Outpatient Hysteroscopy and Post Menopausal Bleeding Service

Outpatient Hysteroscopy and Post Menopausal Bleeding Service image

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For many women, it is possible to have minor procedures and investigations in an outpatient clinic setting while you are awake. The benefits of this include convenience, quicker recovery time at home and avoiding the need for a general anaesthetic (fully asleep) and the anxiety that a theatre admission can sometimes cause.  Outpatient hysteroscopy can be carried out this way.

Hysteroscopy Medical Drawing of female anatomy. Hysteroscopy is a procedure that enables an internal examination of the uterus (womb) with a telescopic camera. 

Hysteroscopy is a procedure that enables an internal examination of the uterus (womb) with a telescopic camera.  This is used to investigate abnormal bleeding, such as heavy menstrual bleeding, bleeding between periods and post-menopausal bleeding.  A hysteroscopy allows us to diagnose conditions such as uterine polyps (like a ‘skin tag’ inside the uterus), some fibroids (non-cancerous growths associated with the womb made up of muscle and fibrous tissue), pre-cancerous conditions or some uterine cancers.  Some conditions can be treated at the time of hysteroscopy such as removal of small polyps or inserting a uterine coil as a method of treating some conditions.

In our hospital trust, outpatient hysteroscopies are carried out by a doctor or specialist nurse hysteroscopist, 5 days a week at the Women’s Health Unit, The Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.  Depending on the reason for your referral to us, you may need an ultrasound scan before your hysteroscopy and your appointment letter will inform you of this.

We have a team of nursing staff who will greet you on arrival.  When you come into the treatment room there will be several nursing/medical staff, each with a role to play – usually 2 or 3 nurses (one to stay with you throughout) and a doctor or nurse hysterocopist to carry out the procedure.  We will take a medical history to hear about your symptoms, discuss your ultrasound scan results if you have had a scan and the options of investigation or treatment will be discussed, including the option of having this procedure under a general anaesthetic. 

It is helpful if someone can drive you and collect you from your appointment, although some women come alone and if this is the case we may keep you a little longer afterwards to make sure you feel recovered enough to drive. You will have received a detailed information leaflet about hysteroscopy with your appointment letter. 

Read Treatment Pathways leaflet for more information.

If hysteroscopy is recommended we will discuss this with you and gain your consent for investigation or treatment.

Following the procedure, you will be offered a warm drink in the recovery area and a check of your observations (eg. pulse, blood pressure, oxygen) and pain relief if needed.  Women generally recover very quickly. Read What to expect during your recovery at home, which will be discussed and provided as a leaflet. 

After Your Outpatient Hysteroscopy

Many women are able to return to normal activities the same day as the procedure but we advise you to take it easy for the remainder of the day.

What to expect:

  • You may have some light, watery, blood-stained, spotting or light, fresh bleeding (bright red) for up to a week following this procedure. This is not worrying and should settle
  • Some women experience crampy period-type pains after this procedure. You can take some simple pain relief such as Paracetamol every 4-6 hours or Ibuprofen every 8 hours to help with this, so long as you are not allergic to them
  • If you experience heavy bleeding that is worsening, feel generally unwell or your pain is not settling, please call for advice:
    Women’s Health Unit: 01527 503030 Extension 44065

    Or if it is out of hours call the:
    Emergency Gynaecology Assessment Unit: 01905 761489

General advice:

  • You can shower as normal
  • You should avoid the use of tampons until the following period (if you still have periods), to reduce the risk of infection
  • Sexual intercourse and physical activity can resume when your bleeding has completely settled
  • If you feel generally unwell, with pelvic pain that is increasing despite simple pain relief, or develop a fever or have a vaginal discharge that is offensive in the days following this procedure, you should call Gynaecology on the number above, or the GP practice
  • It is important to keep any follow-up appointments that have been made for you

Meet The Team

Consultant Gynaecologists

  • Mrs Pratibha Arya
  • Dr Mamta Pathak
  • Mr P Suraweera
  • Ms L Veal
  • Ms Rina Panchal
  • Mr Jonathan Chester (Locum)

Associate Specialists

  • Mr A Abimanue

Staff Grade

  • Mr S Afify

Nurse Hysteroscopist

  • Elisabeth Newton

Outpatient Hysteroscopy Secretaries

  • Lara DiPlacido
  • Sue Collins