Hysteroscopic diagnosis of uterine intracavitary disorders.

The fundamental role of hysteroscopy in the diagnosis of intracavitary disorders in gynecology and in particular in female sterility and infertility, is stressed. The outcomes of a 12-year experience with hysteroscopy, are reported. Its indications, contraindications and side-effects in a group of 7327 patients undergoing hysteroscopy, are discussed. In this patient population, sterility and infertility were the second most common indication for hysteroscopy after abnormal uterine bleeding. The role of malformations such as uterus septus and subseptus, inflammation with hysteroscopic findings of uterine synechiae and focal lesions as polyps and myomas was examined. Particular attention was paid to the study of tubal ostia and endometrial morphology in relation to the phase of menstrual cycle. In a smaller group of infertile patients, hysteroscopy was compared with hysterosalpingography, stressing the sensitivity and specificity of the latter as compared to the former.