Ablation System Destroys Uterine Fibroids

The system also includes the Acessa handpiece, which houses the control features for the RF generator interface, and the electrode array, which is deployed under ultrasound guidance; in smaller tissue volumes, it is not always necessary to deploy the electrode array.

Each electrode contains an internal thermocouple that allows continuous sampling of applied voltage, current, and temperatures from the thermocouples and other system parameters; the duration of the RF ablation is defined by a treatment algorithm based on the amount of deployment. . Patients typically go home the same day with little pain, and enjoy a rapid return to normal activities. After treatment, the damaged fibroid is reabsorbed by the surrounding tissue. The Acessa System is a product of Halt Medical (Brentwood, CA, USA), and has received regulatory approval in the European Union, the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

“Before the Acessa Technology, treatment involved cutting through layers of healthy tissue to gain access to the fibroids, or removing the uterus completely through a hysterectomy,” said associate professor Jay Berman, MD, of The Wayne State University Physician Group (WSUPG; Troy, MI, USA), who performed the first procedure on March 12, 2013. “Research shows the majority of women choose to suffer through their symptoms rather than undergo surgery.”

A uterine fibroid (leiomyomata) is a benign tumor that originates from the smooth muscle layer (myometrium) of the uterus. Fibroids are often multiple, and if the uterus contains too many to count, it is referred to as diffuse uterine leiomyomatosis. Fibroids are the most common benign tumors in females and are typically found during the middle and later reproductive years. While most are asymptomatic, they can grow and cause heavy and painful menstruation, painful sexual intercourse, and urinary frequency and urgency.

Related Links:
Halt Medical
Wayne State University Physician Group