A new treatment for uterine fibroids has turned heads of doctors and patients alike, because while non-invasive, it also seems to be successful at breaking up the non-cancerous tumors, which are a common and bothersome health complaint of women in their late reproductive years. InSightec, a subsidiary company of Tel-Aviv, Israel-based Elbit Medical Imaging, is currently seeking the Food and Drug Association’s approval for the treatment, which goes by the brand name ExAblate 2000.
The procedure relies on magnetic resonance imaging to locate the tumors, and then uses targeted ultrasound waves to kill the tissue, which can then be reabsorbed by, or flushed out of, the body in the days and weeks to follow.
A clinical trial showed that 70 percent of sufferers treated with ExAblate 2000 noted improvements in their symptoms - a huge increase from the 50 percent improvement goal of the trial, said documents posted at www.fda.gov. The site also noted that risks of the procedure include nerve injury, pain in legs, digestive or bowel symptoms, bladder symptoms, and skin damage or injury.
While no treatment is foolproof – in addition to potential side effects, ExAblate 2000 takes about two hours and often requires repeated sessions – doctors and developers who have worked to test the procedure hope for the best.
Finding a non-invasive treatment for fibroids is an important goal of many doctors, researchers and health care professionals who deal with women’s reproductive health issues.
Fibroids occur in roughly 25 percent of women, usually those in their late reproductive years. Among the host of troublesome symptoms they cause are bloating, swelling and pain in the abdominal area, as well as bladder, intestinal, and digestive problems, irregular bleeding, and pregnancy complications.
