Curbing excessive menstrual bleeding.

• Position: Use of endometrial ablation procedure - Special Newsletter Edition: Your Health

Women who suffer from excessive and unexplained menstrual bleeding now have another option between the extremes of undergoing a hysterectomy or simply living with the problem. A procedure known as endometrial ablation is the newest technique available to stop both excessive bleeding and cramping in women, offering the dual benefits of lower cost and less recovery time, notes Gilbert Haas, chief of the Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Section, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

Instead of removing the reproductive organs, endometrial ablation is performed with a scope inserted into the uterus that is equipped with either a roller ball or a U-shaped wire on the end. Watching their movements on a video camera, physicians use the tool to apply an electrical current to destroy the uterine lining, or endometrium. In some cases, the procedure also can be utilized to treat women with fibroid tumors and intra-uterine polyps. The entire process takes an average of 15 to 30 minutes, and the...