Physicians at Western Baptist Hospital are now performing uterine balloon therapy, a new procedure to reduce excessive menstrual bleeding.

About the Procedure

Uterine balloon therapy offers an alternative to hysterectomy for women who:

• suffer from excessive menstrual bleeding;
• do not have cancer; and
• have completed their families.

Excessive menstrual bleeding accounts for more than 30 percent of the 600,000 hysterectomies performed in the United States each year. It is also a common cause of iron deficiency anemia. Although excessive bleeding can often be controlled with medications, many women still need a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus).

Uterine balloon therapy only removes the endometrial lining of the uterus (the primary source of menstrual bleeding), rather than the entire uterus. During the procedure, a balloon catheter is inserted vaginally through the cervix and into the uterus. The balloon is inflated with sterile fluid, which is then heated to 188° Fahrenheit for eight minutes. After the treatment is completed, the balloon is deflated and the catheter is withdrawn and discarded. In most cases, women are awake during the procedure. Recovery takes one to four hours, after which the patient can go home.

Advantages of Uterine Balloon Therapy

Advantages of uterine balloon therapy over hysterectomy include:

• Faster Recovery Time. Women are back on their feet and on the job within 24 hours, rather than the four to six weeks it takes to recover from a hysterectomy.
• Less Pain.
• No Hospital Stay. Patients can go home the day of their surgery with uterine balloon therapy. With a hysterectomy, most women are in the hospital several days.
• Lower Cost.

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