Description:
This procedure is used to treat uterine fibroids (also known as uterine leiomyomas or uterine myomas).
Symptoms caused by fibroids include abnormal bleeding, pelvic pressure and pain, and reproductive problems. Fibroids are common and are the most frequent reason for a woman to have a hysterectomy.
Magnetic resonance (MR) image guided percutaneous laser ablation is a minimally invasive technique for the treatment of uterine fibroids. Patients are given intravenous sedation and analgesia and a catheter is placed in the bladder.
Under MR guidance needles are inserted into the centre of the targeted uterine fibroid through an area of skin that has been anaesthetised. Bare laser fibres are inserted down the centre of each of the needles into the targeted fibroid. Laser energy is then used to destroy the fibroid.
A thermal mapping sequence is then used to depict the extent of the heated tissue in the target area as the procedure is carried out. Each procedure may involve up to three successive power applications in an overlapping manner to cover as much of the target fibroid as possible whilst monitoring the exact site of heat deposition with thermal mapping.
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