Factors that determine success/failure of outpatient hysteroscopy

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Prospective study to determine patient factors for successful or failed outpatient hysteroscopy

• IRAS ID

  340543

• Contact name

  William M A Kuteesa

• Contact email

  williamkuteesa@royalberkshire.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Royal Berkshire Hospital

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  This is a survey based qualitative study in collaboration with the University of Reading, aim to understand the association between pre-operative patient factors and procedural success and patient-reported pain levels. Hysteroscopy is a procedure to diagnose or treat uterine (womb) problems such as polyps.
  Outpatient hysteroscopy (OPH) is clinic-based hysteroscopy that does not require GA. It brings multiple patient and health service benefits, such as ease of patient access to the procedure, rapid recovery, increased efficiency and cost savings. These advantages have meant that OPH has become commonplace in the last twenty years.
  OPH failure rates (procedure fail to be completed) range from 1.5% to 9%. Failure is due to multiple factors; patient pain or physical inability in accessing the uterine cavity being the most common. Patients find failed and painful procedures are distressing. Patients in whom OPH fails require rebooking for GA hysteroscopy at a later date. Rebooking this procedure adverselyimpacts all patients due to it prolonged waiting lists and adding to health service costs.
  Most prior research has retrospectively investigated associations with pain during OPH. Very few have studied factors determining failure and success rates.
  Our qualitative study will ask 250 patients who are already booked and undergo OPH at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, a short series of questions before and after their procedure to assess if their responses are strongly associated with failure of OPH and the degree of perceived pain.
  According to their responses we will create a category of high or low risk of failed OPH or severe pain. Future plan the high-risk patients will be offered direct access to a GA hysteroscopy, minimising patient distress, saving health service resource and improving productivity and improve the overall patient experience.

• REC name

  North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  25/NW/0215

• Date of REC Opinion

  7 Aug 2025

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion