Women’s Health Care Resources

Hysteroscopy is a procedure done to better visualize the inside of your uterus. This can be performed to help diagnose or treat conditions related to abnormal uterine bleeding, postmenopausal bleeding or pelvic pain. This is a brief outpatient procedure done in the hospital setting under general anesthesia.

What Is Hysteroscopy?

A hysteroscopy is a procedure done to help identify problems within the uterus. An instrument called a hysteroscope (a thin, lighted, flexible tube with a camera) is put into the vagina, through the cervix and into your uterus to visualize the inside of the uterine cavity.

What to Expect During the Procedure

A hysteroscopy is often done in the operating room but can be done in the office setting in some cases. Usually general anesthesia is used for your comfort. Like a pelvic exam, a speculum is used to hold apart the vaginal walls so the cervix can be visualized. The cervix is gently opened with instruments called dilators to allow the introduction of a hysteroscope.

This allows your doctor to see the inside of your uterus to evaluate for polyps, masses, fibroids, scar tissue or other uterine abnormalities and remove them if necessary. A biopsy can also be obtained during this procedure.

Recovery After Hysteroscopy

You can go home shortly after a hysteroscopy. When general anesthesia is used, we wait until the effects of anesthesia wear off. You can expect light spotting and mild cramping after the procedure. You can usually get back to normal activities within a day or two. Your health care provider will review these details with you after the procedure.

Please call our office right away if you experience fever, chills, severe pain, or heavy vaginal bleeding.