17/09/2025
In memoriam – Professor Jacques Hamou
It is with deep sadness that the European Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy pays tribute to Professor Jacques Hamou, whose passing marks the loss of one of the true pioneers of modern hysteroscopy.
The 1980s were years of extraordinary innovation in our field and it was during this time that Jacques Hamou’s genius transformed hysteroscopy forever. A man of science, Jacques first studied mathematics and physics before turning to medicine. From the beginning of his medical career, he was fascinated by hysteroscopy. He travelled to the United States to learn the technique, but his vision reached beyond what was available at the time: he was driven by the conviction that this examination could – and should – be performed as an ambulatory procedure.
Returning to Paris, and drawing on his background in physics, Jacques began developing new instruments with the German innovator Karl Storz. Together, they created a hysteroscope that would revolutionise the field: the Hamou I microcolpohysteroscope, with a diameter of only 5 mm and four levels of magnification, up to 150x for cellular exploration. For the first time, gynaecologists could combine diagnosis and microsurgical precision in a minimally invasive way.
Jacques also refined techniques that became cornerstones of modern practice: the use of CO₂ as a distension medium and the oblique-view optic, which allowed full exploration of the uterine cavity by rotating the scope rather than causing painful lateral movements. These advances made true office hysteroscopy a reality – safer, more gentle and more accessible.
His landmark book on hysteroscopy and microcolposcopy became the reference text for generations of physicians across the world – from Italy and Belgium to the UK, the Netherlands, the USA, India, and China. Through his writings, his teaching and his instruments, Jacques Hamou trained and inspired thousands of colleagues who carried his vision forward into daily practice.
Yet beyond his innovations, we remember Jacques for his generosity, curiosity and humanity. He possessed the enthusiasm of youth and it was a true joy to see him, even once a giant in our field, sitting in the front row as a student fully attentive to the talks and insights shared by fellows – a quiet eagerness to learn and to encourage that was perhaps his most beautiful lesson.
We feel deeply honoured to have enjoyed his friendship, learnt from his teaching and felt his unwavering support throughout my career. It is both moving and a privilege to write these words on behalf of the European Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy, an honour that we owe in large part to his mentorship, his spirit and the community he helped to build – a community that continues to thrive on the values he embodied.
His legacy lives on every time a hysteroscope is introduced in an outpatient clinic, every time a woman benefits from a safer and more compassionate approach to care and every time a colleague recalls his pioneering spirit.
On behalf of the ESGE community, we extend our deepest condolences to his family. We honour Jacques Hamou not only for his extraordinary contributions to gynaecology but also for the example of innovation, rigour, humility and kindness he set for us all.
May he rest in peace and may his memory continue to inspire the generations of surgeons and doctors who follow in his footsteps.
Attilio Di Spiezio Sardo, Rudi Campo
On behalf of the European Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy
And all the hysteroscopy fellows
