The Lister Hospital
Chelsea Bridge Road, SW1W 8RH London
Microwave endometrial ablation (MEA)
WOMB ABLATION
A treatment for heavy menstrual bleeding, a common condition affecting a significant number of women every month
What is an endometrial ablation?
Heavy periods can cause problems such as feeling uncomfortable in social situations, tiredness, anaemia and restrict your activity.
Microwave endometrial ablation uses heat from a microwave probe to remove the thickness of the lining of your womb. This should significantly reduce your period pain.
Need to know
You will be placed under general anaesthetic for the procedure. Once asleep, your consultant will use a surgical tool to open the neck of your womb and insert a probe into your womb cavity.
Your consultant will then apply microwave energy via the probe to the whole of the womb cavity to remove all of your womb lining. The treatment usually only takes about five minutes.
Your consultant will let you know how best to prepare for your procedure.
You will be sent to the recovery room to recover from the anaesthetic. You should be able to go home a few hours afterwards. You may experience some cramping and discomfort shortly after the procedure.
Your nursing team will give you pain relief medication to alleviate this. Bloody or watery discharge is common after the procedure and may last for several weeks. You should not have sex until this has cleared. You should be able to return to normal activities within two days of your treatment.
Self-funding
Paying for medical treatment
You don't need medical insurance to have fast access to our top consultants, extensive range of treatments, diagnostic tests and surgical procedures at our leading facilities.
Our Microwave endometrial ablation (MEA) locations
The Portland Hospital
205-209 Great Portland Street W1W 5AH London
The Wellington Hospital
8A Wellington Place NW8 9LE London
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Harley Street Clinic
35 Weymouth Street W1G 8BJ London
The Princess Grace Hospital
42-52 Nottingham Place W1U 5NY London
The Shard Outpatients
The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street SE1 9BS London
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.