Objective To evaluate the feasibility, efficacy and safety of percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) of uterine fibroids (UF) under ultrasonographic guidance (UG).
Methods Ten patients with symptomatic UF were treated with percutaneous MWA under UG and local anesthesia. Single or double needle antennas were inserted into the myomas. The ultrasound images were recorded and the patients complications were monitored during and after myolysis. The reduction rate of uterus and myoma were calculated after myolysis respectively. Results Baseline measurement of the mean diameter and volume of myoma was 6.0cm (5.4-7.8 cm)and 111.8cm3 (66.8-203.4 cm3), respectively. The ablation took an average of 475s (300-900s). During the ablation, 90% of patients(9/10) complained of low abdominal pain and 88.9%(8/9) of patients with well tolerance, the pain disappeared after stopping of irradiation;only one patient could not bear the pain and the ablation had to be stopped after WVB 200s and the most part of the nodule showed enhancement on enhanced MIR in the patient. There were no other complications during and after the MWA procedure. Enhanced MRI showed no enhancement in 9/10 of myomas after 3 days of the ablation. The nodules appeared like a hole in the CEU. The reduction rate of the volume of the uterus and fibroid was 20% and 30%, respectively following 60 days of the ablation.
Conclusions Under UG percutaneou MVA of UF is an effective method to cure the symptomatic UF with preserved uterus. It is an easy, fast and safe approach with minimal invasion and less complications.