Validation of a method of treating menorrhagia by endometrial ablation.
Menstrual blood loss was measured by intravenous injection of radioactive iron (59Fe) and whole-body counting in 19 women complaining of menorrhagia due to dysfunctional bleeding. Fifteen patients were then treated by radiofrequency endometrial ablation, after which blood loss was re-measured. The majority of the patients were bleeding excessively before treatment (mean 281 (SD 156) ml per cycle averaged over two cycles, range 49-665 ml, n = 19). In the 15 treated patients, average blood loss was reduced to 52 (SD 39) ml per cycle and the mean reduction in blood loss was highly significant (P < 0.001). These quantitative data correlate well with the patients' subjective reports.
Phipps
J H
JH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Watford General Hospital, Hertfordshire, UK.
Smith
T
T
Dymek
P
P
Hesp
R
R
Lewis
B V
BV
D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004717:Endometrium / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D006801:Humans; D007504:Iron Radioisotopes; D008595:Menorrhagia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014915:Whole-Body Counting / Q000379:methods
D005290:Ferric Compounds; D007504:Iron Radioisotopes; C025314:ferric citrate