Transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy: practices in French teaching hospitals

To examine transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy (THL) practices in French tertiary care centers.

Prospective longitudinal study (Canadian Task Force classification III).

University hospital in France.

Gynecology and obstetrics departments of all 48 French teaching hospitals.

Practice of THL using a 8-item questionnaire.

Main outcome measure was practice, indications, and complications of THL in French tertiary care centers. Between October 2005 and March 2006, the departments were sent an 8-item questionnaire on the use of diagnostic and operative THL. In all, 38 (79%) hospitals completed the questionnaire. THL was or is still used in 20 (53%) departments. The main reason given by the 18 departments that never used THL was that it was "less informative than laparoscopy." Only 8 (40%) of 20 departments with experience of THL continued to use the procedure routinely. The main reason given for abandoning THL was its limited operative potential. Among the 8 departments that continued to use THL, 6 used operative THL (mainly for ovarian drilling). Among the 30 departments that answered the item on the likely future place of THL, only 6 (20%) considered that THL would continue to be performed.

Few French teaching hospitals routinely use THL. Further data on THL, and especially its cost effectiveness, are needed to clarify its place to evaluate female fertility.