Suffering from fibroids? Choose office hysteroscopy

There is some respite for women suffering from painful fibroids or tumours in the uterus, but may be wary of going through hospitalisation for a hysteroscopy.

There is some respite for women suffering from painful fibroids or tumours in the uterus, but may be wary of going through hospitalisation for a hysteroscopy.

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Office hysteroscopy, a procedure that is picking pace in the city, is being done on an out patient basis. This means patients can go back home soon after the procedure is completed.

A hysteroscopy is an examination of the uterus, which usually requires hospitalisation overnight with the patient under anaesthesia throughout the procedure. But his can be avoided with the new technology in place for office hysteroscopy.

“The scope used for the office hysteroscopy procedure is 3-4 mm thin that can enter the uterus through the vagina without stretching it. We don’t need to dilate the cervix,” said

Dr Rishma Pai, one of the few gynaecologists in the city who performs the procedure. “It’s a painless procedure and the patient can avoid the risk of complications due to anaesthesia. From the patient’s point of view, office hysteroscopy is the way to go.”

Though the initial investment for the doctor is high, the procedure can be provided to patients at a cost similar to that of an inpatient hysteroscopy.

But unlike the patient, this procedure may not be as attractive to the doctor. “The doctors require to be highly skilled and the equipment costs are high,” said Dr Hrishikesh Pai, gynaecologist attached to the Lilavati Hospital, Bandra.

Little wonder then only 15 doctors in the city perform the procedure. The cost of the equipment, which is very delicate, is almost Rs 10 lakh and requires a maintenance cost of Rs 1 lakh every year.