Comparison of Combined Bipolar Radiofrequency Impedance-Controlled Endometrial Ablation with Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System versus Bipolar Radiofrequency Endometrial Ablation Alone in Women with Abnormal Uterine Bleeding

Abstract

Study ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the combination of bipolar radiofrequency impedance-controlled endometrial ablation (NovaSure; Hologic Inc., Bedford, MA) and levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS; Mirena; Schering AG, Berlin, Germany) placement in comparison with NovaSure endometrial ablation alone in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). DesignA propensity score matching study. SettingBeijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. PatientsA retrospective study was conducted on 246 patients with AUB who underwent NovaSure endometrial ablation with (NovaSure+LNG-IUS group) or without (NovaSure group) LNG-IUS between January 2013 and August 2016. To overcome selection bias, propensity score matching was used to establish a 1:1 match between these 2 groups. Accordingly, 41 patients were included in each group. InterventionNovaSure endometrial ablation, immediately followed by LNG-IUS insertion in the NovaSure+LNG-IUS group, and NovaSure endometrial ablation alone in the control group. Measurements and Main ResultsFollow-up assessments performed at postablation months 6, 12, and 24 revealed the following: The rate of amenorrhea (78.05% vs 46.34%, 85.37% vs 53.65%, and 87.80% vs 58.54%, respectively; p <.005) and the rate of dysmenorrhea remission (100% vs 70.59%, 100% vs 64.70%, and 100% vs 64.70% [p <.05, p <.01, and p <.01], respectively) were significantly higher in the NovaSure+LNG-IUS group than in the NovaSure group. The rate of reinterventions was similar for both groups at postablation month 6. However, at postablation months 12 and 24, these rates were significantly lower in the NovaSure+LNG-IUS group than in the NovaSure group (0 vs 14.63% and 2.44% vs 21.95% [p <.05 and p <.01], respectively). ConclusionFor women with AUB, the combination of NovaSure endometrial ablation and LNG-IUS is more effective than NovaSure alone in achieving amenorrhea, alleviating dysmenorrhea and reducing reinterventions.