The development of minimally invasive surgery has played a vital role in the advancement of women's health throughout the past decade. By offering cutting-edge techniques such as cryoablation for curing excessive uterine bleeding and uterine artery embolization, used to stop blood flow to fibroids, Lahey Clinic has become a leader in this arena.
In an effort to further expand the range of options for women, Lahey is now using MR-FUS as a way of treating uterine fibroids without surgery. Fibroids are noncancerous tissue growths that, when present in the lining of the uterus, can cause painful symptoms ranging from abnormal bleeding to abdominal pressure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 25 percent of women in the United States have symptomatic fibroids-and 250,000 women who suffer from symptoms undergo surgery each year.
During the MR-FUS procedure, the patient is asked to lie down on a surface covered by water and a gel pad, which aid the flow of ultrasound into the body. The interventional radiologist sits in an adjacent room, using a computer to guide both the MRI and ultrasound machines. The MRI is used to precisely locate the fibroid. Meanwhile, the physician targets the fibroid with the ultrasound and adjusts the power and width of the beam. By measuring the temperature of the fibroid with MRI, the physician can determine when the ultrasound beam is adjusted to a level that is optimal for destroying fibroid tissue.
The entire treatment for a uterine fibroid currently takes about three hours, and the patient typically stays for about an hour after treatment to be observed. The procedure is relatively painless when compared to traditional surgery. Patients are conscious and given a sedative such as Valium and a pain medication. After the procedure, the patient rarely needs any further pain medication.
"This new procedure is less invasive than traditional surgery, or even uterine artery embolization, because we are not putting any instruments into the body of the patient. We are instead delivering energy through the patient's body, and this is something people are familiar with, since many patients have had X-rays and ultrasounds before," said Raffael Bruno, MD, Gynecology. Bruno and Alison Dick, MD, are co-investigators for the evaluation of this technology for treatment of fibroids.
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