Experience with 800 hysteroscopic endometrial ablations.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the safety and efficacy of hysteroscopic endometrial ablation in women with menometrorrhagia.


METHODS
Retrospective record review.


METHODS
A credentialing program in teaching and nonteaching hospitals.


METHODS
Eight hundred women who underwent endometrial ablation in 54 hospitals, with indications of abnormal uterine bleeding disrupting lifestyle, postmenopausal bleeding during hormone replacement therapy, poor surgical risk for hysterectomy, or desire to preserve the uterus.


METHODS
Seventy percent of the patients were treated with danazol 100 to 600 mg/day for 6 to 12 weeks, 8% received gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs, 7% received progestins, and 15% were given no preoperative treatment. Under appropriate anesthesia the cervix was dilated to 10 mm and the uterine cavity was distended with 1.5% glycine solution under gravity inflow of 80 to 100 cm water and outflow suction of 80 to 100 mm Hg pressure. Electrocoagulation with or without resection was completed using 100 and 125 W, respectively.


RESULTS
At 12 months 60% of patients reported amenorrhea, 29% hypomenorrhea, 6% eumenorrhea, and 5% no change. Repeat ablation was performed in 4% of patients. An additional 2% had hysterectomy for malignancy (endometrium 2, sarcoma 1, atypical hyperplasia 1), pelvic pain (4), fibroids (4), persistent bleeding (3), and endometritis (2). The complication rate was 3.9%: false passage during cervical dilatation (6), uterine perforation (dilator 4, resectoscope 2, Laminaria 1), fluid absorption greater than 1500 ml (8), minor bleeding (5), endomyometritis (4), and intrauterine pregnancy (1).


CONCLUSIONS
Hysteroscopic endometrial ablation is a safe and effective treatment for women with menometrorrhagia.
Vilos
G A
GA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Joseph's Health Care Centre, 268 Grosvenor Street, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 4V2.
Vilos
E C
EC
King
J H
JH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D004717:Endometrium / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008595:Menorrhagia / Q000601:surgery*; D008796:Metrorrhagia / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies