Laser endometrial ablation: an alternative to hysterectomy.

Laser endometrial ablation has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as an alternative to hysterectomy for the treatment of chronic menorrhagia. The purpose of the present study was to document women's feelings and outcomes after having the procedure. In-depth interviews were conducted with 65 women who were among the first to undergo this surgery in the United States. For these women, laser endometrial ablation resulted in the end of enduring unpleasant symptoms without the need for a hysterectomy. Nearly all (91%) of the women considered the ablation a success, and all would recommend ablation to another woman. Access to laser endometrial ablation for all women is one method of decreasing the number of hysterectomies performed.