Long-term outcome of hysteroscopic endometrial ablation without endometrial preparation

OBJECTIVE: To describe the three-step hysteroscopic endometrial ablation (EA) technique without endometrial preparation, and its long-term outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Four hundred and thirty-eight premenopausal women with menorrhagia or menometrorrhagia underwent three-step hysteroscopic EA, which consists of rollerball ablation of the fundus and cornual regions, a cutting loop endomyometrial resection of the rest of the cavity, and rollerball redessication of the whole pre-ablated uterine cavity. The main outcome measures were menstrual status, level of satisfaction with the procedure, and the need for repeat ablation or hysterectomy. Questionnaires were completed for 385 women (87.9%) with a mean follow-up of 48.2 months. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-four responders (47.8%) reported amenorrhea; 177 (46%) had light to normal flow. One patient (0.3%) underwent repeat ablation and 20 (5.2%) underwent hysterectomy: 15 (3.9%) because of endometrial ablation failure and 5 (1.3%) because of indications unrelated to the ablation (three cases of atypical endometrial hyperplasia and two cases of fibroids). Two hundred and ninety-two patients (75.8%) were very satisfied, and 78 (20.3%) satisfied with the results. No major complications occurred and three women (0.8%) became pregnant during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: EA is safe and effective means of treating of menorrhagia and menometrorrhagia in premenopausal women, and helps avoid hysterectomy in 95% of patients suffering from heavy bleeding, with or without uterine fibroids. Women should be informed that the procedure is not contraceptive and that pregnancy is possible after treatment.     

Subtotal vaginal hysterectomy: A new role for an old procedure

Patients with persistent uterine bleeding that is unresponsive to conservative therapy may opt for endometrial ablation over total hysterectomy because of concerns over subsequent sexual dysfunction or other nonclinical issues. Twelve such women with healthy cervices who failed endometrial ablation, and eight candidates for ablation were offered subtotal vaginal hysterectomy as a definitive primary surgical intervention instead of endometrial ablation. Our experience suggests the safety and utility of subtotal vaginal hysterectomy in properly selected patients. Randomized, comparative studies of this technique as an alternative to hysteroscopic ablation or resection may be warranted.     

Hysteroscopic surgery does not adversely affect the long-term prognosis of women with endometrial adenocarcinoma

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of hysteroscopic surgery on the long-term clinical outcome of women diagnosed with endometrial cancer. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). SETTING: University-affiliated teaching hospital. PATIENTS: From January 1990 through December 2005, the principal author (GAV) performed primary hysteroscopic surgery in 3401 women with abnormal uterine bleeding. Among these women, there were 16 occult and 3 known endometrial cancers. INTERVENTIONS: All women underwent hysteroscopic evaluation and partial (n = 8) or complete (n = 11) rollerball electrocoagulation and/or endomyometrial resection. After diagnosis of endometrial malignancy, women were counseled regarding their disease and management, in accordance with established clinical practice guidelines. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 14 years and was conducted by office visits and telephone interviews. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Among the 3401 women, there were 19 women with endometrial adenocarcinoma, 3 of whom were known to harbor cancer before hysteroscopic surgery. One woman refused hysterectomy and remains alive and well 5 years after total hysteroscopic endomyometrial resection. Two women wished to maintain fertility; 1 consented to hysterectomy after incomplete resection of her lesion. The other was treated with progestins. Her cancer reverted to complex hyperplasia, and she requested hysterectomy 4 years later. No residual cancer was found. After 5 years of follow-up, 1 patient died from carcinoma of the gallbladder (2 years), and 2 died at 4 years; 1 at the age of 87 years of natural causes and the other at the age of 86 years from acute renal failure unrelated to her cancer. Fourteen women remain alive and well at 5 to 14 years of follow-up. Two additional women remain alive and well at 1 and 4 years of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Resectoscopic surgery did not adversely affect the 5-year survival and the long-term prognosis in 14 women with endometrial cancer.     

Reoperative hysteroscopic surgery in the management of patients who fail endometrial ablation and resection

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety and efficacy of reoperative hysteroscopic surgery for women who fail endometrial ablation and resection. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review and follow-up (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: Private office practice. PATIENTS: Twenty-six women who had undergone endometrial ablation or resection and experienced failure characterized by intolerable pain, bleeding, or asymptomatic hematometra. INTERVENTION: Sonographically guided hysteroscopic endomyometrial resection. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Mean length of time from initial treatment for abnormal uterine bleeding and reoperative hysteroscopic surgery was 41.2 +/- 47.9 months. Five (19.2%) women required simple dilatation and 21 (80.8%) required endocervical resection to achieve access to the uterine cavity. There were no operative complications. Mean operating time was 20.3 +/- 9.5 minutes. Mean specimen weight was 6.7 +/- 4.9 g. Adenomyosis was present in 15 (57.7%) specimens. Women were followed for a mean of 23.2 +/- 22.7 months. Twenty-three (88.5%) achieved satisfactory results and avoided hysterectomy. Three women (11.5%) eventually required hysterectomy because of recurrent pain or bleeding. CONCLUSION: Reoperative hysteroscopy is useful in managing women after failed endometrial ablation and resection. It produces excellent results in achieving amenorrhea and relief of cyclic pelvic pain, thereby avoiding hysterectomy in most patients.     

Hysteroscopic resection of endometrial polyps: a study of 195 cases

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the therapeutic efficiency of hysteroscopic resection for the treatment of endometrial polyps in women with abnormal uterine bleeding and postmenopausal metrorrhagia. SETTING: University hospital. DESIGN: Retrospective consecutive patient follow-up. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From 1987 to 1997, 195 patients with haemorrhagic endometrial polyps were treated with hysteroscopic resection in our department. RESULTS: Five complications occurred, but no major complications were noted. A total of 89.2% of the patients remained in contact after hospitalization. After long term follow-up (5.2 years), successful results were obtained in 80% of the patients with polyp resection without associated endometrial ablation. Further surgery (hysterectomy) was required in only five women. CONCLUSION: Transcervical resection is the gold standard for treatment of endometrial polyps.     

Endometrial adenocarcinoma encountered at the time of hysteroscopic endometrial ablation

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic accuracy and possible role of treatment of hysteroscopic endometrial resection in women with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) diagnosed with endometrial adenocarcinoma. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: University-affiliated center. PATIENTS: Thirteen women with AUB and eight with postmenopausal bleeding. INTERVENTION: Preablation endometrial office biopsy and hysteroscopic evaluation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Preablation endometrial biopsy was inadequate, inconclusive, or difficult to obtain in these women, and endometrial cancer was found at the time of resectoscopic surgery. Total endomyometrial resection including the tubal ostia was completed in eight women (group 1) and partial resection in five (group 2). Endometrial adenocarcinoma was confirmed histologically in all patients. A small focus of cancer was found in only two women in group 1 after total resection; in one the procedure was performed 9 years earlier and in the other it was completed hastily after absorption of 800 ml of 1.5% glycine irrigation solution. In women in group 2 malignancy was highly suspected and total resection was considered unwise. CONCLUSION: All patients were alive and well 0.5 to 9 years after hysterectomy, with no evidence of recurrent cancer.     

Perioperative predictors of successful hysteroscopic endometrial ablation

OBJECTIVE: To determine which perioperative factors influence the success of hysteroscopic endometrial ablation in patients with menorrhagia. STUDY DESIGN: A longitudinal study of 128 women who underwent hysteroscopic endometrial ablation or resection. Clinical data included age, uterine size, the presence of intramural or submucosal myomas and polyps, and length of follow-up from initial hysteroscopic ablation to re-ablation or hysterectomy ('failure'). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazard regression were used to evaluate the equality of survival distributions and to model the overall effects of the various predictor variables on surgical outcomes. RESULTS: Patients were followed for a median time of 44 months. Thirteen women (10.2%) underwent a second operative procedure. Multivariate analysis identified submucosal myoma as a statistically significant positive predictor of the risk of failure [hazard ratio (HR) 5.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.63, 16.73)]. Older age was associated with a marginally lower risk of subsequent surgery (HR 0.90 per additional year of age, 95% CI = 0.81, 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of submucosal myoma increases the risk of subsequent surgery in patients undergoing endometrial ablation.     

Resectoscopic removal of symptomatic intrauterine lesions

In order to avoid major surgical intervention in women who refused or were poor risks for hysterectomy or myomectomy, a hysteroscopic resectoscope was used for 90 women with uncontrollable uterine bleeding due to submucous fibroids or large polyps or with menorrhagia with normal endometria. Of those patients followed for more than three months, 90% of endometrial ablation patients had an improvement in menstrual flow, with 79% having scant or no periods. For patients with submucous fibroids or polyps, 91% had resumption of normal menses. For the 15 patients who were infertile and underwent submucous fibroid or polyp resection the term pregnancy rate is 33% to date. With only two complications in the series (perforation and endometritis), the conclusion is that resection of submucous lesions and endometrial ablation using the resectoscope is a safe and highly effective alternative to hysterectomy for those conditions.     

Long-term impact and risk factors for hysterectomy after hysteroscopic surgery for menorrhagia

The objective of this study was to assess the long-term impact of management and establish the incidence of hysterectomy, and to identify factors predictive of failure of the procedure among women who had undergone hysteroscopic endometrial resection with or without myomectomy for menorrhagia. Clinical history and data on additional treatment and follow-up status were obtained by medical record review and postal questionnaire for 279 women who had undergone hysteroscopic surgery. Follow-up data were available for 259 (93%) cases, and the mean follow-up was 6.0 years. Subsequent hysterectomy was the primary endpoint, and its incidence was calculated by survival analysis. Univariant analysis and Cox regression model were used to identify predictors of failure. Myomas, polyps, adenomyosis, or endometrial hyperplasia were found in 40.9% of hysteroscopic procedures. Perioperative complications occurred in 5.7% and late complications in 7.7%. During the follow-up period, 97 (37.5%) of 259 women underwent at least one gynecological procedure. The incidence of hysterectomy was 23.6% (95% confidence interval: 18.8–29.1%). Positive predictive factors for hysterectomy were long uterine cavity (≥9 cm) and tubal ligation. Most (82.8%) of the 198 women who did not undergo hysterectomy had postoperative oligo- or amenorrhea. Hormone replacement therapy was common (67%) among postmenopausal women after endometrial resection. Hysteroscopic resection of the endometrium and concomitant hysteroscopic resection of fibroids for the treatment of menorrhagia is a suitable alternative to hysterectomy and offers lasting results. A large uterine cavity indicating possible uterine pathology and tubal ligation associated with hematometra increase the risk of hysterectomy.     

The role of Essure sterilization performed simultaneously with endometrial ablation

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review operative procedures, specific risks, complications and evaluation of efficacy of Essure tubal sterilization performed simultaneously with endometrial ablation. RECENT FINDINGS: Dysfunctional uterine bleeding is a significant health problem in premenopausal women. Endometrial ablation is an effective therapeutic option for the management of menorrhagia and an alternative to hysterectomy. Most women undergoing endometrial ablation are of reproductive age, and, because pregnancy after endometrial ablation could be complicated, many of these women require permanent birth control. Since the introduction of Essure tubal sterilization, this permanent contraception method has been widely used and offers an hysteroscopic approach similar to endometrial ablation techniques. Combining these two procedures offers the advantage of performing the two procedures simultaneously, but inherent rules and technical procedures must be followed to avoid any kind of injury such as heat conduction, material injuries, specific complications and specific follow-up. SUMMARY: The combination of safety and efficacy of endometrial ablation and hysteroscopic sterilization makes a compelling argument for their concomitant use.     

Long-term results of hysteroscopic myomectomy in 235 patients

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of transcervical resection of submucous fibroids according to type and size. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective follow-up of 235 women with submucous fibroids at outpatient hysteroscopy who underwent a hysteroscopic transcervical resection. The main indications were the abnormal uterine bleeding and fertility problems. Thirty-seven percent of patients had an associated endometrial ablation and 32% had a polyp resection. Fifty-one percent of women were menopausal. In cases of incomplete resection a repeat procedure was offered. RESULTS: Intra-operative complications were rare (2.6%) and there was no major complication. Eighty-four percent of cases were followed-up. The median follow-up was 40 months (range 18-66 months). The procedure was classed as a success in 94.4% of patients. Among the cases that were classed as a failure, four patients had a repeated hysteroscopic procedure, three patients had a subsequent hysterectomy and four patients presented with abnormal uterine bleeding at follow-up. CONCLUSION: The hysteroscopic transcervical resection of submucous fibroids is a safe and highly effective long-term therapy for carefully selected women presenting with abnormal uterine bleeding and fertility problems. It produces satisfactory long-term results with few complications.     

Uterovaginal canalization and endometrial ablation of the obstructed uterine horn with hypoplastic cervix in the didelphic uterus

Maldevelopment of the mullerian duct system may result in various urogenital anomalies including didelphic uterus with a hypoplastic cervix. Two women with this anomaly experienced symptoms including recurrent lower abdominal pain off and on of 1 to 2 years' duration. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a double uterus with right hematometrium both patients. After hysteroscopic identification of hypoplasia of right uterine cervix, laparoscopic resection of the hematosalpinx, followed by uterovaginal canalization and prophylactic endometrial ablation of the right uterus was successfully performed by resectoscope. Normal menstruation ensued during follow-up of 18 and 24 months, respectively. Our experience suggests that uterovaginal canalization with prophylactic endometrial ablation may be an efficacious alternative to hysterectomy for management of didelphic uterus with a hypoplastic cervix. (J Am Assoc Gynecol Laparosc 8(1):151-153, 2001)     

Hysteroscopic resection of endometrial hyperplasia

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of hysteroscopic resection of endometrial hyperplasia without atypia. DESIGN: Pilot feasibility study (Canadian Task Force classification II-1). SETTING: Department of gynecology at a general hospital. PATIENTS: Seventy-three women. Intervention. Transcervical hysteroscopic endometrial resection under general or spinal anesthesia. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Efficacy of treatment was based on hysteroscopic and histologic regression of endometrial hyperplasia and subjectively assessed uterine bleeding. Safety was evaluated by adverse events. Forty-four cycling women experienced complete remission of uterine bleeding and none had persistence of endometrial hyperplasia during follow-up; four underwent hysterectomy. Atrophic endometrium was present in 24 menopausal women, one of whom underwent hysterectomy. CONCLUSION: Endometrial resection was effective in achieving regression of endometrial hyperplasia and preventing its recurrence. (J Am Assoc Gynecol Laparosc 6(2):151-154, 1999)     

A randomized prospective study of the use of endometrial ablation for prevention of recurrent endometrial polyps in breast cancer patients receiving tamoxifen

Objective: To assess the roles of endometrial ablation in prevention of recurrence of tamoxifen-associated endometrial polyps in breast cancer patients.Design: A randomized prospective study of tamoxifen-treated patients who underwent hysteroscopic removal of endometrial polyps with or without simultaneous resection of the endometrium.Materials and Methods: Twenty consecutive women (aged 43–61 years) undergoing hysteroscopic removal of tamoxifen-associated endometrial polyps were randomized via a computer-generated random table to undergo or not to undergo concomitant endometrial ablation. All patients had undergone endometrial sampling prior to the procedure. The patients were followed for at least 18 months (range 18–24 months). The follow-up included transvaginal ultrasonography every 6 months and hysteroscopy when endometrial irregularity was noted. The main outcome variable was recurrence of endometrial polyps while the occurrence of uterine bleeding was noted.Results: In the 10 study group women, who underwent endometrial ablation, only 1 patient had a 1 × 1 cm endometrial polyp diagnosed and removed during the follow-up period. Seven of the study women remained amenorrheic, and 3 experienced spotting a few days every month. In the control group, a recurrent endometrial polyp, necessitating hysteroscopic removal, was diagnosed postoperatively in 6 women (two-tailed Fisher’s Exact test; P < .06).Conclusion: Recurrence of endometrial polyps, one of the most common problems in breast cancer patients receiving long-term treatment with tamoxifen, can be significantly reduced by performing endometrial ablation at the time of hysteroscopic removal of the polyp. The possible risk of occult endometrial cancer is yet to be determined.     

Endometrial cancer following endometrial resection

Endometrial ablation has emerged as a viable alternative to hysterectomy in the treatment of medically intractable dysfunctional uterine bleeding. However, this procedure cannot guarantee complete removal of the entire endometrium. Cases of endometrial cancer after endometrial ablation have been reported in the literature. We reviewed the cases of patients who underwent hysteroscopic endometrial ablation by endometrial resection for abnormal uterine bleeding from 1994 to 2005 at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Polyclinique, Clermont-Ferrand University. Of the 3769 patients having had hysteroresections, four developed endometrial cancer after complete endometrial ablation (1.06 out of 1000). All four of these patients showed histological evidence of endometrial polyps at endometrial resection, and all of them presented risk factors for endometrial carcinoma, such as obesity and/or arterial hypertension. Endometrial cancer after hysteroscopic endometrial ablation is a rare but possible occurrence, even a long time after the operation. Close monitoring of patients who have undergone endometrial ablation for endometrial polyps and who present risk factors, such as obesity or hypertension, even after apparent total ablation of the endometrium is strongly recommended, independently of the presence of abnormal bleeding that can represent a late symptom of advanced endometrial cancer.     

The effect of increasing age on the outcome of hysteroscopic endometrial resection for management of dysfunctional uterine bleeding

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the outcome of hysteroscopic endometrial resection for dysfunctional uterine bleeding according to women's age. DESIGN: Long-term follow-up by telephone interview (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: University-affiliated medical center. Patients. One hundred sixty-nine women with abnormal uterine bleeding unresponsive to conservative medical management. INTERVENTION: Hysteroscopic endometrial resection. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Questionnaires were completed for 162 (95.9%) patients with mean +/- SD follow-up of 32 +/- 17 months. The frequency of postoperative complications was not related to age. After ablation, the rate of amenorrhea was significantly higher in 31 women age 50 years or older than in younger women (p <0.001), and also in 72 women age 45 to 49 than in 59 age 44 or less (p <0.05). Complete relief of dysmenorrhea was achieved significantly more often in women age 45 to 49 (p <0.005) and 50 or older (p <0.05) than in those age 44 or younger. Dissatisfaction with the outcome of endometrial resection was uncommon, but most frequent among women age 44 or younger (p <0.10). There was no difference in the proportion of women requiring second ablation or hysterectomy in any age group. CONCLUSION: Significantly higher rates of amenorrhea and complete relief of dysmenorrhea after endometrial resection are achieved in older than in younger women.     

Resectoscopic surgery in 10 women with abnormal uterine bleeding and atypical endometrial hyperplasia

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of the resectoscope in the diagnosis and treatment of women with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) and atypical endometrial hyperplasia. DESIGN: Retrospective case series (Canadian Task Force classification III-3). SETTING: University-affiliated teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Ten women. Intervention. Hysteroscopic evaluation after preoperative endometrial biopsy indicated simple hyperplasia without atypia, complex hyperplasia with atypia, or inadequate specimen. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Atypical hyperplasia was confirmed in eight patients after total endomyometrial resection. Hysterectomy was offered to all patients but accepted by only two: one for bilateral ovarian serous cystadenomas and the second for a granulosa cell ovarian tumor. No residual endometrium was found in hysterectomy specimens. Seven women were amenorrheic and well 1 to 9 years after resection. An additional patient with amenorrhea died from colon cancer 2 years after resection. CONCLUSION: Resectoscopic surgery confirmed or detected atypical endometrial hyperplasia in eight women and excluded it in two patients with AUB and a previous diagnosis of simple hyperplasia, atypical hyperplasia, or inadequate specimen. Skillful resectoscopic surgery may be an alternative to hysterectomy in selected patients with atypical hyperplasia who are compliant with regular and long-term follow-up.     

Why Do Women Choose Endometrial Ablation Rather Than Hysterectomy?

Objective: To determine why women choose endometrial ablation rather than hysterectomy for the treatment of menorrhagia.

Design: Observational study based on postal questionnaires.

Setting: A university hospital.

Patient(s): One hundred eighty randomly selected patients from a cohort of 658 patients who underwent endometrial ablation for the treatment of menorrhagia during the past 7 years.

Intervention(s): None.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Patient attitude about endometrial ablation.

Result(s): One hundred six questionnaires (58.9%) were completed satisfactorily. The average postoperative follow-up period was 45.1 months (range, 3–80 months). Eleven women (10.4%) had undergone repeated endometrial ablation and 8 (7.5%) had undergone hysterectomy. More than half the women indicated that they would find endometrial ablation acceptable even if there was no chance of amenorrhea, if the probability of menstruation becoming lighter was ≥4:10, if the likelihood of menstrual pain decreasing was ≥3:10, if the chance of requiring repeated endometrial ablation or hysterectomy was ≤1:4, and if the risk of uterine cancer after surgery was ≤1:200. The three most important advantages of endometrial ablation over hysterectomy were perceived to be the avoidance of major surgery, the fast return to normal functioning, and the short hospitalization.

Conclusion(s): Most women who choose endometrial ablation rather than hysterectomy as therapy for menorrhagia are prepared to undergo hysteroscopic surgery even if the chance of success is relatively poor.     

Hysteroscopic endometrial resection versus laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy for menorrhagia: a prospective randomized trial

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to compare the relative efficacy and safety of hysteroscopic endometrial resection and laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy in the treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred eighty-one patients affected by menometrorrhagia and unresponsive to medical treatment agreed to be randomized to either laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy or hysteroscopic endometrial ablation. They were monitored for 2 years to evaluate perioperative and postoperative outcomes, resolution of symptoms, and patient satisfaction. RESULTS: Duration of hospitalization, period of convalescence, perioperative complications, and resumption of normal activity were similar between the two groups. Operative time was significantly shorter in the hysteroscopic group, but patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the laparoscopic group. CONCLUSION: For the treatment of menorrhagia, hysterectomy has the distinct advantage of being curative but the disadvantage of being more invasive than the hysteroscopic approach. However, laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy preserves the curative effect of hysterectomy without its increased surgical invasiveness, as suggested by the current study.     

Emergency endometrial resection in women with acute, severe uterine bleeding

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of endometrial hysteroscopic resection in the treatment of severe uterine bleeding. DESIGN: Pilot feasibility study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: Department of gynecology at a general hospital. PATIENTS: Twenty-six women with severe uterine bleeding. INTERVENTION: Hysteroscopic transcervical endometrial resection under general anesthesia. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Bleeding had a benign organic cause in 25 women. One endometrial carcinoma was detected in endometrial chips in a postmenopausal woman and was managed with hysterectomy. Fifteen cycling women experienced complete remission of uterine bleeding; one underwent hysterectomy during follow-up. Atrophic endometrium was present in nine menopausal women during follow up. CONCLUSION: Endometrial transcervical resection was effective in controlling heavy bleeding, preventing future episodes of severe bleeding, and avoiding further medical or surgical treatment during 19 months of follow-up.