New Alternative For Hysterectomy Candidates

St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital announced it is the first Houston area hospital to own and operate a new FDA-approved technology that provides a safe, cost effective alternative to the hysterectomy for certain women.

Called uterine balloon therapy and manufactured under the name the ThermaChoiceTM Uterine Balloon TherapyTM system, the 30-minute outpatient procedure is intended to reduce excessive menstrual bleeding, one of the leading reasons for hysterectomy surgery. Candidates for the procedure are women who suffer from menorrhagia, who want no more children and have had cancer and fibroids ruled out as the cause of heavy menstrual bleeding.

"Both the health and cost benefits of this new technology are tremendous for our patients," says Karen Rose, vice president, ambulatory and clinical services, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital. "With a high percent success rate, balloon therapy is expected to reduce the percentage of hysterectomies performed and provide an alternative treatment for many women.

"The cost for the balloon therapy procedure is approximately one-third less than a standard hysterectomy," adds Rose.

Excessive menstrual bleeding is a debilitating condition that affects approximately 22 percent of all menstruating women and accounts for more than 30 percent of the 600,000 hysterectomies performed annually in the United States.

The ThermaChoice procedure uses heat to remove the endometrial lining of the uterus, the primary source of menstrual bleeding. 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 87 degrees Celsius (188 degrees Fahrenheit) for eight minutes. After the treatment cycle is completed, the balloon is deflated and the balloon catheter is withdrawn and discarded. Following the procedure, an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) provides effective pain relief, and patients can typically return to their normal activities the next day.

"Uterine balloon therapy gives women an attractive, outpatient alternative to a hysterectomy," says Dr. David E. Zepeda. "The procedure is low risk, less costly and less traumatic than a hysterectomy. Patients who undergo balloon therapy experience very little discomfort because it is minimally invasive and done under local anesthesia. They return home immediately and require very little healing."

- Submitted by St. Luke's Corporate Communications

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