterus to expand it and clear out blood and mucus. 

She then can examine your reproductive system for abnormalities. 

What a hysteroscopy can diagnose

Dr. Mohsin might recommend a diagnostic hysteroscopy if you experience symptoms with an unknown cause, like abnormal bleeding, repeated miscarriages, an abnormal Pap smear, or pelvic pain. 

Hysteroscopy can help diagnose:

• Polyps
• Fibroids
• Adhesions
• Infertility causes

Hysteroscopy can also help Dr. Mohsin locate your intrauterine device (IUD) if it isn’t detectable during a pelvic exam. 

While viewing the tissues alone might help with diagnosis, hysteroscopy can also help Dr. Mohsin perform an endometrial biopsy. That’s a collection of tissue from your uterus that she can examine closely in a lab setting for diagnostic purposes. 

Treatment with hysteroscopy

In some cases, Dr. Mohsin treats conditions right away during your hysteroscopy. Otherwise, she might schedule a second hysteroscopy at a later date. 

Dr. Mohsin can remove growths such as polyps or fibroids using small surgical tools inserted through the hysteroscope tube. A hysteroscopy can also help remove the uterine lining or a displaced IUD. 

The best time to get a hysteroscopy

Typically, the best time for hysteroscopy is immediately after your period. Since the lining of the uterus has just been shed, this occasion gives Dr. Mohsin the clearest view of the inside. 

If you have irregular periods, timing your hysteroscopy can be challenging. Dr. Mohsin works with you to determine the best time to schedule your procedure. 

You shouldn’t get a hysteroscopy for any purpose while you’re pregnant. 

Get in touch

If you have any gynecologic concerns, talk to Dr. Mohsin. Call Progressive Women’s Health OB/GYN today or request an appointment online.