Perioperative complication rates of primary and repeat hysteroscopic endometrial ablations.
OBJECTIVE
To determine perioperative complication rates at primary and repeat endometrial ablations.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).


METHODS
Tertiary care teaching hospital.


METHODS
Seventy-five women who underwent a repeat ablation and 800 who had a primary ablation by the same surgeon (GAV) between 1990 and 2000 for a diagnosis of menorrhagia and/or dysmenorrhea.


METHODS
Hysteroscopic ablation involving coagulation or resection of endometrium, and second ablation after failure of the first.


RESULTS
Serious perioperative complications were uterine perforation, hemorrhage, excess fluid absorption, and genital tract burns. They occurred in 9.3% of repeat ablations compared with 2.05% of primary ablations (p = 0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
Repeat endometrial ablation has a significantly higher rate of perioperative complications than primary ablation.
MacLean-Fraser
Erin
E
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St Joseph's Health Care, 268 Grosvenor St., London, Ontario N6A 4V2, Canada.
Penava
Deborah
D
Vilos
George A
GA
D000328:Adult; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000601:surgery*; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D004717:Endometrium / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy; D008595:Menorrhagia / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012086:Reoperation; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D014595:Uterine Perforation / Q000209:etiology*