Microwave endometrial ablation for menorrhagia in patients with systemic disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of microwave endometrial ablation (MEA) in the treatment of menorrhagia in patients with severe systemic disease or medical conditions. METHODS: Forty-two menorrhagic women undergoing systemic disorders with failure of medical management were treated with MEA under local or general anesthesia, and were followed-up for 1 year. RESULTS: The women had a mean age of 39.4 years (range, 17-49). The procedure was successfully completed in all patients, and no intraoperative complications occurred. Two cases died of their primary severe medical diseases within 2 months of treatment but these cases were not associated with MEA. Among the remaining 40 patients, 24 (60.0%) had amenorrhea within 12 months. The duration of hospitalization and the amount of blood transfusion were significantly reduced after treatment, and the quality of life of these patients was improved significantly. CONCLUSIONS: MEA is a safe and effective treatment for the management of severe menorrhagia in patients undergoing systemic illness or severe medical conditions.