BEDFORD, Mass. /PRNewswire/ - Hologic, Inc. (Hologic or the Company) (Nasdaq: HOLX), a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, today announced its NovaSure® system-a 90-second, outpatient treatment for women suffering from excessive menstrual bleeding-has passed the one million mark for number of procedures performed. Scott Schade, M.D., an obstetrician/gynecologist at Rockwood Clinic in Spokane, Washington, performed the one millionth procedure.

Excessive menstrual bleeding is a debilitating condition that affects one in five women ages 35 to 49 years old in the United States. The NovaSure system, available in the U.S. since 2001, is designed to reduce or eliminate excessive bleeding by safely removing the endometrial lining of the uterus. The 90-second procedure requires no incisions, can be performed in a physician's office or outpatient setting and typically allows patients to return to their normal activities in less than a day.

"Many women are excited to learn there is a safe, effective and quick solution to excessive menstrual bleeding that does not require major surgery," said Tony Kingsley, senior vice president, GYN surgical products at Hologic. "NovaSure has allowed women to seek to regain control of their lives without major surgery and to return to their normal routines quickly."
Affecting approximately 10 million women in the United States, excessive menstrual bleeding is one of the most common afflictions in contemporary gynecology. Two-thirds of sufferers are anemic and may also experience severe pain and fatigue, all of which can result in restricted social activities, missed time from work and emotional distress.

In 2008, global endometrial ablation (GEA) procedures were the most common treatment for heavy menstrual bleeding. Doctors performed approximately 312,000 GEA procedures across the country, with NovaSure accounting for 66 percent of the GEA market. Despite the potential surgical complications and lengthy recovery times, hysterectomy is still considered a common treatment option for heavy menstrual bleeding. Of the roughly 600,000 hysterectomies performed each year in the United States, approximately 17 percent are performed to treat excessive menstrual bleeding.

"We want women to know there is a safe and simple alternative for the treatment of menstrual problems," said Dr. Scott Schade, who has performed more than 500 procedures. "Hysterectomy or long-term hormonal therapies are no longer their only choices; they need not suffer in silence. In my opinion, the NovaSure system is the safest, simplest and most effective ablative technique now available. It often can be performed in the office setting and requires minimal anesthesia; many patients go to work the next day."

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