Hysteroscopic incision of the septate uterus: scissors versus resectoscope

Out of a total of 81 women who underwent hysteroscopic incision of symptomatic septate uteri during a 5-year period, 70 were analysed with respect to reproductive outcome. Division of the septum was performed with hysteroscopic scissors in 17 patients and by means of the resectoscope in 53. Pre-operative indications included infertility, repetitive pregnancy losses, abnormal uterine bleeding and intractable dysmenorrhoea. There were a total of 51 pregnancies after a mean period of 9.3 months following hysteroscopic metroplasty, of which 29 (56.8%) were carried to term, 12 (23.5%) were spontaneous abortions, and 10 (19.6%) are in progress. The post-treatment pregnancy success rate was 73%. The number of spontaneous abortions, pregnancies to term and mean time between surgery and conception was similar in both groups. There were three cases of perforation in the group of excision with hysteroscopic scissors and a case of pulmonary oedema in the group of the resectoscope. Although different advantages are provided by each technique, and more pregnancies were established using scissors, it seems that operator experience is a major consideration in performing these therapeutic hysteroscopic operations.