A Multicenter evaluation of endometrial ablation by hydro ThermAblator and rollerball for treatment of menorrhagia

Study Objective. To compare results of endometrial ablation using the Hydro ThermAblator (HTA) and rollerball. Design. Prospective, randomized study (Canadian Task Force classification 1). Setting. Nine private practice and university centers in the United States Patients. Two hundred seventy-six women with menorrhagia due to benign causes. Intervention. Endometrial ablation with the HTA (187 women) or rollerball (89). Measurements and Main Results. Menstrual diaries were kept for 2 weeks and 3, 6, and 72 months after treatment. Reduction in diary scores to 75 or lower at 12 months was considered a success. For patients treated and followed according to protocol, success rates were 77% for HTA and 82% for rollerball. Amenorrhea rates at 72 months were 40% and 51%, respectively. Conclusion. Endometrial ablation with the HTA is safe and effective. It offers an advantage over rollerball ablation of being an office-based procedure, which reduces anesthesia requirements and obviates problems of fluid absorption.