Until recently, treatments for the 9-14% of women over the age of 25 who suffer from menorrhagia or abnormal menstrual bleeding, were crude and drastic. If drugs didn't fix the problem, removing the endometrium could often do the trick. So a physician performed a D&C (dilation and curettage) procedure on the woman, blindly scraping the uterine lining. This procedure often missed as much as third of the endometrium, and a recurrence of the abnormal bleeding necessitated a repeat D&C. If that failed, the woman underwent major surgery to have her entire uterus, and quite often her ovaries as well, removed. A recent survey indicated that 30% of the 600,000 hysterectomies performed annually were due to dysfunctional uterine bleeding.
Surgical techniques were introduced ten years ago to remove the endometrium using cutting or shaving tools or lasers under the guidance of a hysteroscope, a visualization aid inserted into the...
Read the full article – start your free trial today!
Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Medtech Insight for daily insights
- Start your 7-day free trial
- Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
- Access comprehensive global coverage
- Enjoy instant access – no credit card required
Already a subscriber?