Thermal balloon endometrial destruction: the outcome of treatment of 117 women followed up for a maximum period of 4 years

Objective To study the long-term results of treatment for menorrhagia invol ving the thermal destruction of the endometrium by means of a balloon cathe ter. Design Between August 1993 and December 1996, 117 women were treated and, i n a prospective study, 116 (99%) of them were followed up with consultation s and questionnaires. No pretreatment with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues was given. Setting Gynaecology department at a university hospital. Results There were no immediate peroperative complications. The success rat e after 25 months (range 10-49) was 94%, excluding women with preoperative intracavitary changes and pretreatment ultrasonographically identified subm ucosal leiomyomas. Life-table analysis showed that the probability of asses sing the treatment as 'excellent' or 'good' and avoiding hysterectomy over a 49-month period was 81%, and the probability of avoiding hysterectomy ove r the same time period was 85% when no exclusions were made. Conclusions For women with menorrhagia, who have no further wish for pregna ncy, this study shows that thermal endometrial destruction by means of the balloon catheter technique is a safe type of day case procedure with a high success rate. Pretreatment examination is important in order to select wom en well suited for the treatment. A successful result 1 year after treatmen t implies a successful result in the long term.