Restoration of uterine cavity measurements after surgical correction

Abstract

Objective: We sought to define the uterine and uterine cavity dimensions of subseptate uteri before and after hysteroscopic surgical incision, and compare them to those obtained in normal uteri with 3-D ultrasound. Methods: Two cohorts of consecutive women with normal-appearing uterine cavity and women diagnosed with uterine subseptations, before and after undergoing hysteroscopic incision. 3-D ultrasound was used to measure the uterine cavity width, length, and area on a frozen coronal view of the uterus. Results: A total of 215 women were included: 89 in the normal, and 126 in the subseptate uterus, groups. Uterine length and height were similar in the pre-operative, post-operative subseptate uteri, and in the normal uteri, while the uterine width was significantly greater in the pre-operative (5.1 + 0.8 cm) than post-operative (4.7 + 0.8 cm) and normal uterus (4.6 + 0.7 cm; p < 0.001) groups. The pre-operative uterine cavity length (3.3 + 0.5 cm), width (3.2 + 0.7 cm), and area (4.4 + 1.2 cm2), were significantly greater than the post-operative ones (length 2.9 + 0.4 cm; width 2.6 + 0.6 cm; area 3.7 + 0.8 cm; overall p < 0.001), and became similar to the dimensions of the normal uterus. Of the patients who subsequently conceived, 2.6% miscarried in the corrected subseptation group and 28.8% miscarried in the normal uterus group. Conclusions: We defined the ultrasound dimensions of the uterine cavity in subseptate uteri and their change after surgical correction. Uterine cavity length, width, and area show very little variability in adult normal uteri, while they are increased in uteri with a subseptation greater than 5.9 mm in length, and regain normal measurements after surgical correction.