OP31.03: A comparison of two different balloon catheters for hysterosalpingo‐foam sonography (HyFoSy)

To evaluate and compare technical feasibility and patients' pain during hysterosalpingo -foam sonography (HyFoSy) using two different 2 mm balloon catheters. Randomized trial in 46 consecutive women referred for tubal patency testing by HyFoSy at the Leuven University Hospital. Six women refused to participate. Forty women were randomized. The patients were blinded as to the catheter used. They first underwent a transvaginal ultrasound examination to assess the uterus and the ovaries and to exclude a hydrosalpinx. Immediately thereafter a HyFoSy was performed using a uVue catheter (Cook Medical, Bloomington, IN, USA) or a pediatric Foley's catheter with stylet (Pediatric Folysil, Coloplast A/S; Humlebaek, Denmark) according to randomization. If the catheter could not be inserted smoothly at first attempt, transabdominal ultrasound guidance was performed. After the procedure the patients were asked to fill in a questionnaire including a VAS score for the pain at initial ultrasound examination (VAS.US), used as baseline score, and at HyFoSy (VAS.HyFoSy). The pain was recorded as a ratio: (VAS.HyFoSy - VAS.US) / VAS.US. Catheter insertion failed in one patient of the uVue group (5% failure rate) and in none of the Foley group. Ultrasound guidance during catheter insertion was performed in 68% of the uVue group and 20% of the Foley group. The median ratio (VAS.HyFoSy - VAS.US) / VAS.US for the uVue- and the Foley group was 1.82 and 0.54 respectively (p 0.005). HyFoSy using a pediatric Foley catheter was better tolerated by the women, with easier catheter insertion as compared to HyFoSy using an uVue catheter.