Ga. Vilos et al., Endometrial thermal balloon ablation with the ThermaChoice system: Effect of intrauterine pressure and duration of treatment, J AM AS G L, 7(3), 2000, pp. 325-329
Citations number
25
Categorie Soggetti
Reproductive Medicine
Journal title
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF GYNECOLOGIC LAPAROSCOPISTS
Study Objective. To determine the safety and efficacy of thermal balloon th
erapy under variable intrauterine pressures and durations of treatment.
Design. Retrospective cohort study. (Canadian Task Force classification II-
I).
Setting. University-affiliated teaching hospital.
Patients. Sixty-six women with menorrhagia.
Intervention. Eighteen patients were treated with the ThermaChoice thermal
balloon system for 8 minutes at 80 to 150 mm Hg pressure, 15 were treated f
or 8 minutes at 151 to 180 mm Hg, and 33 were treated for 12 to 16 minutes
at 151 to 180 mm Hg.
Measurements and Main Results. No intraoperative complications occurred and
postoperative morbidity was minimal. At 12 to 24 months follow-up, persist
ent menorrhagia was reported in 56% of women treated at 80 to 150 mm Hg com
pared with 20% treated at 151 to 180 mm Hg for 8 minutes (p = 0.01), and in
24% treated for 12 to 16 minutes at 151 to 180 mm Hg (p = 0.1).
Conclusion. Thermal balloon endometrial ablation is a safe and effective tr
eatment for menorrhagia. Balloon pressure greater than 150 mm Hg increased
the effectiveness of treatment. Success was not affected or influenced by i
ncreasing the duration of treatment from 8 to 12 minutes or more.