ENDOMETRIAL ABLATION

Course overview

ENDOMETRIAL ABLATION IS A MINIMALLY INVASIVE GYNECOLOGIC SURGICAL PROCEDURE DESIGNED TO ALLEVIATE ABNORMAL UTERINE BLEEDING IN WOMEN WHO HAVE MET THE DESIRED PARITY. ABNORMAL UTERINE BLEEDING IS DEFINED AS HEAVY, IRREGULAR, OR INTERMENSTRUAL BLEEDING. THE ABLATION IS DESIGNED TO REMOVE THE ENDOMETRIAL LINING OF THE UTERINE CAVITY. IN THE PAST, HEAVY MENSTRUAL BLEEDING WAS FREQUENTLY TREATED WITH A HYSTERECTOMY, BUT ENDOMETRIAL ABLATION IS ADVANTAGEOUS IN THAT IT CAN BE DONE QUICKLY AS AN OUTPATIENT PROCEDURE, IS RELATIVELY PAINLESS, AND REQUIRES MINIMAL RECOVERY TIME. IT MAY BE AN OPTION FOR WOMEN WHO DO WANT A MAJOR SURGERY SUCH AS A HYSTERECTOMY. THIS ACTIVITY PRESENTS THE INDICATIONS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, AND COMPLICATIONS OF ENDOMETRIAL ABLATION AND HIGHLIGHTS THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM'S ROLE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HEAVY MENSTRUAL BLEEDING IN REPRODUCTIVE-AGE WOMEN.