Two days later she had the procedure and her menstrual cycle improved immediately. Today, she no longer has to plan activities and outings with friends around her cycles. A cautery instrument with a wire loop is inserted through the vagina and cervix into the uterus where it sears the uterine lining, essentially destroying the tissue so that nothing can grow back. By eliminating the primary source of the menstrual bleeding in this way, doctors avoid having to remove the entire uterus through hysterectomy. Endometrial ablation is an outpatient procedure, performed in the operating room.
Patients usually recover in less than a week.
Like fibroids, endometriosis does not always need surgical attention. If the condition is not symptomatic, women sometimes choose to wait for menopause when the problem will take care of itself. Others, however, prefer the procedure over the discomfort and inconvenience of excessive menstrual bleeding. It's important for patients to ask their doctor questions and gather necessary information before making any decision. Although hysterectomy remains a viable treatment option, David Toub, MD, makes a practice of explaining alternative procedures to his patients.