HEALTH was a multi-centre randomised controlled trial, funded by the NIHR HTA programme. It compared the clinical and cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy (LASH) with second generation endometrial ablation (EA) in women with heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). A total of 660 women across 31 UK secondary and tertiary hospitals were recruited into the trial and followed-up to 15-months post-randomisation.
At this time, LASH was found to be superior to EA in terms of participant satisfaction and disease specific quality of life. EA was less costly in the short term, however, with its higher failure rate, LASH may be considered cost-effective by 10 years post procedure.
Longer-term follow-up of the HEALTH trial is ongoing to evaluate the longer-term clinical (including the need for further treatment) and cost-effectiveness of LASH versus EA for women with HMB.
The longer-term follow-up study is led by Professor Kevin Cooper at NHS Grampian.
For more information please see the HEALTH Longer-term Follow-up Study Website