AAGL 2013: In-Office Treatment of Septate Uterus with Bipolar Electrode Improves Fertility

Outpatient hysteroscopic metroplasty with bipolar electrode is an effective treatment in patients with infertility related to septate uterus, according to observations from a clinical case series presented yesterday at the 42nd Global Congress on Minimally Invasive Gynecology, held just outside of Washington, DC, in National Harbor.

Angel G. Rincon, MD, from Maternidad Santa Maria, Merida, Venezuela, and Belkys I. Chacin, MD, of the Universidad de Los Andes, Merida, Venezuela, reported on the benefits of in-office hysteroscopic metroplasty using a 5F bipolar electrode, specifically with BipoTrode, for the treatment of septate uterus in 7 women with infertility. The mean age of the women who received the treatment was 27.4 years.

Septate uterus, the most common anomaly of the mllerian duct system, is associated with the poorest reproductive outcomes of all uterine malformations. Early presenting symptoms generally involve menstrual disorders. Late presentations of the condition are obstetric complications or infertility.

Rincon reported that of the 7 hysteroscopic metroplasties performed, paracervical analgesia was required by 4 patients (57%) because of discomfort during passage through the cervical canal. Saline solution was used as distention media in all 7 procedures, the average procedure time of each was 25.6 minutes.

There were no complications during the procedure or reported during an 8-month follow-up period. Also during the 8-month follow-up period, 4 patients (57%) became pregnant and no spontaneous abortions were reported.

“These results show that use of outpatient hysteroscopy with bipolar electrode is an effective way for the treatment of patients with septate uterus,” Rincon concluded.