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Microwave endometrial ablation versus thermal balloon endometrial ablation ( MEATB all): 5‐year follow up of a randomised controlled trial
Author(s) -
Sambrook AM,
Elders A,
Cooper KG
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/1471-0528.12585
Subject(s) - endometrial ablation , medicine , hysterectomy , quality of life (healthcare) , patient satisfaction , balloon , ablation , randomized controlled trial , population , surgery , nursing , environmental health
Objective To compare long‐term outcomes following microwave endometrial ablation ( MEA ™) and thermal balloon ablation ( TB all). Design Follow up of a prospective, double‐blind randomised controlled trial at 5 years. Setting A teaching hospital in the UK . Population A total of 320 women eligible for and requesting endometrial ablation. Methods Eligible women were randomised in a 1:1 ratio to undergo MEA or Tball. Postal questionnaires were sent to participants at a minimum of 5 years postoperatively to determine satisfaction with outcome, menstrual status, bleeding scores and quality of life measurement. Subsequent surgery was ascertained from the women and the hospital operative database. Main outcome measures The primary outcome measure was overall satisfaction with treatment. Secondary outcomes included evaluation of menstrual loss, change in quality of life scores and subsequent surgery. Results Of the women originally randomised 217/314 (69.1%) returned questionnaires. Nonresponders were assumed to be treatment failures for data analysis. The primary outcome of satisfaction was similar in both groups (58% for MEA ™ versus 53% for TB all, difference 5%; 95% CI −6 to 16%). Amenorrhoea rates were high following both techniques (51% versus 45%, difference 6%; 95% CI −5 to 17%). There was no significant difference in the hysterectomy rates between the two arms (9% versus 7%, difference 2%; 95% CI −5 to 9%). Conclusions At 5 years post‐treatment there were no significant clinical differences in patient satisfaction, menstrual status, quality of life scores or hysterectomy rates between MEA ™ and Thermachoice 3, thermal balloon ablation.