Use of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) in Treating Uterine Fibroids: A Case Report

Abstract

Summary Uterine fibroids are the most common benign uterine tumours in women of reproductive age. They can present with different symptoms, including menorrhagia, cramping lower abdominal pain, bloating, urinary/bowel symptoms, spotting, and infertility. Management could be medical and surgical. Other options include uterine artery embolization and non-invasive treatment with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). We present a case of a 32-year-old woman with menorrhagia and severe pelvic pain. Ultrasound examination revealed an intramural myoma measuring 93x98x87 mm. The patient signed informed consent for HIFU ablation of the fibroid. Three months after the procedure, an MRI scan showed the fibroid had shrunk to 75% of its original size with dimensions 32x35x29. After six months, she became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy infant at 38-weeks gestation with caesarean section, at which point the fibroid measured 2 cm. HIFU is an alternative to surgical therapies and is highly beneficial in women wishing for future pregnancies. Preserving the option for future pregnancies in patients with uterine fibroids is only one of its benefits and might be the key solution for these women. HIFU treatment of uterine fibroids is an innovative approach. It should be encouraged: it is widely adopted in similar cases where it has positively impacted the treatment of uterine fibroids.