American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists' 1988 membership survey on operative hysteroscopy.

The 1988 American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists' membership survey on operative hysteroscopy had a 19% response rate. A total of 377 respondents reported performing 7,293 operative hysteroscopies. The number of procedures reported per respondent ranged from 1 to 325; 75% of physicians reported performing 20 or fewer procedures. In 1988 a small number of practitioners performed a large number of procedures. Directed biopsy and polypectomy through the hysteroscope were the procedures reported most commonly. Most operative hysteroscopies were performed for a complaint of either abnormal bleeding (57%) or infertility (27%). The complication reported most frequently was uterine perforation not requiring a transfusion (13 per 1,000 procedures). More serious complications that occurred in at least 1 per 1,000 procedures included water intoxication or pulmonary edema, hospital readmission, hospitalization greater than 72 hours and transfusion for hemorrhage.