Thermal effects of microwaves can treat menorrhagia: microwave endometrial ablation

Abstract

Menorrhagia is a disabling condition for which many women seek medical help. It is preferable to use medical instead of surgical treatment, especially if the woman desires to retain her childbearing potential or will be undergoing natural menopause within a short time. The management options after failed medical therapy have tended to be surgical. Hysterectomy is the definitive treatment, however, it is a major operation with all the attendant morbidity and mortality. Endometrial ablation means destruction of the endometrium performed by various techniques, which is a less invasive alternative to hysterectomy. Microwave endometrial ablation is one of the most promising ablative techniques developed in the past 10 years. With microwave endometrial ablation using a curved applicator to treat excessive menstrual blood loss in an enlarged uterus with a distorted uterine cavity, the incidence of hysterectomy should decrease.