title: Hysteroscopic appearance of the uterine cavity before and after microwave endometrial ablation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the appearance of the uterine cavity before and after microwave endometrial ablation (MEA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).
  
  
  METHODS
  University teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two women with menorrhagia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hysteroscopic examination the uterine cavity before and after MEA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ablation was complete in 55 patients (group A). Seven women had a small island of intact endometrium (group B); the uterine cavity was severely distorted in six of these patients due to submucous myomas in five and adenomyosis in one. Another patient in this group had an acutely retroverted uterus, a 15-mm intramural myoma, and a normal uterine cavity. Women in group B had deeper uterine cavity than those in group A (101.4 +/- 15.5 and 84.7. +/- 12.8 mm, respectively, p = 0.008). The duration of ablation was also longer in group B (329.1 +/- 158.4 sec) than in group A (206.1 +/- 67.4 sec, p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Microwave endometrial ablation tends to be incomplete in women with a large and severely distorted uterine cavity. Whether, this results in a lower success rate remains to be seen. (J Am Assoc Gynecol Laparosc 8(1):83-86, 2001)
authors.affiliation: McGill Reproductive Center, 687 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Quebec H3A1A1, Canada.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tulandi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Felemban
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy; D008595:Menorrhagia / Q000601:surgery*; D008872:Microwaves / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014599:Uterus / Q000473:pathology*