Hysteroscopic endometrial ablation is an effective alternative to hysterectomy in women with menorrhagia and large uteri

Study Objectives, To examine the feasibility: safety, and outcome of hyster oscopic endometrial ablation, and to determine the volume of fluid absorbed during resection versus rollerball coagulation in women with menorrhagia a nd large uteri. Design. Retrospective review (Canadian Task Force classification IL-2). Setting, University-affiliated teaching hospital. Patients. Forty-two consecutive patients (mean +/- SD age 45.6 +/- 6 yrs) w ith uterine size greater than 12 weeks (cavity >72 cm). Intervention. Endometrial ablation; 26 (62%) women were pretreated to thin the endometrium. Measurements and Main Results, Resection was performed in 27 patients (65%) and rollerball coagulation in ij (35%). Ablation was successfully performe d in all patients in a da) surgery setting. Multiple regression analysis ex amined the relationship of uterine size, pretreatment, procedure, and durat ion of surgery to amount of glycine absorbed. Glycine absorption was higher with resection than with coagulation (p = 0.04). Fluid absorption cor rela ted with type of procedure (r = 0.32, p = 0.04) but not with duration of th e procedure, uterine size, or pretreatment. One patient with uterine fibroi ds and one with endometrial adenocarcinoma had hysterectomy. With follow-up ? of 39 (95%) of 41 women (excluding the one with adenocarcinoma) For 14 +/ - 2 months, 38 (93%) were very satisfied. Thirty (73%) had amenorrhea, six (15%) had hypomenorrhea (<3 pads/day), and three (7%) had eumenorrhea (<10 pads/day). Conclusion, Hysteroscopic endometrial ablation may be a Feasible, safe, and effective alternative to hysterectomy in women with menorrhagia and large uteri.