Three-year follow-up results of polypectomy with endometrial ablation in the management of endometrial polyps associated with tamoxifen in Chinese women.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the role of hysteroscopic polypectomy with endometrial ablation in the management of tamoxifen-associated endometrial polyps in postmenopausal women with a more than 3-year follow-up period.


METHODS
The medical records of 76 postmenopausal patients on tamoxifen who were performed hysteroscopic polypectomy with endometrial ablation were evaluated more than 3 years after the procedure with recurrence of polyps, recurrent abnormal uterine bleeding and surgical re-intervention.


RESULTS
Average follow-up period was 74.91 ± 20.84 months. No patient underwent hysterectomy, 7 of 76 patients had a surgical re-intervention representing a total of 90.8% avoidance of additional surgery during the follow-up period, and 4 patients had a recurrent endometrial polyp representing the recurrence rate was 5.3%. 3 of 41 patients with postmenopausal bleeding had a recurrent abnormal uterine bleeding representing symptomatic relief rate is 92.7%. The treatment failed in 7 patients who requested surgical re-intervention: 4 patients requested a repeat polypectomy and ablation, 1 patient requested a repeat ablation and 2 patients requested a repeat hysteroscopy with uterine adhesion. No malignant endometrial pathological result was found.


CONCLUSIONS
For postmenopausal patients suffering from endometrial polyps associated with tamoxifen, hysteroscopic polypectomy with endometrial ablation continues to be proven as a safe and effective minimally invasive treatment method. The high rate of surgical re-intervention avoidance, great symptomatic relief and low recurrence rate are very encouraging for this technology.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.
Wanli
W
Gao
Luping
L
Zhang
Wenjun
W
Li
Jinghua
J
Li
Weijuan
W
Wang
Weihong
W
Zhao
Limin
L
Feng
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D055356:Endometrial Ablation Techniques; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011127:Polyps / Q000601:surgery*; D017698:Postmenopause; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced*
D013629:Tamoxifen