Summary:
Introduction: Patients with persistent uterine bleeding not responsive to conservative therapy
may in selected cases opt for endometrial ablation rather than hysterectomy.
Methods: 50 women with intractable uterine bleeding were subjected to endometrial ablation. 26
patients were treated preoperatively with danazole 200 to 400 mg/day for 4 weeks, 4 received
progestins, 5 norethisteron acetas to stop the acute preoperative bleeding and 15 were not given
preoperative treatment. Under anaesthesia the cervix was dilated to 10mm and the uterine cavity
was distended with Purisol (sorbitol and mannitol). Roller-ball coagulation technique combined
with loop resection was used in 32 patients, resection using the electrosurgical loop in 17 and
coagulation with roller ball in 1 patient respectively. The endometrium of the internal os of the
uterus was resected in 16 cases. The findings of small uterine myoma(s) were not considered
a contraindication of endometrial ablation.
Results: Patients’ satisfaction with the effect of treatment was recorded in 48 cases (96%). After 35
- 5 months 22 (44%) patients reported amenorrhea, 24 (48%) hypomenorrhea, 3 (6%) eumenorrhea
and 1 (2%) no change. The mean time of operation was 25 minutes (range 15 - 40 minutes). The
procedure was completed in all 50 women and we had no serious complications.
Discussion: There was some evidence of superior health related quality of life among hysterecto-
my patients reported in literature. The rate of secondary hysterectomy was 10% because of associ-
ated lesions: myoma with adenomyosis in 50% of the cases, so that the procedure in cases of
myoma(s) is questionable. This is the reason why it is necessary to make a careful selection of
patients who are to be treated by this metod in order to avoid complications and secondary
hysterectomy.
Conclusion: It is concluded, that endometrial ablation is a safe and effective hysteroscopic proce-
dure in cases of abnormal uterine bleeding in women with normal uterine morphological findings
or small uterine myoma(s).
Key words:
uterus, bleeding, hysteroscopy, endometrium, resection.
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