Current practice in the removal of benign endometrial polyps: A Dutch survey

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current practice of Dutch gynecologists in the removal ofbenign endometrial polyps and compare these results with the results of a previous study from 2003. In 2009 Dutch gynecologists were surveyed by a mailed questionnaire about polypectomy. Gynecologists answered questions about their individual performance of polypectomy: setting, form of anesthesia, method, and instrument use. The results were compared with the results from the previous survey. The response rate was 70% (585 of 837 gynecologists). Among the respondents, 455 (78%) stated to remove endometrial polyps themselves. Polyps were mostly removed in an inpatient setting (337; 74%) under general or regional anesthesia (247; 54%) and under direct hysteroscopic vision (411; 91%). Gynecologists working in a teaching hospital removed polyps more often in an outpatient setting comparedwith gynecologists working in a nonteaching hospital [118 (43%) vs. 35 (19%) p<0.001]. These results are in accordance with the results from 2003. Compared to 2003 there was an increase in the number of gynecologists performing polypectomies with local or no anesthesia [211 (46%) vs. 98 (22%), p<0.001]. An increase wasalso noted in the number of gynecologists using direct hysteroscopic vision [411 (91%) vs. 290 (64%), p<0.001] and 5 Fr electrosurgical instruments [181 (44%) vs. 56 (19%), p<0.001]. Compared to the situation in 2003, there is an increase in removal under direct hysteroscopic vision, with 5 Fr electrosurgical instruments, using local or no anesthesia. This implies there is progress inoutpatient hysteroscopic polypectomy in the Netherlands.