Vaginohysteroscopy for the diagnosis and treatment of vaginal lesions

Background The vaginoscopic approach for hysteroscopy allows detailed endoscopic evaluation of the vaginal walls, fornices, and exocervix. Objectives To review the feasibility and efficacy of vaginohysteroscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of vaginal lesions. Search strategy A systematic review was performed of PubMed/Medline, Embase, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Database to identify papers published in English. The search terms were "hysteroscopy," "vaginoscopy," "vagino-hysteroscopy," and "vaginal lesion." The last review was performed on January 31, 2015. Selection criteria Studies in which the diagnosis and treatment of vaginal lesions used the vaginoscopic approach and hysteroscopic instrumentation were reviewed. Data collection and analysis Data were extracted from the identified studies and then analyzed. Main results Thirteen studies were reviewed. Eleven described one case; one reported observations from two patients, and one study reported a case series. All vaginohysteroscopies reported were performed successfully and without significant complications. Conclusions Vaginohysteroscopy is an easy way to gain access to the cervical canal and an important tool with which to diagnose and treat vaginal lesions.