End Heavy Periods

Most women lose about 1/4 cup of blood during their period, although it may seem like more. Some women have longer periods or heavier bleeding. Heavy bleeding is most common for women between ages 40 and 50, as they approach menopause. Losing too much blood can lead to anemia. It also can affect your ability to do the things you need to do and affect your quality of life. In most cases, medication is tried first. If the bleeding can’t be controlled, ablation may be an option.

Ablation is a minimally invasive treatment developed to reduce excessive menstrual bleeding in pre-menopausal women who are having heavy periods due to benign causes.

Ablation destroys a thin layer of the lining of the uterus. After the procedure most women will have light periods and a few women may have no periods at all. Ablation is for women done with childbearing. Although pregnancy is unlikely after ablation you need to keep using some form of birth control. Sterilization can also be performed at the time of ablation if desired.

The procedure which takes about 30 minutes to perform, is simple, minimally-invasive and can be performed in the office. It uses heat to treat the endometrium can be performed under local anesthesia and requires no incision. Recovery is fast - many women return to their normal activities the next day.

After the procedure, most women can expect light to moderate periods, or possibly no periods at all. To date, more than 400,000 women worldwide have been treated with ablation.

Gynecare thermachoice is one type of ablation used by our practice and can be performed in our office. (link to website?)
Are women satisfied with the results of GYNECARE THERMACHOICE?

• 93% of women are satisfied with the result after 5 years.
• Prior to the procedure, more than 70% of these women felt that their heavy periods had been having a negative impact on their lives. Following treatment, only about 2% felt that way after 3 years.
• Nearly 3 out of 4 of women treated 3 years (post-treatment) experienced a reduction in menstrual pain and cramping associated with their period.
• Nearly 2 out of 3 women reported mild or no PMS symptoms at 3 years.
• Three years after being treated, 79% of women had either normal, light or no bleeding at all.

Is It Right For Me?

THERMACHOICE is likely to be a good choice for you if:

• Your doctor has ruled out uterine conditions such as hyperplasia (hi-per-play-ze-a, a thickening of uterine tissue) as a cause of your heavy bleeding
• Your Pap smear and biopsy (a tissue sample from the inside of the uterus) are also normal
• You have not yet gone through menopause but are through with childbearing
• This is not a treatment for uterine cancer or precancerous conditions.

As with all endometrial ablation procedures, this procedure should not be used if you think you might want to become pregnant in the future. Pregnancy after endometrial ablation is unlikely, but potentially quite dangerous for you and the baby because the endometrial lining of the uterus, which you need to carry a baby to full term, is removed. There is still a chance that pregnancy could occur, however, so it is very important that you use birth control correctly and consistently after any endometrial ablation procedure.

How it works?

This is how the procedure is done, step by step:

• First, a soft, flexible balloon (made of a silicone material, which eliminates the risk of allergy for latex-sensitive women) attached to a thin catheter (tube) is inserted into the vagina, through the cervix, and placed gently into the uterus. No incision is required. Then, the balloon is inflated with a sterile fluid that expands the balloon to fit the size and shape of the uterus.

• The fluid in the balloon is heated and circulated for 8 minutes while the uterine lining is treated.

• When the treatment cycle is completed, all the fluid is withdrawn from the balloon, and the catheter is removed. Nothing remains in the uterus. The uterine lining has been treated and will slough off, or shed, like a period.

What will I feel during the procedure?

Before treatment, your doctor may give you medicine to reduce cramping during and after the procedure, although you may still feel some. You may also be given a mild sedative to help you relax, and your doctor may use local anesthesia to numb the cervix. You are unlikely to feel any sensation of heat as the fluid is circulated in the balloon.

The procedure can be performed under local or regional anesthesia. Some women and their doctors decide to have the procedure performed under general anesthesia. Your doctor can help you decide what type of anesthesia is best for you.

What will I feel after the procedure?

You may feel some cramping, as with a period. If you need it, your doctor may suggest an anti-inflammatory pain reliever such as ibuprofen to make you feel more comfortable. After 1 to 4 hours in the recovery room, you should be ready to go home, where you can rest for the remainder of the day

© 2007 Women Partners in OB-GYN