DURATION: This can be performed in five minutes.
ANAESTHESIA/PAIN RELIEF: An anti-inflammatory may be offered prior to treatment. A local anaesthetic is also given.
RECOVERY TIME: 1-2 days on average.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: This can be performed at any time during your menstrual cycle. Please attend your appointment in comfortable clothes.
SUITABLE FOR: Women looking to bring to an end abnormal or excessive menstrual bleeding who do not want further pregnancies or children.
NovaSure is a non-hormonal minor operative treatment that can effectively treat women affected by heavy or abnormal menstrual bleeding providing a long-lasting solution to this chronic condition allowing them to live a much more normal and fulfilling life avoiding the need for general anaesthesia or major surgery such as a hysterectomy.
Heavy periods or prolonged bleeding may have a huge negative impact on the quality of a woman’s life casing them to miss out on important social occasions and it can interrupt their normal daily activities such as their home life and work life. As a result, it’s not uncommon for these women to feel alone, low in mood and unsure of what to do next.
Following a consultation, ultrasound and potentially blood tests and a diagnostic hysteroscopy, a NovaSure maybe offered to those women suffering menstrual disfunction. It is not suitable for women if there is a suspicion of an abnormal change on the lining of the womb or a confirmed cancer. If a woman is unsure if she wishes to have another pregnancy she should not proceed with a NovaSure ablation.
What happens during a NovaSure procedure?
Many women who experience heavy menstrual bleeding on a regular basis choose NovaSure due to its ability to bring an end to this draining and exhausting event. During this procedure, local anaesthetic is placed around the cervix and using a hysteroscope further local anaesthetic is placed in the top of the uterus. This local anaesthetic should then facilitate the NOvaSure device to be placed inside the uterine cavity painlessly. The endometrium (lining of the womb) is treated by radiofrequency electrical energy. This is a process that is known as endometrial ablation and is an effective method of treating the womb lining so it prevents further prolonged or heavy bleeding. The NovaSure procedure is very safe, quick to perform and usually painless.
How NovaSure can benefit you
By directly targeting the source of the problem, NovaSure can help premenopausal women find relief from the overwhelming physical and mental stress of heavy and abnormal menstrual bleeding. As this procedure has a powerful impact on the function of the female anatomy, it is only recommended for women who do not plan to have any children in the future. It is not suitable for women who have not yet had children unless they are absolutely sure they will not wish to have children in the future.
Dr Francis Gardner
As an expert gynaecologist, Mr Francis Gardner has performed many different forms of hysteroscopic treatment throughout his career. Mr Gardner is an expert in a broad range of gynaecological conditions and concerns, with many patients are comforted by his personable and professional approach to treatment. Book in for your NovaSure procedure with Mr Gardner, or an initial consultation by getting in touch today.
FAQ’s
No. This treatment is only offered to patients who have a clear diagnosis for their heavy, abnormal or irregular menstrual bleeding. It is not advised for those women who may want to have children in the future.
Although the effects of NovaSure should be instant, and you can return to normal activities as soon as the bleeding or discharge has resolved (usually 7 to 10 days) it may take up to three months for your post treatment menstrual cycle to be finalised. In some women their menstrual bleeds stop all together, in some women they may be much lighter.
Yes, it is possible, the NovaSure is not a contraceptive but future pregnancies will be complicated and the baby may be compromised due to miscarrriage, growth restriction and pre-term growth. It is therefore not recommended to get pregnant following NovaSure ablation. It is important to commit to a form of birth control and to avoid trying to get pregnant after this treatment. Fitting of an intrauterine device at the time of your procedure is possible but may not be possible at a later date due to the healing effects after the treatment.
Up to 1 in 10 patients may get a minor infection of the treated tissues after this procedure but a course of treatment with antibiotics will in most cases resolve this problem.
In very rare cases (1 in 25000 cases), tissues around the womb (bowel, bladder) may become damaged.
Some non offensive discharge and bleeding is normal after the procedure for up to 7 to 10 days.