Hysteroscopic metroplasty of a uterine septum for recurrent miscarriage

# Recommendations
Current evidence on the safety of hysteroscopic metroplasty of a uterine septum for recurrent miscarriage includes some serious but rare complications. Current evidence on efficacy is adequate to support the use of this procedure provided that normal arrangements are in place for clinical governance, consent and audit.
Patient selection and treatment should be done by a multidisciplinary team including specialists in reproductive medicine, uterine imaging and hysteroscopic surgery.
Clinicians undertaking hysteroscopic metroplasty of a uterine septum for recurrent miscarriage should be trained in hysteroscopic surgery in accordance with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists training module.# Indications and current treatments
A uterine septum is a congenital anomaly (present from birth). The septum is a muscular or fibrous wall that divides the inside of the uterus, creating 2 cavities (a septate uterus). The septum may be complete or incomplete. It is more common in women with primary infertility and in women who have had repeated miscarriages, and may therefore be one cause of these problems.
Surgical removal of the septum (metroplasty) is usually considered for women who have a septate uterus in association with repeated adverse reproductive outcomes, including recurrent miscarriage (usually defined as 3 or more miscarriages in a row) and preterm delivery. Metroplasty is also used to manage primary infertility but the causal relationship between this problem and the presence of a uterine septum is less certain.
Metroplasty was traditionally done by a transabdominal approach. A hysteroscopic approach aims to reduce morbidity and shorten the recovery period. Unlike transabdominal metroplasty, caesarean section is not mandatory for patients who conceive after hysteroscopic metroplasty.# The procedure
Hysteroscopic metroplasty of a uterine septum for recurrent miscarriage aims to create a normal uterine cavity by removing the septum, and consequently reduce the risk of miscarriage.
Hysteroscopic metroplasty is usually done with the patient under general or spinal anaesthesia. After cervical dilation, a hysteroscope is inserted into the uterus through the cervix. The uterine cavity is distended with fluid; fluid control must be carefully monitored to avoid overload. The septum is excised, most commonly using microscissors, electrosurgery or laser. The procedure may be done using ultrasound or laparoscopic guidance.
After a miscarriage, an interval of at least 6 weeks is left before doing a hysteroscopic metroplasty.# Efficacy
This section describes efficacy outcomes from the published literature that the Committee considered as part of the evidence about this procedure. For more detailed information on the evidence, see the interventional procedure overview.
A nonrandomised comparative study of 78 women with a partial septate uterus and a history of recurrent miscarriage reported miscarriage rates of 22% (8/37) after hysteroscopic metroplasty and 50% (9/18) with expectant management (p<0.05), at a mean followup of 11 months. A nonrandomised comparative study of 48 women with a septate uterus and a history of recurrent miscarriage reported miscarriage rates for the first pregnancy after enrolment of 18% (4/22) after hysteroscopic metroplasty and 64% (9/14) with expectant management (p<0.001), at a mean followup of 36 months. A case series of 973 women with a septate uterus and a history of recurrent miscarriage or infertility reported the pregnancy outcomes of 344 women after hysteroscopic metroplasty: 78% (268/344) of women reached term, 14% (48/344) of women miscarried before 12 weeks' gestation, 4% (14/344) of women miscarried after 12 weeks' gestation and 14 women were still pregnant at the close of the study (followup period not reported). A case series of 170 women with a partial or complete septate uterus and a history of recurrent miscarriage, preterm delivery or infertility reported that before hysteroscopic metroplasty, 92% (332/363) of pregnancies ended in miscarriage compared with 13% (24/186) of pregnancies after hysteroscopic metroplasty (p=0.02), at a mean followup of 29 months.
A review of 2528 women (37 studies) with a septate uterus and a history of recurrent miscarriage, infertility, spontaneous abortion or preterm delivery, that included a metaanalysis of 2074 women (29 studies) reported a live birth rate of 50% after hysteroscopic metroplasty (95% confidence interval  43 to 57; 19 studies, n=1525; followup period not reported). A case series of 246 women with a septate uterus and a history of recurrent miscarriage or infertility reported a live birth rate after hysteroscopic metroplasty of 60% (71/129) in women with a history of recurrent miscarriage, at a mean followup of 37 months; there were 11 ongoing pregnancies at the close of the study.
The nonrandomised comparative study of 78 women with a partial septate uterus and a history of recurrent miscarriage reported preterm delivery in 5% (2/37) of pregnancies in women treated by hysteroscopic metroplasty and 28% (5/18) in women managed expectantly (p<0.05). The nonrandomised comparative study of 48 women with a septate uterus and a history of recurrent miscarriage reported preterm delivery in 5% (1/22) of pregnancies after hysteroscopic metroplasty and 7% (1/14) with expectant management, for the first pregnancy after enrolment (p value not stated). The case series of 170 women with a partial or complete septate uterus and a history of recurrent miscarriage, preterm delivery or infertility reported preterm delivery in 6% (22/363) of pregnancies before hysteroscopic metroplasty compared with 8% (14/186) of pregnancies after hysteroscopic metroplasty (p=0.12). The case series of 246 women with a septate uterus and a history of recurrent miscarriage or infertility reported a preterm delivery rate after hysteroscopic metroplasty of 11% (14/129) of pregnancies in women with a history of recurrent miscarriage.
The specialist advisers listed the key efficacy outcomes as a normalsized uterine cavity, pregnancy rate, reduced miscarriage rate and increased live birth rate.# Safety
This section describes safety outcomes from the published literature that the Committee considered as part of the evidence about this procedure. Evidence on both women with a history of recurrent miscarriage and those with primary infertility has been included, because the procedure is the same for both and therefore the safety events are relevant to both conditions. For more detailed information on the evidence, see the interventional procedure overview.
Uterine perforation during hysteroscopic metroplasty was reported in 1% (17/2167) of women in a review of 2528 women (37 studies) and in 1% (8/923) of women in a case series of 973 women. Uterine perforation was reported in 1% (2/170) of women in a case series of 170 women; this was managed by laparoscopic bipolar coagulation and both women were discharged the same day. One of these women subsequently had a pregnancy that carried to term, with delivery by caesarean section.
Uterine rupture during pregnancy or delivery was identified in 18 confirmed reports in the review of 2528 women; in 10 of the 18 cases, uterine perforation had occurred at the time of the hysteroscopic metroplasty.
Intraoperative bleeding with 'interruption of the procedure' was reported in 1 woman in the case series of 973 women. Excessive bleeding was reported in 1% (2/170) of women in the case series of 170 women; this was managed by an intrauterine balloon catheter kept in situ for 4 hours.
Cervical laceration (not further described) was reported in less than 1% (2/2167) of women in the review of 2528 women. Difficult dilatation leading to cervical injury (not further described) was reported in 1 woman in the case series of 170 women.
Pulmonary oedema was reported in 1 woman each in the review of 2528 women and in the case series of 973 women (no further details reported).
Uterine synechiae after hysteroscopic metroplasty were reported in 2% (4/181) of women in a case series of 181 women (these synechiae were all treated surgically) and in 1 woman in the review of 2528 women (treatment not reported). Mild adhesions were reported in 7% (11/170) of women in the case series of 170 women (diagnosed by hysteroscopy). These adhesions were all treated by hysteroscopic adhesiolysis; 7 of the women subsequently became pregnant and had term deliveries.
Interstitial ectopic pregnancy after hysteroscopic metroplasty was reported in 1 woman in a case report. A laparotomy was done to resect a wedge of myometrium that was completely enclosing the gestational sac. A hysteroscopy was done 4 months later and showed only a fine linear scar at the fundus, and the uterine cavity was otherwise normal.
In addition to safety outcomes reported in the literature, specialist advisers are asked about anecdotal adverse events (events which they have heard about) and about theoretical adverse events (events which they think might possibly occur, even if they have never done so). For this procedure, specialist advisers considered that the following were theoretical adverse events: incomplete resection of the septum, infection, placenta accreta and percreta, a negative effect on fertility through damage to the endometrium, and detrimental effect on uterine and endometrial blood flow.# Further information
For related NICE guidance, see the NICE website.

# Information for patients
NICE has produced information on this procedure for patients and carers (information for the public). It explains the nature of the procedure and the guidance issued by NICE, and has been written with patient consent in mind.# About this guidance
NICE interventional procedures guidance makes recommendations on the safety and efficacy of the procedure. It does not cover whether or not the NHS should fund a procedure. Funding decisions are taken by local NHS bodies after considering the clinical effectiveness of the procedure and whether it represents value for money for the NHS.
This guidance was developed using the NICE interventional procedures guidance process.
We have produced a summary of this guidance for patients and carers. Information about the evidence the guidance is based on is also available.
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Your responsibility
This guidance represents the views of NICE and was arrived at after careful consideration of the available evidence. Healthcare professionals are expected to take it fully into account when exercising their clinical judgement. This guidance does not, however, override the individual responsibility of healthcare professionals to make appropriate decisions in the circumstances of the individual patient, in consultation with the patient and/or guardian or carer.
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 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence 2015. All rights reserved. NICE copyright material can be downloaded for private research and study, and may be reproduced for educational and not-for-profit purposes. No reproduction by or for commercial organisations, or for commercial purposes, is allowed without the written permission of NICE.
ISBN 978-1-4731-0962-9