Numerical calculations of temperature distribution resulting from intracavitary heating of the uterus

• Objective To estimate, using numerical calculations, the depth of tissue damage in the uterus following balloon thermal endometrial destruction. Design A parameter, therapeutic depth, was defined. This was the maximum depth into the uterine myometrium, from the uterine cavity, at which a predefined temperature was reached after a certain time and with a constant intracavitary temperature. Setting Departments of radiation physics and gynaecology at a university hospital. Results After 30 min of treatment with an intracavitary temperature of 75°C, the maximum depth into the myometrium at which the tissue had been exposed to a temperature of 55°C, when blood flow was neglected, was 8.9 mm. Taking into account blood flow the depth was 3.4 mm, and including the pressure because of the balloon it was 5.6 mm. With the inclusion of a local increase in blood flow because of elevated tissue temperature the depth was 4.4mm. Finally when damage to blood vessels due to coagulation was also accounted for, the depth was 5.2mm. The therapeutic depth decreased only slightly when the treatment time was shortened to 15 min. Conclusions Numerical calculations provide a basis for estimation of the optimal intracavitary temperature and treatment time when performing thermal endometrial destruction by means of a balloon catheter.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Balloon catheter

Endometrial destruction

Finite element method

Menorrhagia

Temperature distribution

Thermal coagulation

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)