A randomized comparison of endometrial laser intrauterine thermotherapy and hysteroscopic endometrial resection.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the difference of long-term amenorrhea rate in patients with menorrhagia treated by endometrial laser intrauterine thermal therapy (ELITT), a new nonhysteroscopic endometrial ablation procedure, versus transcervical hysteroscopic endometrial resection (TCRE).


METHODS
Randomized clinical study. Healthy volunteers in an academic research environment.


METHODS
Academic teaching hospital.


METHODS
Premenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding.


METHODS
Fifty-eight patients were treated with the ELITT procedure and 58 patients with TCRE; both groups were treated with GnRH agonists before the procedure.


METHODS
Bleeding status and patient satisfaction after treatment were evaluated as well as the intraoperative complication rate.


RESULTS
At 12 months, the amenorrhea rate was 56% in the ELITT group and 23% in the TCRE group. At 36 months, the figures were 61% for ELITT and 24% for TCRE. No significant complications were recorded for either procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of this randomized study demonstrate that both procedures are equally effective in the treatment of menorrhagia. However, the ELITT procedure has proven to be superior in inducing amenorrhea.
Perino
Antonio
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Istituto Materno Infantile, University of Palermo, via Libertà 112, 90100 Palermo, Italy. perino@unipa.it
Castelli
Antonio
A
Cucinella
Gaspare
G
Biondo
Andrea
A
Pane
Antonella
A
Venezia
Renato
R
D000328:Adult; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000628:therapy; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D015907:Hysteroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010298:Parity; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*