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Clinical application of high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation for uterine fibroids

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Abstract

HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound) ablation is an emerging therapeutic modality that induces thermal coagulative necrosis of biological tissues by focusing high-energy ultrasound waves onto one small spot. This technique is at various stages of clinical applications in several organs. However, it has increasingly been used in the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids, a common condition affecting women. Since its first clinical use for symptomatic uterine fibroids, this technique has been recognized for safety, satisfactory therapeutic efficacy in symptom control, uterus-preserving ability, radiation-free nature, and because of the fact that it does not require hospitalization. Owing to its numerous benefits, HIFU ablation is currently one of the major therapeutic options for symptomatic uterine fibroids. In this review, several aspects ranging from the physical principle of HIFU to the long-term outcomes are summarized from the perspective of the clinical application for uterine fibroids.

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Author notes

  1. Young-sun Kim

    Present address: Department of Radiology, Uterine Fibroid Integrated Management Center, MINT Intervention Hospital, 640-3, Munjeong-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Korea

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-710, Korea

    Young-sun Kim

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Correspondence to Young-sun Kim.

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Kim Y-S declares that he has no conflicts of interest in relation to the work in this article.

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Kim, Ys. Clinical application of high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation for uterine fibroids. Biomed. Eng. Lett. 7, 99–105 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13534-017-0012-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13534-017-0012-9

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