Cryoablation vs. electroablation ( REA or rollerball ablation? ) Any experiences?
July 8, 2009 - 9:41am
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I'm 39 years old and have had one child (now 17 years old). A year ago I started having periods that last anywhere from 2 weeks straight, or heavy interrmitent bleeding. Every period comes with excruciating cramping, fatigue and huge disgusting blood clots. I've had uterine fibroids removed 13 years ago via laparoscopy and had an ovarian cyst removed almost 2 years ago. I'm scheduled to see a new Gyn. next month and the term "cryo ablation" has been mentioned by primary care physician.
Has anybody had either cryo ablation or REA (known as 'roller-ball' ablation)? I'm curious as to the pro's and cons of each - especially recovery time.
Thank you.
~ Michelle
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Michelle, we have quite a few women on our site who have experience with cryoablation procedures. There are even a couple of long threads where various women have talked about how it went for them and what their recoveries were like. You can find them by typing cryoablation into our search box. Here is the thread with the most conversation on it:
http://www.empowher.com/community/ask/has-anyone-had-her-option-cryo-abl...
I don't come up with anything on our site on roller-ball ablation or REA. It seems like an older procedure? What has your doctor told you about its pros and cons?
Here's a 2003 study that says the cryoablation requires less anesthesia but that the REA (called electroablation here) reduced menstrual bleeding about 10% more:
http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/aagl/article/PIIS1074...
And here's a reference that says that cryoablation patients had about a 1% to 2% better chance of success at 12- and 24-months afterward than electroablation patients, and cryablation needed retreatment about 1% less often than electroablation:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12634643
All those statistics are very close together. I'm wondering if your doctor feels that one treatment has an advantage over the other for any reason? Can you share her or his reasoning with us here?