Efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided high intensity focused ultrasound ablation of symptomatic uterine fibroids in Black women: a preliminary study

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect and safety of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (USgHIFU) treatment on symptomatic uterine fibroids in Black women. Design A feasibility study. Setting Gynaecological department in a teaching hospital in South Africa. Population Premenopausal women with uterus fibroids. Methods Twenty-six patients with 53 fibroids who underwent USgHIFU treatment were enrolled. The USgHIFU treatment information was recorded, including treatment time, sonication time and total energy. Adverse events were also observed and recorded during and after treatment. Main outcome measures Safety and efficacy of USgHIFU for the treatment of uterine fibroids in Black women. Results The median volume of fibroids was 52.7 (interquartile range, 18.6-177.4) cm(3). According to USgHIFU treatment plan, total energy of 298.6 +/- 169.3 kJ (range, 76.0-889.2) within treatment time of 90.3 +/- 43.3 minutes (range, 14.0-208.0), in which sonication time of 774.0 +/- 432.9 seconds (range, 190.0-2224.0) was used to ablate fibroids. The average ablation rate was 80.6 +/- 9.7% (range, 46.5-94.5%). During the procedure, 69.2% of the patients reported lower abdominal pain, 57.7% sciatic/buttock pain, 38.5% burning skin, and 34.6% transient leg pain. No severe complications were observed. Conclusions USgHIFU is feasible and safe to use to treat symptomatic uterine fibroids in Black women.