Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is commonly performed during infertility evaluation and may cause pain during cervical manipulation, uterine distension, and contrast-medium injection. This prospective, randomized, three-arm controlled trial will compare three pain-control approaches during HSG: no analgesic premedication, rectal indomethacin administered before the procedure, and paracervical block with lidocaine. Eligible women scheduled for diagnostic HSG will be randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio. The primary outcome will be participant-reported pain during contrast-medium injection measured using an 11-point Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) ranging from 0 to 10. Secondary outcomes will include pain during other procedural stages, immediate and 30-minute post-procedural pain, preprocedural anxiety, anticipated pain, rescue analgesic requirement, participant satisfaction, and adverse events.
Hysterosalpingography is an established diagnostic procedure used to assess tubal patency and uterine cavity morphology during infertility evaluation. Pain may occur at several procedural stages, including speculum insertion, cervical grasping, cannula placement, cervical traction, uterine distension, and contrast-medium injection. This study is designed as a prospective, randomized, parallel-group, three-arm controlled superiority trial. Participants will be allocated in a 1:1:1 ratio to no premedication, rectal indomethacin, or paracervical block with lidocaine. Pain intensity will be assessed using an 11-point Numeric Rating Scale ranging from 0, indicating no pain, to 10, indicating the worst imaginable pain. The primary outcome is pain during contrast-medium injection. Additional procedural pain scores, immediate post-procedural pain, pain at 30 minutes, preprocedural anxiety, anticipated pain, participant satisfaction, requirement for rescue analgesia, and adverse events will also be recorded.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
180
A 50 mg indomethacin suppository will be administered rectally 30 minutes before hysterosalpingography.
A paracervical block will be performed using 2% lidocaine. Five milliliters of 2% lidocaine will be administered at the 4 o'clock position and 5 mL at the 8 o'clock position of the cervix, for a total volume of 10 mL and a total lidocaine dose of 200 mg. Injection depth will be approximately 1.5 to 3 cm. Hysterosalpingography will begin 5 minutes after completion of the paracervical block.
Pain Intensity During Contrast-Medium Injection Measured Using the Numeric Rating Scale
Participant-reported pain intensity will be measured using an 11-point Numeric Rating Scale ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity.
Time frame: During HSG, immediately after contrast-medium injection
Pain Intensity During Speculum Insertion
Pain intensity measured using an 11-point NRS ranging from 0 to 10.
Time frame: During HSG, immediately after speculum insertion
Pain Intensity During Cervical Grasping
Pain intensity measured using an 11-point NRS ranging from 0 to 10.
Time frame: During HSG, immediately after tenaculum application or cervical grasping
Pain Intensity During Cannula or Catheter Placement
Pain intensity measured using an 11-point NRS ranging from 0 to 10.
Time frame: During HSG, immediately after cannula or catheter placement
Pain Intensity During Cervical Traction
Pain intensity measured using an 11-point NRS ranging from 0 to 10.
Time frame: During HSG, immediately after cervical traction
Immediate Post-Procedural Pain Intensity
Pain intensity measured using an 11-point NRS ranging from 0 to 10.
Time frame: Within 5 minutes after completion of HSG
Pain Intensity 30 Minutes After HSG
Pain intensity measured using an 11-point NRS ranging from 0 to 10.
Time frame: 30 minutes after completion of HSG
Preprocedural State Anxiety
Preprocedural state anxiety measured using the validated Turkish five-item short version of the State Anxiety Inventory (STAIS-5). Higher scores indicate greater state anxiety.
Time frame: After informed consent and before randomization and administration of the study intervention
Anticipated HSG Pain
Expected pain during HSG measured using a single 0-to-10 Numeric Rating Scale.
Time frame: Before randomization and administration of the study intervention.
Participant Satisfaction With Pain Control
Participant-reported satisfaction with pain control measured using a 0-to-10 scale, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction.
Time frame: Immediately after HSG.
Requirement for Rescue Analgesia
Number/percentage requiring additional analgesia.
Time frame: From completion of HSG through 30 minutes after the procedure
Participants With Adverse Events
Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, vasovagal symptoms, allergic symptoms, rectal discomfort, injection-site bleeding/hematoma, severe cramping, etc.
Time frame: From administration of the study intervention through 30 minutes after HSG
Most Painful Procedural Step
Participant-reported most painful step during HSG.
Time frame: Immediately after HSG
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