Yves R.M. Van Belle, MD

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Articles

OBGYN.net Conference CoverageFrom the 5th Meeting of the European Society of Gynecologic Endoscopy Stockholm Sweden June, 1999

Hysteroscopy

Interview in German

OBGYN.net Conference CoverageFrom ISGE 2001 Congress - Chicago, Illinois, 2001

Douleurs abdominales basses chez l'adolescente

AAGL 29th Annual Meeting - Orlando, FL - November, 2000

A Standard Atlas on Gynecological Endoscopy

:  “We’re       talking today with Dr. Yves Van Belle who is world famous for his work in       the field of hysteroscopy.  He’s       a Board Member of the International Society of Gynecological Endoscopy,       and he’s working at St. John’s Hospital in Brussels.        Yves, it is a real pleasure talking to you.”

:  “I       know that you’ve worked about 20 years performing ambulatory       hysteroscopic diagnostic procedures and also surgical procedures so it was       time for you, I think, to make a complete overview of what is possible in       the field of hysteroscopy today.  You didn’t do that by editing a book but by editing a       CD-ROM, and the aim of that was to show people or to teach people       hysteroscopy with multimedia.  I       saw the video and I was very impressed that about 40 worldwide famous       collaborators worked on the book.  You       had about 700 pictures in it and about half an hour of videos so let’s       go over the book quickly together.  You       talk about the basics, about the indications for hysteroscopy, the       diagnosis, the therapy possibilities, and a very interesting final chapter       on self-evaluation with questions and answers to       know exactly what we know about hysteroscopy.        So let’s talk about basics.”

:  “I       would like to say first to what you said, I always thought the teaching in       hysteroscopy was extremely important and that in these modern times we       have to use the multimedia.  That is the reason why we developed this CD-ROM, and as you       said before with the contribution of more than international contributors       who were rightly called by Dr. Indman, the international who’s who in       hysteroscopy.  I think it’s       important to say that because that means that we have a comprehensive work       that shows not only the ideas of one author but it gives an overview.        In the same way we wanted this work to be as comprehensive as       possible, and that’s the reason why we started with the basics.        Although for a lot of people it could be rather boring, we think       it’s important that you have your basics because in all the operative       time we tend to forget those basics and that brings a lot of problems       along.  So the basics go over       equipment, imaging, high-frequency currents, and over the technique of       hysteroscopy of course.” 

:  “What       do you think is the advantage of a CD-ROM compared with a book in       teaching?” 

:  “It       has a lot of advantages in that it can be used as well for teaching other       people than for self-teaching.  You       can go through this CD-ROM at your own level and on your own time and       search for those topics that are of interest to you.        It’s clear that the novice who is starting with hysteroscopy will       take another path than the experienced gynecologist.        It also has a lot of features which are not specifically for this       CD-ROM but which are in general that you can go very easily back and       forward without having to go through pages and pages as you have to do in       a textbook.”

:  “Let’s       go back to the contents of your CD-ROM now.        In the next chapter, you give an overview of the indications for       hysteroscopic treatments.  Would       you give us some details about that?”

:  “Yes,       once again, we tried to be as comprehensive as possible.        We’re starting of course with abnormal uterine bleeding which       every gynecologist knows is a very frequent indication but also going over       items like suspicion of lesions indicated by other techniques such as       ultrasound or whatsoever.  We’re       trying each and every time to say what hysteroscopy could possibly bring       more of.  It’s not our aim       to say that hysteroscopy should be the only technique or is the only       technique that brings some information, just to show what it can bring       more of.  That goes for       infertility, embryoscopy, and also for oncology of course.“

:  “A       very important chapter to me it seems is the possibilities and also the       limits of hysteroscopy.  I       think you should stress this very clearly to us.”

:  “The       first thing we say about diagnosis in the chapter of diagnosis is actually       that, once again, it’s not the only examination but it is an examination       as all the others that has its possibilities and its limits, and to one       starting with hysteroscopy and also those performing hysteroscopy have to       be very careful not to forget that it has possibilities but also its       limits, and that goes for as well the congenital as the acquired       pathology.”

:  “So       what are the limits of hysteroscopy?”

:  “For       instance, there is a very important part about diagnostic of the       endometrium because the endometrium is the thing that we can examine the       best during hysteroscopy.  There, for instance, we are warning that you should not       confuse histology with hysteroscopy and that is one of the limits of       hysteroscopy.  Another limit,       of course, is that up till now hysteroscopy doesn’t give any information       about pathologies inside the uterine wall, I’m thinking about       adenomyosis, intrauterine myomas, intramural myomas, and also talking       about the grade of invasion of adenocarcinoma inside the uterine walls so       that’s a few examples of the limits of hysteroscopy.”

:  “The       next chapter is on therapy.”

:  “Yes,       specifically regarding the therapy, we always kept in mind that this was       to be a teaching instrument.  If       I might give you the example of a myoma resection, this operation has been       divided; it has been split up in very small parts just to show the one who       is learning to perform this operation what the difficulties are, what the       specific features of each and every step of the operation are, and also       warning once again for the risks and giving possibilities to avoid       complications.”

:  “The       last chapter is the self-evaluation of our knowledge on hysteroscopy.        I’ve never seen that before.        What was the reason for you to do that?”

:  “The       reason we did it is, one, we never saw it before and, secondly, because we       thought it could be wise to judge afterwards for yourself what you picked       up and what you already know.  So       you could do this self-evaluation model before reading the CD-ROM and then       once again after the CD-ROM just to see if there is any progression.        You can do it for yourself or you can do it for your students.”

:  “I       also saw that you gave in your CD-ROM the possibility to add to your       personal notes and that is also very special.”

:  “This       is for me one of the most important things that each and everyone can       notice on this hard disk - what he thinks about certain images and what he       wants to rethink from a certain chapter.”

:  “This       CD-ROM contains a lot of information.        If you would compare it with the information in a book, how many       pages would you need for a hard copy?”

:  “It       would almost be an encyclopedia.”

:  “I       don’t have any correct figures but it has been figured out that it would       be an encyclopedia.”

:  “Is       it exaggerated to say that this is the bible of hysteroscopy?”

:  “That       is actually what Professor Lindermann called it, a digital bible of       hysteroscopy.  There’s       something more I want to add to it before we forget it which I think is       very important, in the CD there is also a separated index for the nurses       because we are going out from the idea that endoscopy is team work and you       cannot perform and have good results without having a motivated and       well-informed team of nurses around you so that’s the reason why this       CD-ROM contains a specific index for the nurses.”

:  “It’s       always very interesting for our readers to know where they can buy this       CD-ROM and what is the cost of it?”

:  “Actually,       as I said before, we tried to be comprehensive and we tried not to be       dependent on one or another company but actually it is at this moment the       Olympus Company who is distributing it.”

:  “It       is for sale but through the Olympus Company.        Regarding the price, I won’t say anything because from the       beginning I always separated the scientific and medical part of it with,       let’s say, the marketing part of it so people who want to have this       CD-ROM just contact their local Olympus dealer.”

:  “My       final question is just a remark on my own experience, you know that I’m       a reproductive endocrinologist and specialized in vitro fertilization.        In my country where I’m working, we see that hysteroscopy is       still not performed by that many doctors.        Why is that?  It’s a       simple and cheap technique, and it sometimes brings an enormous amount of       information.  Why is it that not that many people are performing       hysteroscopists?”

:  “I       don’t agree with you that it’s always been a simple technique, it was       difficult at the beginning.  It       has to do with the uterus itself; we have problems of distention which       urologists don’t have because the bladder is easy to distend so that’s       the first historical reason why it didn’t advance that much.        On the other hand, right now there has to be a supplementary       investment for the one who wants to do hysteroscopy, which in these times       could also be a major problem.  I       think the third point was that there was actually a lack of information       and a lack of education in hysteroscopy, and that’s the reason why we       hope that with this product we could help a little bit.”

:  “I       hope that your CD-ROM will be a contribution in the fact that in the       future more and more gynecologists will be actively performing       hysteroscopy.  Thank you very       much, Yves.”

*To order a copy       of Dr. Van Belle's "Modern Clinical Technical Hysteroscopy"       (catalog#CD-MCTH) contact Olympus America Inc. Surgical Products Division       1-800-548-5515 or email 

        America Inc.
       Surgical Products Division
       1-800-548-5515