Endometrial Ablation
What is Endometrial Ablation?
Endometrial Ablation is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure which is used to treat abnormal heavy bleeding.
The procedure:
The Endometrial Ablation procedure works by destroying the inside lining of the uterine cavity which is called the endometrium. This is the lining that grows and sheds along with all the menstrual blood every time a woman has a menstrual cycle.
Endometrial ablation uses thermal or radio frequency energy to heat the endometrial lining. This destroys and inactivates the lining. This stops or decreases the bleeding during the menstrual cycle.
Picture A – shows placement of the ablation device in the cavity
Picture B – heating the uterine lining with radiofrequency energy. This destroys or inactivates the lining of the uterus.
Who should under GO endometrial ablation?
The patients who make up the best candidates for endometrial ablation are those with heavy periods, normal uterus on ultrasound and have completed having children.
Who do not make good candidates for endometrial ablation
- Patients with enlarged uterus due to fibroids or adenomyosis
- Patients with other abnormalities of the uterus like thickening of the lining known as endometrial hyperplasia or endometrial cancer
- Patients who have bleeding in menopause.
Although the likelihood of becoming pregnant after ablation is significantly reduced, endometrial ablation cannot be used as a method of birth control. Patients who become pregnant after an endometrial ablation have a higher chance of miscarriage due to altered endometrial tissue architecture. Therefore, ablation is only recommended for women who are not planning on having any future pregnancies.
Recovery:
Recovery from this procedure is relatively easy with minimal pain for most patients.
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