Three to four weeks before your admission your GP will arrange for you to have an injection to slow down the growth of the lining of the womb as a preparation for this procedure. Hydrotherm ablation of the endometrium (HTA) is carried out under general anaesthetic which means you will be asleep throughout the procedure. The cervix is first dilated. A fine telescope is passed into the uterus to examine the lining, and then fluid is circulated within the cavity so that the lining of the womb is destroyed.
Hydrotherm ablation is carried out for women who are aged between 35 and 55, who have heavy and/or long periods (menorrhagia). The results of the procedure can vary from patient to patient. The younger you are the less likely the procedure is to be completely successful. Your periods will either become lighter, become normal, or may remain the same. In some cases periods may stop altogether. It is used for women whom drug therapy is inappropriate or has not resolved the symptoms and it may also avoid the need for a hysterectomy.
The procedure is usually carried out as a day case. Rarely patients experience heavy bleeding which may necessitate a hospital stay.
