Hysteroscopic myomectomy with the IBS® Integrated Bigatti Shaver versus conventional bipolar resectoscope: a retrospective comparative study

From June 2011 to June 2013, all hysteroscopic myoma resections at the Ospedale San Giuseppe of Milan were performed using either the IBS® or the Versapoint® bipolar resectoscope. Dilatation time of the cervical canal, resection time, fluid balance, and complete single-stage removal of the myoma have been studied. The outcome was stratified for groups of myomas larger and smaller than 3 cm. Seventy-six myomectomies were performed with the IBS® and 51 with the Versapoint®. Both groups had a similar distribution of difficult cases like G2 and larger than 3 cm myomas. The results show no difference in terms of cervical dilatation, resection time, and fluid deficit between the two groups, but, for myomas less than 3 cm and G2 myomas, the IBS® has been able to treat respectively 93.5 % (p = 0.3753) and 62.5 % (p = 0.5491) of cases in a single step procedure. The overall number of necessary second procedures has been statistically significantly less in the IBS® Group than in the Versapoint® Group (p = 0.0067). Although no significative difference in terms of time of resection, the IBS® has proven to be able to approach all kind of submucosal myomas in a single-step procedure and in a very precise and easy way. The IBS® can be considered a valid alternative to the conventional resectoscope.