[Personal experience with thermoablation of the endometrium with the Thermachoice balloon catheter]

To evaluate our first experience with thermal balloon therapy of abnormal uterine bleeding.

Prospective study.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1st Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague.

Ten procedures of balloon thermal endometrial ablations were performed between November 1998 and February 1999. From ten patients with abnormal uterine bleeding, 4 patients with concomitant polymorbidity (sclerosis multiplex, hypertension, hepatopathia, pyelonephritis) where more invasive intervention was not recommended or was contraindicated. Treatment entailed controlled heating of intrauterine balloon. Local anaesthesia-paracervical block with analgosedation was employed in 50% of procedures and general anaesthesia was employed in 50% of cases. Follow up after 3, 6, 12, 24 months is required. Success was defined as the reduction of menses to eumenorrhoea or less.

Preliminary results after 6 months follow up are successful in 100%; in 5 (50%) cases we recorded amenorrhoea, in 2 (20%) cases hypomenorrhoea and in 3 (30%) cases eumenorrhoea.

Thermal balloon endometrial ablation appears to be safe due to its minimal invasivity especially in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding with concomitant polymorbidity.