Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound Treatment for Uterine Fibroids: First Study in Indian Women

OBJECTIVES: To study the results of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) treatment carried out on Indian patients in our Hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty Indian women (mean age = 36.2 ± 8.3 years) were treated for fibroids as outpatients using the ExAblate MRgFUS system (InSightec). Non-perfused volumes (NPVs) were measured immediately after treatment to calculate the treatment outcomes. A validated symptom-specific questionnaire to record their symptoms prior to treatment and six months following treatment was completed by patients. The size of the fibroids was measured on the day of the treatment and during the 6-month checkup to calculate shrinkage. Adverse events during and following treatment were recorded and monitored. RESULTS: The average NPV ratio measured after the treatment was 88% ± 6%, indicative of high ablated fibroid tissue. Prior to treatment, the mean Symptoms Severity Score was 56.9 ± 4.8 (n = 50), which is indicative of highly symptomatic patients. Six months following treatment, there was an average fibroid shrinkage of 30% ± 11%, and a significant decrease in the mean score to 28.6 ± 6.0 (n = 50) (P < 0.001). There were no reports of serious or unexpected adverse events at any point during treatment or during the follow-up period from any of the 50 women treated in the current study. CONCLUSIONS: The current results obtained after 6 months of treatment corroborated previous data on the safety and efficacy of MRgFUS for treating uterine fibroids. This is the first publication that provides such data for a large cohort of Indian women.