Patient Counseling: How to Talk to Your Patients About Cerene

As many as 1 in 5 women experience heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB)¹, and 2.1 million seek care for the condition annually, perhaps in hopes of finding an effective, long-lasting solution. HMB has a significant impact on a woman’s quality of life and can increase a patient’s risk of developing other health issues.

OBGYNs typically consider global endometrial ablation (GEA) a normal course of treatment for these patients and the Cerene® Cryotherapy Device can serve as a safe and minimally invasive option for many patients. Using cooling, or freezing technology, Cerene removes the lining of the uterus and provides a natural pain relieving effect during the treatment, without the need for general anesthesia. A recent clinical study showed positive outcomes for patients in both the short and long term.²

In what may be music to most patients’ ears, patients report a significant reduction in heavy bleeding and cramping after endometrial cryoablation. In addition, ninety percent of all patients reported reduced bleeding at 12 months after the procedure, and 90% of patients also reported high post-treatment satisfaction at the 12-month mark, with durable results at 36 months.²

Benefits of Cerene Cryotherapy

Additional benefits you may consider discussing with your patient include:
Enduring Symptom Relief and Positive Outlook

Not only did patients report reduced bleeding and high satisfaction at 12 and 36 months post-treatment, but 86% had a reduction in severe or very severe dysmenorrhea.

Clinical findings have also shown a low 3% hysterectomy rate due to HMB for women treated with Cerene cryotherapy in the 3 years following the treatment.³ Studies have shown that up to 21% of those who had thermal GEA later had a hysterectomy.⁴

Rapid Return to Normal Activities

Most women who had Cerene endometrial cryoablation reported returning to daily activities within 24 hours, and nine out of 10 women had few to no limitations in their activities after treatment.² Post-operatively, patients may experience cramping that can typically last a few hours and significantly decreases by the first day following the procedure.

Convenient Care in a Familiar Setting

Among women with HMB, 70% would prefer an office setting for global endometrial ablation (GEA) rather than a hospital.² Performed in a doctor’s office as a 2.5-minute treatment within an overall 7-minute procedure, Cerene provides patients with optimal comfort. The device also functions as a self-contained single-use system that does not require capital equipment, so there’s flexibility in terms of where you can perform the procedure.

Patients not wanting to go under general anesthesia can also find comfort in the fact that the treatment provides a natural pain-relieving effect without requiring general anesthesia.

Preserved Cavity Access

The uniform and controlled nature of Cerene endometrial cryoablation creates a unique healing response that helps preserve the collagen matrix architecture of the underlying myometrium, enabling future access to the uterine cavity for diagnostic or intervention purposes.

Endometrial cryoablation may also be a worthwhile alternative to thermal ablation treatments depending on patient needs, as thermal ablation treatments have been reported to lead to negative long-term effects such as intrauterine synechiae (Asherman Syndrome), cyclic pelvic pain due to post-ablation syndrome, and the inability to access the uterine cavity for diagnosis or intervention.⁴

The Cerene Cryotherapy Device represents the latest innovation in cryotherapy, deploying nitrous oxide in a cavity-conforming liner to freeze the endometrium and delivering a uniform, effective, and well-tolerated ablation treatment. In patients for whom GEA is indicated, Cerene may serve as an alternative ablation modality due to possible advantages around convenience, speed of recovery, and preservation of access to the uterine cavity.

With Cerene, OBGYNs can deliver an endometrial ablation treatment that is both safe and effective. Learn more about Cerene cryotherapy at https://cerene.com/healthcare-professionals/.

Key Takeaways

• A helpful way for OBGYNs to discuss Cerene with patients is to focus on patient satisfaction, and address their key concerns by providing well-established data and research.
• Endometrial cryoablation can be described as an effective, convenient and safe treatment for heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB).
• 90% of patients reported satisfaction with the endometrial cryoablation. Cerene has a durable impact, with 9 in 10 patients reporting reduced bleeding at 12 and 36 months after the procedure.

Sources

1. “About Heavy Menstrual Bleeding”(2024, May 15). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/female-blood-disorders/about/heavy-menstrual-bleeding.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/blooddisorders/women/menorrhagia.html
2. Curlin, Howard L, et al. “A Prospective, Multicenter, Clinical Trial Evaluating the Safety and Effectiveness of the CERENE Device to Treat Heavy Menstrual Bleeding.” Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, vol. 28, no. 4, 2021, pp. 899–908.
3. IFU-3243 Rev E Cerene® Cryotherapy Device, Cerene S1 IFU.
4. Longinotti, Mindyn K. MD1, et. al. Probability of Hysterectomy After Endometrial Ablation, Obstetrics & Gynecology: December 2008 – Volume 112 – Issue 6 – p 1214-1220 doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e31818c1766.