Is hysterectomy a better treatment than endometrial ablation for bleeding problems?
The two procedures are somewhat difficult to compare. One involves an outpatient surgery with recovery in less than a week and the other involves a 6 week recovery and somewhat higher risk (about 3-4%) of serious complications. One randomized clinical trial has been conducted comparing hysterectomy with endometrial ablation . Further surgical treatment was required during the follow-up period of 4 years by 36% of the women having endometrial ablation and 24% of the women having hysterectomy. Satisfaction rates were high for both groups being 80% in the ablation group and 89% in the hysterectomy group. The difference in satisfaction was due to the different need for retreatment. Premenstrual symptoms improved more in the hysterectomy group. A review or several trials comparing ablation and hysterectomy also came to this same conclusion . Thus you can look at this one of two ways: Endometrial ablation allows about 75% of women to avoid hysterectomy Hysterectomy was more successful in the
