Thermachoice Endometrial Ablation Reduces Menstral Bleeding
An endometrial ablation refers to a procedure that
destroys the lining of the uterus, the endometrium,
which is the portion that bleeds each month. The
purpose of an ablation is to reduce the amount of menstrual
bleeding, making it tolerable or in some cases, none
at all. Endometrial ablation is not right
for everyone. Certain uterine conditions may
not respond well to this procedure. An ablation
should not be performed if there is uterine cancer
present and it should not be performed on any woman who
desires to have children in the future. The Thermachoice
endometrial ablation is a procedure that may be preformed
either in the office setting or as an outpatient procedure. When
done in the office setting, the patient is given medications
prior to the procedure to reduce anxiety and discomfort.
The Thermachoice Procedure
The Thermachoice device consists of a balloon system,
in which a heating element is inside the device. The
deflated balloon is then filled to the appropriate
pressure with a sugar-water solution and the device
inside the balloon heats the fluid to a preset temperature. The
balloon forms to the cavity of the uterus, thus allowing
all surfaces to be appropriately treated. The
treatment time is only 8 minutes. The entire
thermachoice endometrial ablation takes an approximate
20 minutes, which includes the numbing process around
the cervix and the hysteroscopy, looking inside the
uterus with a small camera and the actual ablation
with the balloon.
By performing the procedure
in the office, patients do not need to be fasting,
in fact it is recommended to eat something small prior
to the procedure. Patients need to take less
time off work and in most cases, are able to return
to work in 1-3 days.
Patients Who Benefit from the Endometrial Ablation
The thermachoice endometrial ablation system has been
successfully used for over 10 years and has had many
improvements to the system in this time period. It
is successful in 98% of women who have it done, and
approximately 45% of women will have no menstrual periods. A
common symptom patients may experience during the procedure
is mild cramping. The patient is provided with
a heating pad, in addition to the medications given
minutes prior to the procedure, to help reduce cramping. Some
patients may experience transient symptoms such as
dry mouth, ringing in the ears and heart racing for
a few minutes at the time of the cervical numbing early
in the procedure. These symptoms go away within
a few minutes. Following the thermachoice, patients
may experience a watery vaginal discharge lasting for
three to six weeks, which may begin within a week of
having the procedure. The patient may also experience
a heavy menstrual cycle during this same time period. Mild
to moderate cramping is also expected in most people
for 24-48 hours following the procedure, for which
pain medications are provided.
Contact Us for More Information
Please call the office for more information and we
will be happy to assist you or visit the Thermachoice
web site at www.gynecare.com.
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