Endometrial ablation: normal appearance and complications.

Area of Science:

• Gynecology
• Radiology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery

Background:

• Global endometrial ablation is a frequent minimally invasive procedure for abnormal uterine bleeding and menorrhagia.
• The advent of non-resectoscopic techniques has increased endometrial ablation utilization due to accessibility and reduced OR time.
• Increased procedure performance necessitates enhanced radiologist understanding of post-ablation imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the expected imaging appearances of the uterus following global endometrial ablation across various modalities.
• To demonstrate common and rare complications associated with endometrial ablation, both immediate and remote.

Main Methods:

• Review of imaging modalities used for post-endometrial ablation assessment.
• Documentation of expected post-procedural uterine appearances.
• Illustration of immediate and delayed complications.

Main Results:

• Detailed descriptions of normal post-ablation imaging findings.
• Visual examples of common complications such as fluid collections and hematometra.
• Identification of rare complications and their imaging characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Radiologists must be familiar with diverse imaging modalities to accurately interpret post-endometrial ablation changes.
• Understanding expected findings and potential complications is crucial for effective patient management and diagnosis.
• This review aids in the accurate assessment of patients undergoing or who have undergone endometrial ablation.