endometrial cryotherapy
Last reviewed 01/2018
- a treatment option in the management of menorrhagia
- a non-hysteroscopic procedure that uses cold temperatures to freeze and destroy the endometrium
- can be performed under general, regional or local anaesthesia, although sometimes no anaesthesia is needed
- a cryoprobe is inserted into the fundus of the
uterus and cooled by perfusing it with either liquid nitrogen or a compressed
gas mixture
- tip of the probe is placed first in one cornu of the uterus and then in the other, to generate an iceball that destroys the endometrial tissue
- each freeze cycle is followed by a heat (thaw) cycle, which allows the probe to be removed
- additional freeze/thaw cycles may be required
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