Hysteroscopic treatment of menorrhagia associated with uterine leiomyomas.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effectiveness of hysteroscopic treatment of menorrhagia associated with uterine leiomyomas.

METHODS

Fifty-one women with uterine myomas were treated for menorrhagia by hysteroscopic resection with or without endometrial ablation. Patients were followed for 1-5 years after treatment.

RESULTS

The mean number of pads used during the heaviest day of menses decreased from 17.8 before treatment to 6.8 after treatment (P < .005) in women undergoing resection only, and from 21.4 to 1.7 pads per day in women whose treatment included endometrial ablation (P < .001). Two-thirds of the women who underwent ablation were completely amenorrheic after the procedure. Both groups experienced significant decreases in dysmenorrhea. Three patients subsequently underwent hysterectomy after hysteroscopic treatment, and one required a repeat hysteroscopic procedure.

CONCLUSION

Hysteroscopic treatment of menorrhagia associated with uterine myomas can be effective in carefully selected patients.