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

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate our first experience with thermal balloon therapy of abnormal uterine bleeding. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1st Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSION: Thermal balloon endometrial ablation appears to be safe due to its minimal invasivity especially in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding with concomitant polymorbidity.