The influence of the location and extent of intrauterine adhesions on recurrence after hysteroscopic adhesiolysis.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the recurrence potential of intrauterine adhesions after hysteroscopic adhesiolysis.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational study.

SETTING

Tertiary university hospital.

POPULATION

This study included 115 women who had intrauterine adhesions completely separated during hysteroscopic surgery. The treated adhesions were classified into four groups according to their location and extent: Group 1, central type (i.e. intervening space between the adhesions and both lateral uterine sidewalls) at the middle area of uterine cavity; Group 2, central type at uterine cornua; Group 3, cervico-isthmic; and Group 4, extensive if the adhesions were dense with occlusion of part of the uterine cavity other than cervico-isthmic region.

METHODS

Postoperative outpatient hysteroscopic adhesiolysis was scheduled 10-14 days after the initial hysteroscopic surgery and procedures were repeated every 10-14 days until no reformed adhesions were detected. Multivariate logistic regression models were built to examine initial adhesion characteristics and other factors associated with adhesion reformation and need for subsequent outpatient adhesiolysis. Categorical data were compared using Fisher's exact test.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Number of postoperative outpatient hysteroscopic adhesiolysis procedures.

RESULTS

The location and extent of adhesions according to the allocated group was the only parameter independently related to the number of postoperative outpatient adhesiolysis procedures (P = 0.0004). Women with Group 1 adhesions underwent a lower number of postoperative interventions compared with those with Group 2, 3 and 4 adhesions (P = 0.0355, P = 0.0004 and P = 0.0087, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

There is an increased likelihood of intrauterine adhesion recurrence when successfully divided adhesions were originally located at the uterine cornua, the cervico-isthmic region or involved a large portion of the uterine cavity.