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| Alternative to HysterectomyThermachoice® Balloon Novasure® Ablation
These treatments are an alternative to hysterectomy for women who are having heavy periods or flooding due to benign causes. It is done on pre-menopausal women who have completed childbearing. It could also be used for post-menopausal women annoyed by bothersome periods induced by hormone replacement therapy as long as there is no indication of cancerous or pre-cancerous conditions. Excessive menstrual bleeding is a debilitating condition affected approximately 22% of all menstruating women. Women with this condition may have anemia, dizziness, weakness, or passing from hemorrhage. For other women, menstrual flooding affects their ability to function effectively in the workplace because of the hazard and embarrassment associated with soiling of clothing. "Normal women change their pads 3-6 times a day", said Dr. Dott. "A woman who has to wear double pads or a tampon and pad and change more than 6-10 times a day is having abnormal bleeding. Certainly, passing large clots is abnormal." Excessive menstrual bleeding accounts for more than 30% of the 600,000 hysterectomies performed in the United States each year. Hysterectomy, the second most frequently performed female operation in the United States (surpassed on by Cesarean section), is the most common surgical treatment. A hysterectomy is a definitive cure but is often accompanied by other problems including a 2-6 day hospital stay, significant post surgical pain, and a convalescence of 4-6 weeks. The Therachoice Balloon therapy or the Novasure Endometrial Ablation are big improvements over the traditional endometrial ablation because they require simpler equipment, less time, and less surgical skills. They are indicated for women who have unacceptable menstrual bleeding with an anatomically normal uterus (no or small fibroids). In the balloon procedure, a specially constructed balloon is placed within the uterus and a sterile fluid, heated to 188O F, is pumped through the balloon. The super heated fluid destroys the lining of the uterus without affecting the rest of the uterus or other pelvic organs. . The actual operation takes about eight minutes. In the Novasure procedure, a metal fan is placed in the uterine cavity for approximately 90 seconds. The electrical current destroys the lining.The total surgical time is about 30 minutes including the administration of local or general anesthesia. The patient goes home within 1-2 hours and resumes normal activities the next day. There is an older surgical procedure, called a hysteroscopic endometrial ablation or resection, which removes the lining or contents of the uterus with either electrical current or a laser. The procedure is now reserved for women with fibroids or polyps in their uterus who wish to become pregnant or continue to menstruate.The uterus, tubes, and ovaries are not disturbed so the anatomical and hormonal functions remain normal. For More Information Contact: Riverbend Ob-Gyn and Counseling 993-D Johnson Ferry Road Suite 360 Atlanta GA 30342
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