Does hydrothermal ablation avoid hysterectomy?

January 01, 0001

Does hydrothermal ablation avoid hysterectomy?

These UK authors sought to assess the long-term success rate of the HydroThermAblator system (HTA). They conducted a retrospective cohort study of 376 patients who underwent HTA during an 8-year period, following case note review and distribution of a validated menorrhagia questionnaire.

They found: "The mean age of patients was 43 years. Operative complications included 3 women (0.8%) who experienced intraoperative burns. Of the 248 (66%) returned questionnaires, satisfaction rates were high at 77%. The amenorrhea rate was 38%, with a further 37% of women reporting a substantial decrease in their blood loss. In all, 29 (11%) women underwent subsequent hysterectomy for persistent menorrhagia or dysmenorrhea. Younger women had a significantly higher chance of proceeding to subsequent hysterectomy."

The authors concluded: "This study confirms the long-term patient satisfaction with HTA and that the overall probability of proceeding to subsequent hysterectomy over 8 years was only 11%."

A less invasive technique such as this one is preferable to hysterectomy for most women with menorrhagia.

For the full abstract, click here.

Am J Obstet Gynecol 204(3):207.e1-207.e8, March 2011 © 2011 to Mosby, Inc.
Does hydrothermal ablation avoid hysterectomy? Long-term follow-up. Julia Kopeika, Simon E. Edmonds, Gautam Mehra, Mohamed A. Hefni.

Category: X. Female Genital System, Breast. Keywords: menorrhagia, amenorrhea rate, hysterectomy rate, hydrothermal ablation, retrospective cohort, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Linda French, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 5 April 2011

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.

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