Hysteroscopy: Procedure, Cost, and Recovery

Hysteroscopy is a surgical procedure that helps surgeons to look inside the uterine and endometrial cavity and diagnose abnormalities causing severe complications. Hysteroscopy is used to know the potential reasons for prolonged periods, pelvic pain, postmenopausal bleeding, fibroids, polyps, vaginal bleeding, and other related conditions.

Types of hysteroscopy:

There are two types of hysteroscopy. One is called diagnostic and the other is called operative. As the name suggests, diagnostic hysteroscopy helps in the diagnosis and evaluation of complications in the uterus and surrounding organs. 

Depending upon the findings of diagnostic hysteroscopy, you may have to undergo operative hysteroscopy. Operative hysteroscopy is used to remove fibroids, adhesions, and polyps, and to treat several related issues.

The procedure of hysteroscopy:

Hysteroscopy involves the usage of a hysteroscope. A hysteroscope is a thin tube like a telescope that has a light and camera at its end. Hysteroscope is inserted inside your vagina and is moved to the uterus.

The hysteroscope then transmits the images of the uterus and surrounding organs back to a screen. Other surgical instruments are also used in this procedure. The images then help the doctor to detect any abnormalities and identify the reasons for uterine complications.

Hysteroscopy is performed in the following way:

• Your doctor will put you on local or general anesthesia before the procedure. In most cases, doctors give a sedative before giving anesthesia so that you may feel relaxed.
• The first step in hysteroscopy is the dilation of the cervix. Your doctor will widen the cervix so that the hysteroscope can be inserted easily.
• Hysteroscope is gently inserted in the vagina moving to the cervix.
• To clear the blood and mucus in the cervical region, a saline liquid solution or carbon dioxide gas is inserted into the cervix.
• Using the light of the hysteroscope, your doctor examines the inside of the uterus and surrounding organs. This helps him in locating the real issue.
• The doctor then decides whether to perform the operative hysteroscopy or not.

The time for this procedure varies as in some cases, it’s only the diagnosis while in others, surgery needs to be performed. It can take as short as 5-10 minutes to more than an hour in some cases. In some cases, laparoscopy is also performed in addition to hysteroscopy.

Cost of hysteroscopy:

The cost of hysteroscopy primarily depends upon the extent of the procedure you will undergo. The more the procedure is extensive, the higher the cost is and vice versa. Normally, hysteroscopy costs you around 700$-4000$. Diagnostic hysteroscopy costs are different than operative hysteroscopy.

In cases where the procedure is the length and also requires some other procedures, cost also goes up. And then there are charges for your stay at the hospital and care too. So, keep that in mind. Generally, diagnostic hysteroscopy costs lesser than operative hysteroscopy.

Recovery after hysteroscopy:

Hysteroscopy is safe but some patients might face some complications after the procedure. These include:

• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Bleeding
• General body weakness
• Cramps

In most cases, the patients are discharged immediately after the procedure. You can take food and water as per routine. If your doctor put you under general anesthesia, you might have to stay in the hospital/clinic for a few hours so that the effects of anesthesia are completely diminished.

If you have a history of reactions to anesthesia, you might have to stay in the hospital for a day or two. If you complain about pain, your doctor might recommend you some medicines to lessen the pain and speed up the recovery process. Follow the doctor’s guidelines and you’ll recover within weeks.