Efficacy, safety, and feasibility of the treatment of intrauterine pathologies with the mini‐resectoscope: A systematic review

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundHysteroscopy represents the gold standard for the diagnosis and treatment of intrauterine pathologies. The advent of the mini‐resectoscope heralded a new era in intrauterine surgery, both in inpatient and outpatient settings.ObjectivesTo evaluate the effectiveness, safety, and feasibility of the mini‐resectoscope for the treatment of intrauterine pathologies.Search StrategyElectronic databases were searched for English‐language trials describing surgical procedures for uterine pathologies performed with a mini‐resectoscope until 30 April 2023.Selection CriteriaRetrospective or prospective original studies reporting the treatment of uterine pathologies with mini‐resectoscope were deemed eligible for the inclusion.Data Collection and AnalysisData about study features, characteristics of included populations, surgical procedures, complications, and results/outcomes were collected.ResultsSeven papers that met the inclusion criteria were included in this systematic review. Quantitative analysis was not possible due to data heterogeneity. A descriptive synthesis of the results was provided accordingly to the pathology hysteroscopically removed/corrected: polyps and myomas, uterine septum, intrauterine synechiae, and isthmocele.ConclusionsThe mini‐resectoscope is poised to play a leading role in hysteroscopic surgery for many pathologies, both in inpatient and outpatient settings. Since some applications of the mini‐resectoscope have not yet been thoroughly investigated, future studies should address current knowledge gaps, designing high‐quality comparative trials on specific applications.