Intrauterine Balloon and Postoperative Estrogen Therapy in the Prevention of Adhesion Reformation After Hysteroscopic Adhesiolysis

Randomized, Controlled Trial Comparing the Efficacy of Intrauterine Balloon and Postoperative Estrogen Therapy in the Prevention of Adhesion Reformation After Hysteroscopic Adhesiolysis

Patients who want to go TCRS will randomly divided 3 groups. In Group 1(100 patients), women received postoperative estrogen therapy. In Group 2 (100 patients), a Foley catheter with the balloon inflated with 4 ml of normal saline solution will be placed into the uterine cavity at the end of the operation for five days. In Group 3 (110 patients), women will not receive any of the treatment (comparison group). All subjects underwent two further hysteroscopy, one and three months after the initial surgery. At the second or third look hysteroscopy, the incidence of intra-uterine adhesion will be analyzed.

The uterine septum (US) is the most common congenital uterine malformation, accounting for about 75% of Mullerian anomalies. Transcervical resection of septum (TCRS) has been shown in several cohort studies to improve outcome, although evidence from prospectively conducted randomized trial is lacking. TCRS is generally considered to be safe but there is a concern that it may be complicated by post-operative formation of intrauterine adhesions. Some investigators therefore recommend the use of postoperative adjuvant therapies with a view to preventing adhesion formation, as in the case of hysteroscopic surgery for Asherman syndrome. The adjuvant measures proposed include postoperative estrogen therapy, the placement of an intrauterine device (IUD) or Foley catheter in the uterine cavity. Unlike the case of Asherman syndrome in which these various adjuvant therapies are often used and appear to be of benefit, it is uncertain if any of these adjuvant measures are of benefit or necessary in the case TCRS. In this study, the investigators will compare the postoperative adhesion formation rates who will receive Foley catheter therapies 、postoperative estrogen therapy and those who will not receive any therapies to determine the usefulness of Foley catheter therapies in reducing postoperative adhesion formation.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients who will go hysteroscopic transection of uterine septum between 2016 to 2017 at the Hysteroscopy Center, Fuxing Hospital;
• Patients willing to undergo followed hysteroscopy about 4 and 12 weeks after the surgery to assess the reformation of intrauterine adhesions;
• Written informed consent obtained.

Exclusion Criteria:

• ongoing pregnancy;
• Peroperative fever or infections;
• Malignancy;
• Precious pelvic inflammatory disease;
• Uterine fibroid (>3cm size);
• endometriosis;
• Contraindications for anesthesia;
• Not able to read and/or understand informed consent.