Gynecology: an examination now much easier to access for patients at Roanne hospital

Since May, the hospital center’s gynecology department has been offering its patients out-of-office hysteroscopies. What are the advantages of this protocol? In what context can this examination be prescribed? Explanations from the medical team.

1 What is a hysteroscopy and when is it useful?

This examination makes it possible to explore the uterine cavity, either to establish a diagnosis or for therapeutic purposes to treat certain gynecological pathologies such as the removal of polyps, fibroids, the removal of certain adhesions (called synechiae cure), or even ablation of the IUD which would not be feasible in consultation.

2 What is new about the proposed exam?

In 2023, the hospital center performed 167 hysteroscopies in the operating room. A procedure carried out almost all the time under general anesthesia and accompanied by at least one day of hospitalization, which could result in possible waiting days for the patient. And that’s the new thing that has been proposed for several weeks.

Thanks to new equipment, this examination can now be carried out outside the operating room, via a much lighter and easier to deploy device. It is performed under simple local anesthesia. The hysteroscopy lasts on average around ten minutes and is carried out directly in the gynecology consultation room, with the support of a referent nurse, after premedication before the procedure. “The procedure takes much less time and we manage to resolve a lot of problems,” summarizes Dr Mathilde Marnat, explaining that access to the examination is thus facilitated. Out-of-block hysteroscopies are studied on a case-by-case basis, and cannot necessarily be generalized to all patients.A.M.

3 What are the benefits for the patient and the surgeon?

“The journey for the patient is “simplified”, with “shortened deadlines” and a procedure carried out in “a completely safe setting”, both in terms of asepsis and comfort, underlines the gynecologist-obstetrician, who only sees benefits for patients. “The only risk is that we won’t be able to do it and then consider a classic hysteroscopy.”

For the surgeon, the procedure is also “ultrasimple” thanks to this new equipment. At the same time, this frees up operating room slots. Finally, work stoppages are reduced, which also reduces “societal costs”. “Everyone is a winner,” sums up the team.

A new solution against female incontinence proposed at the Roanne hospital

4 What are the first returns?

Around fifteen hysteroscopies have been carried out in recent weeks, with very positive feedback, the doctors say.

Aurélie Marchadier

State-of-the-art single-use equipment

To carry out this examination, the hospital invested in cutting-edge equipment supplied by the Kebomed group.

Equipment. It is marketed by the company Kebomed. A.M.

“Only 20% of gynecologists perform hysteroscopies outside the operating room, it is still not a widely democratized practice,” says Maxime Decollonge, sector manager within this company. This company has been marketing this device since 2019. Called LiNA OperaScope™, this equipment was designed specifically for diagnostic and/or operative hysteroscopy in consultation. Ready to use, and single use, it is equipped with a 360° rotating cannula with an external diameter of 4.2 mm, with integrated camera and light, all connected to a screen. Different instruments can be used (scissors, pliers, lassos).

The microcamera films and transmits images live to a screen. The hardware also has a photo and video recording module. All this data will be integrated into the patient’s medical file. The device costs 269 euros (excl. tax and excluding additional instruments). After Saint-Étienne since last year and the Forez hospital center, the Roanne hospital is the third center in the sector to use this specific equipment.