Skip to main content A very thin telescope that is passed through the cervix, and can look inside the uterus without the need for any cuts.
A hysteroscopy is a procedure that examines the inside of the uterus. This is done with a very thin telescope that is passed through the cervix and there is no need for any cut to be made.
A hysteroscopy can be performed in the outpatient department at your hospital, in medical rooms, or as a day procedure in a hospital under a general or local anaesthetic. A hysteroscopy may be used to both diagnose and treat issues related to the lining or muscle of the uterus.
This might include:
- diagnosing and treating abnormal uterine bleeding such as suspected polyps or fibroids
- infertility
- the treatment of scar tissue in the uterus
- problems with the development of the uterus
It is important to note that a hysteroscopy will not diagnose or treat endometriosis, since it only looks at the inside of the uterus. It may be done in addition to another surgery if there is a problem with heavy menstrual bleeding or infertility. The procedure is quite short and has a low risk of complication. Hysteroscopy is increasingly offered as an outpatient procedure in Australia when done as a single procedure. When a hysteroscopy is being done in people with suspected endometriosis, it will often be combined with a laparoscopy and treatment will be done in a hospital under anaesthetic. You can watch this video that will take you through the process of a hysteroscopy.
The most common location for endometriosis to occur is on the lining of the pelvic area called the peritoneum. Lesions of endometriosis can be small or large and may be in various colours. They can occur on or in the ovaries, around the tube and can sometimes invade into other tissues. Most commonly this is the bowel, but also the bladder and ureter (the tube from the kidneys to the bladder) in the pelvis. Outside of the pelvis, the appendix is the most common area affected and the upper abdomen can also be affected where the diaphragm is. The diaphragm is the large muscle that separates the abdomen and the chest. A laparoscopy is needed to diagnose and treat endometriosis in these areas.