NovaSure Endometrial Ablation for Bad Periods

Endometrial ablation is a procedure that is used to coagulate away the endometrial lining of a woman's uterus. This technique is most often used for women who suffer from excessive or prolonged bleeding during their cycle but do not wish to undergo a hysterectomy. The procedure is commonly done as an outpatient. Women who may ever want to get pregnant should not have a uterine ablation.

With the Novasure system a mesh fan is placed into the cavity and the lining is destroyed by applying an electric current to the mesh that will thermally burn the adjacent uterine lining. The procedures are done while the patient is either under local anesthesia, or, if necessary, general or spinal anesthesia. The recovery period can be from one day up to 2 weeks.

After the procedure, the endometrium heals by scarring, reducing or removing the possibility of future uterine bleeding. The patient may stop having periods, however hormonal functioning will remain. It is possible to become pregnant after having this procedure. Some type of birth control method must be used after having an endometrial ablation. Approximately 90% of women who undergo this procedure will have reduced bleeding. Of those, about half will stop having periods altogether!