The role and contribution of transvaginal endoscopy to diagnostics and treatment of infertility

Abstract

Transvaginal endoscopy (TVE) presents minimal invasive endoscopic method that involves hysteroscopy, transvaginal laparoscopy and salpingoscopy. It gives a new approach to both basic evaluation of marital infertility and its treatment. The role of TVE is a subject of controversies regarding its justification as standard infertility treatment. Another aspect is a role of TVE prior to methods of assisted reproductive technologies (ART). The aim of this paper was to try, through the analysis of the available literature, to clarify the role of TVE in reproductive medicine, as well as to show our experience. The concept of one­day diagnostics, which is so­called one stop fertility clinic, is performed in the Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics on a daily basis. It consists of history, gynecology and ultrasound exam, spermiogram, hormone tests, and TVE. Patients are informed about results on the very same day and advised on the proper infertility treatment. By forming the infertility diagnostics protocols, which use the methods of TVE, we consider it possible to evaluate adequately and accurately the fertility within the shortest possible time. It replaced standard laparoscopy in certain indication fields; it eventually confirmed the necessity of its use in recurrent IVF implantation failure, raising the question of its routine use prior to the first IVF cycle that is a topic requiring further randomized trials.

Keywords

• transvaginal endoscopy
• hysteroscopy
• laparoscopy
• infertility