Intrauterine bone findings during hysteroscopy at GESHRTH – Yaoundé: report of six cases

Abstract

Introduction: The presence of intrauterine bone structures during hysteroscopy is an unusual finding.

Materials and Methods: We carried out a retrospective descriptive study at the Gynecological Endoscopic Surgery and Human Reproduction Teaching Hospital of Yaoundé (GESHRTHY) between september 1st 2017 to august 31st 2022. A public facility addressing infertility and dedicated to minimally invasive surgery in Yaoundé. All procedures of hysteroscopy performed in the theatre were reviewed. All cases of patients reporting the presence of intrauterine bones during the procedure were processed.

Results: We found six cases of intrauterine bone structures out of 854 hysteroscopies. The prevalence over the 5-year period was 0,7%. The mean age of patients was 35.2 years. All patients revealed a past history of mid trimester abortion. For one patient, the history of abortion was confessed retrospectively after the diagnosis of retained bony fragments. A past history of Sexually Transmitted Infection was recorded for three patients (50%). The clinical presentation of patients included infertility in all patients (100%), lower abdominal pain in three (50%) and oligomenorrhoea in two (33.3%). Routine work-up identified the presence of intra uterine calcifications in five patients (83.3%). In one case, the finding of bone structure was fortuitous. The hysteroscopic procedure permitted the complete retrieval of all bone fragments. There were no complications.

Conclusion: The prevalence of intra uterine bone findings during hysteroscopy was 0.7%. All patients complained of infertility and recorded a past history of mid trimester abortion.