The balloon is inflated with sterile fluid, which in turn is heated by an element inside the balloon. Thermal ablation of the uterine lining results from intimate contact of the endometrium with the heated balloon. Balloons do not conform well with the corners of the uterine cavity and these areas can also be the coolest parts of the balloon. Consequently, residual pockets of endometrial tissue can be left causing continued bleeding and pain. Uterine Balloon Therapy cannot be used with irregular uterine cavities and fibroids because the balloons do not conform well with the irregularities.
Thermal balloons are relatively expensive and their long-term effectiveness has yet to be proven.
By far the most intrusive procedure to cure menorrhagia is a hysterectomy, the surgical removal of the uterus. Approximately 1.8 million hysterectomies are performed each year world-wide. It is the second most frequently performed female surgical procedure in the United States. However, because of the wide range of potential surgical and psychological risks, this operation has become unacceptable to many women.