[Medical Q&A] How does focused ultrasound ablation therapy treat uterine fibroids?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Wang Yandong, Chief Physician, Tianjin University Central Hospital

Focused ultrasound ablation is a non-invasive treatment that uses focused high-intensity ultrasound to generate heat to destroy uterine fibroid tissue. This technology has shown good results in treating uterine fibroids, especially for patients who wish to preserve their uterus.

The principle of focused ultrasound ablation therapy is to use the good penetration of ultrasound in human tissues to focus the ultrasound emitted from the body to the part of the body that needs to be treated. Through the thermal effect and cavitation effect of ultrasound (a physical phenomenon, bubbles are generated in the liquid due to pressure changes. The formation, growth and rupture of bubbles can enhance the thermal effect and produce mechanical damage, etc.), the tissue is instantly heated to high temperature and coagulative necrosis occurs. Just as a convex lens can be used to focus sunlight to ignite paper, focused ultrasound focuses high-intensity ultrasound to the location of uterine fibroids in the body and generates high temperature. The cells in the tumor lose their activity at high temperature and coagulative necrosis occurs. The necrotic cells can be gradually cleared by the normal cells of the human body, and the tumor gradually shrinks. During the treatment, the patient lies prone on the treatment bed, and the acoustic energy device transmits energy from the patient's lower abdomen to the body. The treatment process is guided by ultrasound and other imaging technologies to ensure the accuracy and safety of the ablation area. The doctor will gradually perform ablation of multiple focal points according to the size and location of the fibroid until the entire fibroid is effectively destroyed. Focused ultrasound ablation treatment does not require surgery or puncture, the patient will not bleed, and does not require general anesthesia. After the treatment, the patient can get out of bed and move around, and multiple treatments are possible. It is suitable for recurrent or new fibroids.