Cavaterm thermal balloon ablation for the treatment of menorrhagia

Fifty patients due to undergo endometrial ablation as a treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding were recruited to assess the efficacy and safety of a new thermal balloon ablation system (Cavaterm). The patients were followed up for a mean of 14 months (range 6-24): 34 (68%) have complete amenorrhoea, 12 (24%) only have spotting, two (4%) are eumenorrhoeic, and two (4%) have had failed treatments. There were no major complications, but two patients have required oral antibiotics for suspected endometritis. Although these preliminary results are encouraging, all patients remain under review to determine long term effect of the procedure. Further evaluation is also underway in the form of a randomised trial against endometrial laser ablation.