Hysteroscopic endometrial ablation using free heated saline for the treatment of menorrhagia

Study Objective, To assess the safer), and efficacy of hysteroscopic endome trial ablation using controlled intrauterine instillation and circulation o f heated (90 degrees C) saline. Design. Phase II clinical study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting, Preliminary study performed in an outpatient ambulatory surgery ce nter of a university hospital. Patients. Twenty women with menorrhagia of b enign causes. Intervention. Hysteroscopic endometrial ablation. Measurements and Main Results. There were no complications. At no time did fluid leak from the fallopian tubes or cervix. during treatment. Six patien ts had concurrent laparoscopy to measure serosal temperatures and to observ e Fimbriae directly during the 10-minute treatment. Serosal and endocervica l temperatures were not elevated. Eighteen women kept evaluable menstrual d iaries for 2 months before and 12 months alter surgery. Ten women (55.6%) b ecame amenorrheic, lour (22.1%) hypomenorrheic, and three (16.7%) returned to normal peri ods after 12 months of follow-up. One woman (5.6%) reported a 75% decrease in menstrual flow but continued to De menorrhagic by definit ion. One patient subsequently underwent hysterectomy for simple endometrial hyperplasia. Conclusion. This procedure appears to be a sale method of globally ablating the endometrium, resulting in effective treatment of menorrhagia.