Endometrial Ablation
Endometrial Ablation is a surgical treatment used to remove (ablate) or destroy the uterine endometrium. The procedure's purpose is to reduce the amount of blood lost during menstrual cycles. Endometrial Ablation is most commonly used in women who have significant monthly bleeding and do not want to undergo a hysterectomy after medicinal treatment has failed.
Endometrial Ablation is often performed with minimally invasive techniques and no external incisions. Slender instruments are put into the uterus through the vagina. With rare cases, one of these instruments may be a camera (hysteroscopy) to aid with visualisation. Other methods that can be used to damage the endometrial lining include those that use electricity, high-energy radio waves, hot fluids, or frigid temperatures.
The operation is nearly always performed as an outpatient procedure, either in a hospital, ambulatory surgical centre, or doctor's office. Local and/or mild sedative anaesthesia is most usually used, however general or spinal anaesthesia may be used if necessary.
Following the surgery, the endometrium scars over, minimising or eliminating future uterine haemorrhage. Because the ovaries are kept intact, the patient's hormonal functioning will be unchanged. Because of the uterine abnormalities that occur following ablation, patients are unlikely to become pregnant after the surgery, and complications are common in pregnancies that do occur. Following Endometrial Ablation, patients are generally advised to use birth control techniques to avoid the related mortality risks.
The major rationale for Endometrial Ablation in premenopausal individuals is abnormal uterine bleeding, particularly persistent heavy monthly flow. These are often people for whom first-line medical treatment proved ineffective or contraindicated. Endometrial cancer, current pregnancy, and desire for future pregnancy are all absolute contraindications to performing Endometrial Ablation.