Cavaterm thermal balloon ablation for the treatment of menorrhagia

Fifty patients due to undergo endometrial ablation as a treatment of dysfun ctional uterine bleeding were recruited to assess the efficacy and safety o f a new thermal balloon ablation system (Cavaterm). The patients were follo wed up for a mean of 14 months (range 6-24): 34 (68%) have complete amenorr hoea, 12 (24%) only have spotting, two (4%) are eumenorrhoeic, and two (4%) have had failed treatments. There were no major complications, but two pat ients have required oral antibiotics for suspected endometritis. Although t hese preliminary results are encouraging, all patients remain under review to determine long term effect of the procedure. Further evaluation is also underway in the form of a randomised trial against endometrial laser ablati on.