A tailored evaluation
Careful preoperative evaluation is a must. An extensive "workup" can pinpoint the cause, location and/or extent of fibroids or menstrual difficulties. We begin with a detailed menstrual and health history, and a gynecologic exam. Then we use one of the following imaging techniques to determine the health of your uterus before proceeding with treatment:
- Office hysteroscopy: use of a lighted tube, or endoscope, inserted through the vagina to examine the uterus. (Cleveland Clinic specialists have performed more than 6,000 office hysteroscopies.)
- Saline infusion sonography: expanding the uterus with salt water and using sound waves to reveal fibroids, polyps or other abnormal structures.
- 3-D ultrasound: sending sound waves through the abdomen to see detailed pictures of the inside of the uterus.
- MRI: combining a powerful magnet, radio signals and a computer to obtain intricate pictures of the uterus and surrounding organs.
We also ask every woman we see whether or not she wants to preserve her fertility and/or her uterus. These considerations are very important in determining which treatments we will recommend. We aim for the best treatment outcome—and the highest patient satisfaction.