SAN FRANCISCO — A retrospective study involving 6 years of experience with microwave endometrial ablation revealed that almost 87% of 660 women were satisfied with the outcome of the procedure.
Overall, 80% of the women avoided hysterectomy over the long term, and 41% achieved amenorrhea, said Sherif Tawfeek, M.D., who acknowledged receiving grant support from Microsulis Americas Inc., which manufactures equipment for microwave endometrial ablation.
All patients were treated at Dr. Tawfeek's institution, Royal United Hospital in Bath, England, he said at the annual meeting of the American Asso- ciation of Gynecologic Laparoscopists.
When the endometrial ablation clinic at the hospital began performing the microwave procedure in 1994, all patients underwent general anesthesia. But by 2000, about half the patients were undergoing the procedure under local anesthesia.
The mean patient age was 43 years, with a range of 25-57 years. Cavity length averaged 87 mm, with a range of 50-130 mm. The average treatment time was 246 seconds, with a range of 47-810 seconds.
The treatment time was directly correlated with the cavity length, with 111- to 115-mm cavities taking more than 7 minutes, 91- to 95-mm cavities taking a bit less than 4 minutes, and 60- to 70-mm cavities taking less than 2 minutes.
Of the original group of 660 patients, 641 (97%) were followed for at least 6 months. Of those patients, five underwent incidental hysterectomy, mostly for reasons related to cancer. Of the remainder, 78% were satisfied with their first microwave endometrial ablation.
Of the patients who were dissatisfied, about half were satisfied by a second endometrial ablation procedure, for a total satisfaction rate of 87%. The remaining 13% of patients underwent hysterectomy.