Comprehensive management of severe Asherman syndrome and amenorrhea

Abstract

Objective: To describe a comprehensive approach to women with severe Asherman syndrome and amenorrhea, including preoperative, operative, and postoperative care and subsequent resumption menses, and pregnancy.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Setting: Tertiary care teaching hospital.

Patient(s): Twelve women with severe Asherman syndrome and amenorrhea.

Intervention(s): Preoperative administration of prolonged preoperative and postoperative oral E(2) to enhance endometrial proliferation, intraoperative abdominal ultrasound-directed hysteroscopic lysis of uterine synechia to ensure that the dissection is performed in the proper tissue plane, placement of a triangular uterine balloon catheter during surgery, and postoperative removal with placement of a copper intrauterine device (IUD) to maintain separation of the cavity and mechanically lyse newly formed adhesions during removal.

Main outcome measure(s): Resumption of menses, pregnancy, and delivery.

Result(s): All women resumed menses, although 5 of 12 had a preoperative maximal endometrial thickness of 4 mm or less, with follow-up ranging from 6 months to 10 years. Six of nine women less than age 39 years (67%) became pregnant, and four of six achieved a term or near-term delivery.

Conclusion(s): Comprehensive management provides the best possible outcomes in poor-prognosis women with severe Asherman syndrome.