Endometrial ablation is a procedure involving removal (ablation) of the lining of the uterus (the endometrium). It is used to treat women with excessive menstrual bleeding who do not want to have hysterectomy. Endometrial ablation has several rare but serious complications.
Types
According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) website, the major complications of endometrial ablation include perforation or burns of the uterus, pulmonary edema (buildup of fluid in the lungs), pulmonary embolism (formation of blood clots in the lung) and tearing of the cervix.
Long-term complications of endometrial ablation include retrograde menstruation, hematometra (bleeding of the uterus), postablation tubal sterilization syndrome and delay in the diagnosis of endometrial cancer, according to a review published in "Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology."
Methods of Ablation
There are several methods of endometrial ablation, which can be classified into thermal ablation (using laser beam, radio frequency or thermal balloon), electric ablation, cryo-ablation (freezing) and microwave, according to ASRM.org. Different methods cause different types of short-term complications. For instance, burns of the uterus normally are associated with thermal ablation.
Size
According to a review published in "Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology," the overall rate of complication is roughly one in every 1,000 procedures. The use of thermal balloon for endometrial ablation results in the fewest number of complications, roughly one in 1,800 procedures.
Recovery
According to ASRM.org, the recovery period following endometrial ablation ranges from a few days to two weeks.
Pregnancy after Endometrial Ablation
Roughly 0.7 percent of women undergoing endometrial ablation will become pregnant. Pregancy after endometrial ablation comes with several complications. According to a review published in "Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology," roughly one in three pregnancies after endometrial ablation will result in premature birth. The prenatal mortality rate among these pregancies is roughly one in eight.
