Gestrinone versus danazol as preoperative treatment for hysteroscopic surgery: a prospective, randomized evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: To compare danazol and gestrinone treatment as preoperative endometrial preparation for operative hysteroscopy. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized clinical study. SETTING: University department of gynecological, obstetrical sciences and reproductive medicine. PATIENT(S): One hundred thirty-five patients with endouterine pathologies (endometrial polyps, submucous myoma, septate uterus). INTERVENTION(S): Patients pretreated with gestrinone (n = 68) and with danazol (n = 67) underwent operative hysteroscopy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Endometrial response to the medical pretreatment, side effects, procedure time, intraoperative bleeding, infusion volume, patient satisfaction. RESULT(S): Side effects were infrequent in both groups, though the patients' personal satisfaction was in favor of gestrinone. The rate of endometrial response was higher for the gestrinone group (97.1% vs. 83.6%). Operative time (mean +/- SD) was 12 +/- 1.8 and 15.2 +/- 1.9 minutes for the gestrinone and danazol groups, respectively. The gestrinone group showed a lower incidence of moderate bleeding (3% vs. 22.4%) and a lower infusion volume (2,100 +/- 200 mL vs. 2,400 +/- 250 mL). Regarding cervical dilatation time, no significant difference was found between the two groups (1.6 +/- 0.3 minutes vs. 1.5 +/- 0.4 minutes). CONCLUSION(S): Both treatments are good ways to prepare the endometrium for operative hysteroscopy. However, the data suggest that gestrinone pretreatment is preferable to danazol.