Hysteroscopic Septoplasty
Hysteroscopic septoplasty is surgery that removes a wall of tissue that divides the inside of the uterus. Removing this uterine septum turns a divided cavity into one open cavity. The surgery corrects the septum itself.
The surgeon works through the cervix with a thin camera (hysteroscope). The surgeon makes no incision in the abdomen. Small scissors or an electric instrument open the septum. The patient is usually under general anesthesia or numbed from the waist down. Some surgeons prescribe estrogen afterward to help the lining of the uterus heal. Studies have not shown a benefit from this step.
One randomized trial, the TRUST trial, compared surgery with expectant management, meaning no surgery, in 80 women who had a septum.1 Women enrolled after difficulty conceiving, a pregnancy loss or a preterm birth. Live birth rates were similar in the two groups.1 The trial was small and combined these different histories in one group. It did not study couples with recurrent pregnancy loss separately. Restorative Reproductive Medicine seeks the cause of pregnancy loss. A septum is a structural cause that surgery can correct.
Cited in this entry
- Rikken JFW, Kowalik CR, Emanuel MH, Bongers MY, Spinder T, Jansen FW, et al. Septum resection versus expectant management in women with a septate uterus: an international multicentre open-label randomized controlled trial. Human Reproduction. 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33793794/
This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult an RRM clinician or healthcare provider for guidance specific to your situation.
