Endometrial Ablation

New Patient Appointment or 214-645-8300

UT Southwestern Medical Center’s gynecologists specialize in advanced treatments, such as endometrial ablation, to treat heavy or irregular bleeding in women. We offer several methods for this procedure to help relieve symptoms and improve our patients’ health.

Skill and Experience in Endometrial Ablation

Endometrial ablation is a nonsurgical procedure that treats abnormal bleeding in women, such as heavy or irregular menstrual periods. During the procedure, the doctor uses special instruments to remove a thin layer of the lining of the uterus (endometrium), which reduces bleeding to a normal level.

Our specialists in gynecology have extensive experience treating women who experience irregular menstrual bleeding. With the latest treatments, such as hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs) and endometrial ablation, we provide relief from symptoms so patients can get back to the activities they enjoy.

Conditions We Treat with Endometrial Ablation

Most of the time, women first take medication or have an IUD placed to control heavy menstrual bleeding. When these treatments have not been successful, endometrial ablation is sometimes an option.

Endometrial ablation can help women who have:

Abnormally heavy bleeding
Periods that last longer than eight days
Irregular bleeding cycles
Iron-deficiency anemia from excessive blood loss

Treatment with Endometrial Ablation

We offer several methods of endometrial ablation:

Electrosurgery: The doctor inserts a resectoscope, a slender telescopic device, through the cervix into the uterus. Using an electrical wire loop or other instrument, the doctor heats and destroys the uterine lining.
Heated fluid: Saline fluid is inserted into the uterus through a hysteroscope. The doctor heats the fluid, which circulates through the uterus for about 10 minutes to destroy the lining.
Radiofrequency: The doctor inserts a thin probe through the cervix into the uterus. The tip of the probe expands into a mesh-like device that destroys the lining using radiofrequency energy.

Endometrial ablation is not recommended for postmenopausal women or women who want to become pregnant in the future. It should not be done in women who have:

Endometrial hyperplasia, an abnormally thickened endometrium that can be a precursor to uterine cancer
Previous large myomectomies (surgery to remove uterine fibroids)
Multiple previous cesarean sections
Recent or current infection of the uterus
Recent pregnancy
Uterine cancer

Clinical Trials

As one of the nation’s top academic medical centers, UT Southwestern offers a number of clinical trials aimed at improving screening, diagnosis, and treatment of all types of conditions that affect women’s health.

Clinical trials often give patients access to leading-edge treatments that are not yet widely available. Eligible patients who choose to participate in one of UT Southwestern’s clinical trials might receive treatments years before they are available to the public.