Ultrasound imaging guided high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) may be a safe tool to ablate uterine myoma

Song, Eunseop

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
to test the safety of ultrasound imaging guided high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to ablate uterine myoma.
METHODS
From September 2008 to February 2009, patients with dysmenorrhea and/or menorrhagia for uterine myomas had been enrolled. HIFU ablation was performed at 1 MHz. 400 W/cm2 of pulses were delivered for 150 m second with 150 m second interval at the target point for 70 cycles. This process was repeated on a point by point basis. After one slice was treated, the target was shifted 4 mm laterally. If patient were complaining of pain, the procedures were stopped for a while.
RESULTS
The distribution of age was 29~48 years old, and of longest diameter was 36.0~115.0 mm, and of target distance from skin was 55~100 mm, and of number of treatment was 2~6. Nobody gave up the procedure for pain or any other reason. The procedures took 40 to 60 minutes for a slice. One or three slices were treated in a day. All patients went home after HIFU without medication. Nobody reported any clinically severe complications. Everybody returned to normal activities 1 day after the procedure. Nobody complained of vaginal spotting after one cycle of menstruation.
CONCLUSION
Ultrasound imaging-guided HIFU treatment appears to be safe to ablate the uterine myomas.