A New Paradigm for Uterine Fibroid Treatment: Transcervical, Intrauterine Sonography-Guided Radiofrequency Ablation of Uterine Fibroids with the Sonata System

Transcervical Fibroid Ablation (TFA): Update on Pregnancy Outcomes

Background/Objectives: Transcervical fibroid ablation (TFA) is an incisionless method to treat symptomatic uterine fibroids. While safety regarding future pregnancy remains to be established, TFA does not preclude the possibility of pregnancy, and a previous 36-patient case series of post-TFA pregnancies reported normal outcomes. That prior series did not include postmarket cases in the United States, as the Sonata® System was initially cleared and used in Europe. This is a substantive update of known pregnancies with the Sonata System since June 2011, and includes pregnancies in Europe, Mexico, and the US. Methods: TFA was carried out under both clinical trial and postmarket use to treat symptomatic uterine fibroids. All post-TFA pregnancies reported by physicians with their patient's consent were included. Results: 89 pregnancies and 55 deliveries have occurred among 72 women treated with the Sonata System. This includes 8 women who conceived more than once after TFA. Completed pregnancies (n = 62 women) include 19 vaginal deliveries, 35 Cesarean sections, 5 therapeutic abortions, 1 ectopic pregnancy, and 1 delivery by an unknown route. Ten pregnancies are ongoing. Mean birthweight was 3276.7 ± 587.3 g. Ten women experienced 18 first-trimester spontaneous abortions (SAbs), with 10 of the 18 SAbs (55.6%) occurring between two patients with a history of recurrent abortion. The SAb rate was 22.8%, inclusive of these two patients, and 10.1% if they were excluded as outliers. There were no instances of uterine rupture, placenta accreta spectrum, or stillbirth. Conclusions: This case series, the largest to date for any hyperthermic ablation modality, suggests that TFA with the Sonata System could be a feasible, safe treatment option regarding eventual pregnancy in women with symptomatic uterine fibroids.

Radiofrequency Ablation for Treatment of Leiomyomas: Review of the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) Database

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a relatively novel, increasingly popular treatment option for leiomyomas. We studied medical device-related reports of leiomyoma RFA devices to determine whether there are emerging device-related issues. The Food and Drug Administration's Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database was queried from 2012 through November 2022. Sixty unique reports, including adverse events and device malfunctions, were analyzed for both laparoscopic and transcervical RFA devices. Forty-three injury reports were reviewed. The most common adverse event was infection. Of the injury cases, 34.9% required additional surgical intervention. Although the details of each event are limited, these reports highlight the importance of postmarket surveillance of new technologies and the necessity of improving the current system of implementation and monitoring.

Reproductive and Obstetric Outcomes after UAE, HIFU, and TFA of Uterine Fibroids: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Novel treatment options for uterine fibroids, such as uterine artery embolization (UAE), ultrasound-guided and magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (USgHIFU and MRgHIFU), and transcervical radiofrequency ablation (TFA) methods, are widely used in clinical practice. This systematic review and meta-analysis (CRD42022297312) aims to assess and compare reproductive and obstetric outcomes in women who underwent these minimally invasive approaches for uterine fibroids. The search was performed in PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science and Embase. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and Cochrane guidelines. The articles were selected to meet the following eligibility criteria: (1) research article, (2) human subject research, and (3) the study of pregnancy outcomes after the treatment of uterine fibroids by either one of three methods-UAE, HIFU, and TFA. The analysis of 25 eligible original articles shows a similar rate of live births for UAE, USgHIFU, MRgHIFU, and TFA (70.8%, 73.5%, 70%, and 75%, respectively). The number of pregnancies varied considerably among these studies, as well as the mean age of pregnant women. However, the results of pregnancy outcomes for TFA are insufficient to draw firm conclusions, since only 24 women became pregnant in these studies, resulting in three live births. The miscarriage rate was highest in the UAE group (19.2%). USgHIFU was associated with a higher rate of placental abnormalities compared to UAE (2.8% vs. 1.6%). The pooled estimate of pregnancies was 17.31% to 44.52% after UAE, 18.69% to 78.53% after HIFU, and 2.09% to 7.63% after TFA. The available evidence confirmed that these minimally invasive uterine-sparing treatment options for uterine fibroids are a good approach for patients wishing to preserve their fertility, with comparable reproductive and obstetric outcomes among the different techniques.

Transcervical radiofrequency ablation of focal adenomyosis: pilot results

Objective: Adenomyosis is a common gynecological disease, which occurs in women in reproductive age and is characterized by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma within the myometrium. Abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pain as well as infertility can be associated with adenomyosis. There are two main types of adenomyosis: diffuse and focal. Previously, adenomyosis was diagnosed only upon histopathological examination after hysterectomy and/or adenomyomectomy. However, the development of imagining techniques such as transvaginal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging enables the diagnosis of adenomyosis (diffuse and focal) without any surgical intervention. When medical therapy is contraindicated or ineffective, or if patients have a fertility desire, a surgical treatment may be necessary.Methods: In this study, a total of 13 patients with 16 areas of focal adenomyosis were treated. All patients provided their informed consent to undergo transcervical adenomyosis ablation treatment with the Sonata System, aware that the safety and effectiveness of transcervical radiofrequency (RF) ablation for the treatment of adenomyosis has not been established. Follow-up was performed six months after Sonata treatment.Results: The positive results relating to the improvement of symptoms and reduction of adenomyosis lesion size were observed in our study.Conclusion: Transcervical RF ablation with the Sonata System may be a promising therapeutic alternative method to conventional procedures such as hysterectomy for the treatment of focal adenomyosis, disease which has limited therapeutic approach, and may enable a minimally invasive, uterine preserving option.

Delayed expulsion of a large fibroid after transcervical radiofrequency ablation: A case report

Fibroids are the most common type of benign uterine tumor, which occur up to 68.6% of women. Hypermenorrhea is the most common symptom with a general prevalence of 40%-54%, followed by dysmenorrhea and low abdominal pain. Transcervical fibroids ablation was developed as a minimally invasive, incisionless treatment of fibroids in a short time. This method is safe and effective with an excellent record of safety. We present the case of a 40-year-old woman, who attended in our fibroid excellence center. She reported severe hypermenorrhea and dysmenorrhea. Family planning was definitely completed. Using vaginal ultrasonography a FIGO 2-5 fibroid of 5 cm in diameter was detected. Different treatment options were discussed: medical treatment, laparoscopic fibroidectomy, hysterectomy, and transcervical radiofrequency ablation with Sonata System. Because of advantages of transcervical radiofrequency ablation (minimal invasive treatment without incision, effectivity of method, short surgical time) the patient decided on this method. Three months later, the patient came to the first follow up. She reported a significant improvement of hypermenorrhea. A vaginal ultrasonography was carried out. The fibroid changed its position from FIGO 2-5 to FIGO 2. The patient was very satisfied with the result. After 2 months, she attended in our department again because of severe clear vaginal discharge. She had no bleeding, no pain as well as no fever. We examined her immediately. A fibroid expulsion was detected. The fibroid was removed vaginally. There was no severe bleeding during the operation and the fibroid could be removed completely. The surgery time was 25 minutes.

Quality of Life, Anxiety and Depression in Women Treated with Hysteroscopic Endometrial Resection or Ablation for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background and Objectives: Hysteroscopic endometrial resection (ER) or global endometrial ablation (GEA) are feasible methods to treat heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was to assess patient's quality of life (QoL) in women treated with ER/GEA compared to hysterectomy. Materials and Methods: Electronic searches in MEDLINE Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov, EMBASE, PROSPERO and Cochrane CENTRAL were conducted from their inception to July 2022. Inclusion criteria were RCTs of premenopausal women with HMB randomized to conservative surgical treatment (ER/GEA) or hysterectomy. The primary outcome was the evaluation of QoL using the SF-36 score. Results: Twelve RCTs (2773 women) were included in the analysis. Women treated with hysteroscopic ER/GEA showed significantly lower scores for the SF-36 general health perception (mean difference (MD) -8.56 [95% CI -11.75 to -5.36]; I2 = 0%), social function (MD -12.90 [95% CI -23.90 to -1.68]; I2 = 91%), emotional role limitation (MD -4.64 [95% CI -8.43 to -0.85]; I2 = 0%) and vitality (MD -8.01 [95% CI -14.73 to -1.30]; I2 = 74%) domains relative to hysterectomy. Anxiety, depression scores and complication rates were similar between treatments. Relative to uterine balloon therapy, amenorrhea was more common with EA/GER (relative risk 1.51 [95% CI 1.03 to 1.20] I2 = 28%), but posttreatment satisfaction was similar. Conclusions: Women's perception of QoL might be seen to be less improved after hysteroscopic ER/GEA rather than hysterectomy. However, such findings need to be confirmed by additional trials due to the high number of outdated studies and recent improvements in hysteroscopic instrumentation and techniques.

Radiofrequency ablation methods for uterine sparing fibroid treatment

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This article provides a clinical review of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the treatment of uterine leiomyomas.

RECENT FINDINGS

RFA is an effective and durable treatment for fibroids with sustained improvements in fibroid volume, bleeding, and patient reported outcomes with low reintervention rates. Although fertility data is limited, it is overall positive and may represent a uterine conserving and fertility preserving treatment modality.

SUMMARY

RFA is a safe and effective uterine preserving treatment option for symptomatic leiomyomas.

Durable Improvement in Generic and Fibroid-Specific Quality of Life in Women Treated with Transcervical Fibroid Ablation with the Sonata System After Three Years

Objective:

To determine quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) over 3 years after transcervical fibroid ablation (TFA) with the Sonata System.

Methods:

The SONATA trial was a prospective multicenter interventional trial that assessed the safety and efficacy of TFA for treatment of women with symptomatic uterine fibroids. Change in generic health status was assessed with the EuroQol 5-Dimension questionnaire (0–1 scale). Fibroid-specific quality of life (QOL) was measured on a 0 to 100 scale with the health-related quality of life subscale of the Uterine Fibroid Symptom and Quality-of-Life (UFS-QOL). The number of QALYs gained relative to baseline and cumulative QALYs were calculated using the area under the curve at each follow-up visit over 3 years.

Results:

Among 147 women receiving TFA, fibroid-specific QOL increased from 40 ± 21 at baseline to 84 ± 19 at 1 year and 83 ± 23 at 3 years (p < 0.001). Generic QOL increased from 0.72 ± 0.21 at baseline to 0.89 ± 0.12 at 1 year and 0.88 ± 0.16 at 3 years (p < 0.001). Over 3 years, TFA resulted in 1.24 ± 0.64 QALYs gained when using fibroid-specific health utility scores and 0.49 ± 0.61 QALYs gained when using generic health utility scores. Cumulative QALYs experienced at 3 years as a percentage of perfect health were 82% with fibroid-specific scores and 88% with generic health scores.

Conclusions:

Women treated by TFA with the Sonata System for symptomatic uterine fibroids reported durable improvements in generic and fibroid-specific QOL, as well as clinically meaningful increases in QALYs over 3 years. Clinical Trials.gov ID: NCT02228174. (J GYNECOL SURG 38:143)

The significance of transcervical ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of symptomatic fibroids: results of an expert consensus from German-speaking countries

Uterine fibroids are one of the most common diseases in female patients, lead mainly to bleeding disorders and lower abdominal pain, and reduce the chance of having children. In recent years we have seen a trend towards more and more pharmacotherapies and minimally invasive organ-preserving treatments. One novel and innovative procedure for an organ-preserving treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids is the transcervical ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (TRFA). TRFA has been used in Germany since 2013 and later found use in other German-speaking countries as well. There have now been more than 1200 TRFA treatments performed in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Experts from these three countries came together for a consensus meeting to analyze the significance of the procedure in the overall concept of the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids.

Transcervical radiofrequency ablation of fibroids that are 5 cm or larger in women with abnormal uterine bleeding

INTRODUCTION

Fibroids are the most common benign uterine tumors. Transcervical radiofrequency ablation with the Sonata® System offers a minimally invasive, incisionfree, organ-preserving therapy, with intraoperative visualization of fibroids using intrauterine ultrasound guidance. To demonstrate the effectiveness of transcervical radiofrequency ablation of fibroids that are 5 cm or larger using the Sonata® System, this retrospective analysis was collected.

METHOD

151 patients have been treated with this method in our department up to the time of this analysis. Only patients with at least one fibroid of ≥5 cm and with bleeding symptoms, who were treated with the Sonata® System were included in this retrospective study. A total of 50 patients were included in the study and 57 fibroids were treated.

RESULTS

A total of 57 fibroids were detected and treated, however FIGO 1 and 2 fibroids (in total three fibroids were excluded). The smallest fibroid was 4 cm and the largest fibroid was 12 cm. A single ablation was performed in 18 cases, two ablation steps in 16 cases, three ablation steps in 13 cases, and more than three ablation steps in three cases. Depending on ablation steps, the shortest ablation time was 3 min 15 s and the longest ablation time was 25 min 6 s, with an average time of 9 min 12 s. 86% of patients reported an improvement of symptoms Conclusion: Thus, the Sonata® System is a simple, minimally invasive, rapid and successful method that shows significant improvement of symptoms even in large myomas from ≥5 cm.

Pregnancy Outcomes After Transcervical Radiofrequency Ablation of Uterine Fibroids with the Sonata System

Objective:

To describe pregnancy outcomes in women who conceived after undergoing transcervical fibroid ablation (TFA) as treatment for symptomatic uterine fibroids.

Materials and Methods:

TFA was used to treat symptomatic uterine fibroids with radiofrequency energy, both under clinical trial protocol and commercial usage in hospitals in Europe, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and the United States. All women who reported pregnancies to their physicians after undergoing TFA with the Sonata^® System and provided consent for use of their data were included.

Results:

There have been 36 pregnancies representing 20 deliveries among 28 women who were treated with TFA. Five women conceived more than once postablation, and four conceived as a result of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Outcomes include 8 vaginal deliveries, 12 Cesarean sections, 3 therapeutic abortions, and 8 first trimester spontaneous abortions (four occurring in a patient with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss and an immunologic disorder). Five women are currently pregnant, two of whom previously delivered after TFA. There were no 5-minute Apgar scores <7, and all neonates weighed >2500 g. All deliveries occurred at ≥37 weeks except for one delivery at 35 6/7 weeks. There were no uterine ruptures or abnormal placentation and no reports of postpartum hemorrhage or stillbirths. Ablated fibroids included transmural, submucous, and intramural myomata up to 7 cm in diameter.

Conclusions:

Normal pregnancy outcomes at term have occurred after TFA with the Sonata System, including in women with recurrent abortion and in those undergoing ART. There were no instances of low Apgar scores, low birthweight, stillbirth, postpartum hemorrhage, or uterine rupture (FAST-EU, NCT01226290; SONATA, NCT02228174; SAGE, NCT03 118037). (J GYNECOL SURG 38:207)

A feasibility analysis of the ArcBlate MR-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound system for the ablation of uterine fibroids

Purpose

Uterine fibroids are benign gynecologic tumors and commonly occur in women by the age of 50. Women with symptomatic uterine fibroids generally receive surgical intervention, while they do not favor the invasive therapies. To evaluate the feasibility and safety of a novel magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MRgHIFU) modality, ArcBlate, in the treatment of uterine fibroids.

Methods

Nine patients with uterine fibroids and one patient with adenomyosis were treated with ArcBlate MRgHIFU. Tumor size and quality of life were evaluated postoperatively at 1 and 3 months by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), respectively.

Results

All patients completed the ArcBlate MRgHIFU procedure and there were no treatment-related adverse effects either during the procedure or during the 3 months of follow-up. Despite limiting the ablation volume to under 50% of the treated fibroid volume as a safety precaution, tumor volumes were markedly reduced in four patients by 15.78–58.87% at 3-month post-treatment. Moreover, SF-36 scale scores had improved at 3 months from baseline by 2–8 points in six patients, indicating relief of symptoms and improved quality of life.

Conclusion

This study evidence demonstrates the safety and feasibility of ArcBlate MRgHIFU and suggests its potential for treating uterine fibroids.

Temperature-dependent dielectric properties of human uterine fibroids over microwave frequencies

Microwave ablation is under investigation as a minimally-invasive treatment for uterine fibroids. Computational models play a vital role in the development, evaluation and characterization of candidate ablation devices. The temperature-dependent dielectric properties of fibroid tissue are essential for accurate computational modeling.Objective:To measure the broadband temperature-dependent dielectric properties of uterine fibroids excised during hysterectomy procedures.Methods: The open-ended coaxial probe method was employed for measuring the broadband dielectric properties of freshly excised human uterine fibroid samples (n = 6) obtained from an IRB-approved tissue bank. The dielectric properties (relative permittivity,ε_r, and effective electrical conductivity,σ_eff) were evaluated at temperatures ranging from 23 °C-150 °C, over the frequency range of 0.5-6 GHz. Linear piecewise parametrization with respect to temperature and quadratic parametrization with respect to frequency was applied to characterize broadband temperature-dependent dielectric properties of fibroid tissue.Results: The baseline room temperature values ofε_rvary from 57.5 ± 5.29 to 44.5 ± 5.77 units andσ_effchanges from 0.91 ± 0.19 to 6.02 ± 0.7 S m^-1over the frequency range of 0.5-6 GHz. At temperatures close to the water vaporization point,ε_r, drops considerably i.e. to 12%-14% of its baseline value for all measured frequencies.σ_effvalues initially rise till 98 °C and then fall to 11%-13% of their baseline values at 125 °C for frequencies ≤2.45 GHz. Theσ_efffollows a decreasing trend for frequencies >2.45 GHz and drops to ∼6 % of their baseline room temperature values.Conclusion:The temperature dependent dielectric properties of uterine fibroid tissues over microwave frequency range are reported for the first time in this study. Parametric models of uterine fibroid dielectric properties are also presented for incorporation within computational models of microwave ablation of fibroids.

Ultrasound-guided Microwave Ablation in the Management of Symptomatic Uterine Myomas: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the clinical effects and safety of ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) for the treatment of symptomatic uterine myomas.

DATA SOURCES

We searched PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar for studies from January 2000 to January 2021.

METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION

We included all studies that reported the clinical outcomes of ultrasound-guided MWA in women with symptomatic uterine myomas. Two researchers conducted the study selection according to the screening criteria.

TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS

We evaluated the risk of bias and evidence quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Two researchers independently extracted information from the included studies. We extracted the standardized mean difference (SMD) and pooled proportion with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for the outcome measures of interest. A total of 10 studies representing 671 patients were included. The Uterine Fibroid Symptom and Quality of Life (UFS-QoL) questionnaire was used to assess the clinical effects. Compared with baseline, the UFS scores decreased significantly (SMD 3.37; 95% CI, 2.27-4.47; p <.001; reduction rate 65.9%), QoL scores increased significantly (SMD -3.12; 95% CI, -3.93 to -2.30; p <.001; rate of increase 72.0%), and hemoglobin concentration increased significantly (SMD -2.13; 95% CI, -3.44 to -0.81; p = .002; rate of increase 30.3%) at follow-up. The mean operation time was 34.48 minutes (95% CI, 22.82-46.13; p <.001). The rate of reduction in myoma volume after MWA was 85.3% (95% CI, 82.7%-88.0%, p <.001). No major adverse event was reported, and the incidence of minor adverse events was 21.1% (95% CI, 15.1%-27.0%, p <.001).

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound-guided MWA is an effective and safe minimally invasive therapy for symptomatic uterine myomas.

Transcervical microwave ablation in type 2 uterine fibroids via a hysteroscopic approach: analysis of ablation profiles

Type 2 uterine fibroids are challenging to resect surgically as ≥ 50% volume of myoma lies within the myometrium. A hysteroscopic approach for ablating fibroids is minimally-invasive, but places a considerable burden on the operator to accurately place the ablation applicator within the target. We investigated the sensitivity of transcervical microwave ablation outcome with respect to position of the ablation applicator within 1 - 3 cm type 2 fibroids.Methods:A finite element computer model was developed to simulate 5.8 GHz microwave ablation of fibroids and validated with experiments inex vivotissue. The ablation outcome was evaluated with respect to applicator insertion angles (30°, 45°, 60°) , depth and offset from the fibroid center (±2 mm for 3 cm fibroid and ±1 mm for 1 cm fibroid) with 35 W and 15 W applied power for 3 cm and 1 cm fibroids, respectively. Power deposition was stopped when thermal dose of 40 cumulative equivalent minutes at 43 °C (CEM43) was accrued in adjacent myometrium.Results:Within the range of all evaluated insertion angles, depths and offsets, the ablation coverage was less sensitive to variation in angle as compared to depth and offset, and ranged from 34.9 - 83.6% for 3 cm fibroid in 140 - 400 s and 34.1 - 67.9% for 1 cm fibroid in 30 - 50 s of heating duration. Maximum achievable ablation coverage in both fibroid cases reach ∼ 90% if thermal dose is allowed to exceed 40 CEM43 in myometrium.Conclusion:The study demonstrates the technical feasibility of transcervical microwave ablation for fibroid treatment and the relationship between applicator position within the fibroid and fraction of fibroid that can be ablated while limiting thermal dose in adjacent myometrium.

A Systematic Review of the Treatment of Uterine Myomas Using Transcervical Ultrasound-Guided Radiofrequency Ablation with the Sonata System

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the treatment success, possible side effects, and safety of radiofrequency ablation with the Sonata System.

DATA SOURCES

An electronic literature search in the PubMed and Medline databases was carried out from inception to August 2020.

METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION

The review was performed in accordance with the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. Keywords such as "Sonata," "transcervical ablation," and "uterine myoma" were used to identify all relevant articles independently by both authors. Full-text articles in English that reported at least 1 of the following outcomes were included in the study: reduction in perfused/total myoma volume, effect of treatment on bleeding intensity and myoma-related symptoms, number of surgical reinterventions, adverse events, return to activities of daily life, effects on surrounding tissue, and safety during pregnancy.

TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS

10 studies matching the inclusion criteria were identified and used for further analysis. A reduction in total and perfused myoma volume of 63.2% and 64.5% was achieved. One of the studies showed a 53.8 ± 50.5% (n = 48) reduction in Menstrual Pictogram Score, and another study showed a 51.1 ± 40.9% (n = 142) reduction in Pictorial Blood Loss Assessment Chart at 12 months. 87.2% (n = 190) of the patients reported a clinically meaningful reduction in menstrual blood loss after 12 months. While Symptom Severity Scores dropped by 28.8 ± 19.3, 23.3 ± 23.7, and 23.7 ± 19.4 points at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively, Health-Related Quality of Life Scores increased to 77.5 ± 22.0, 82.8 ± 19.0, and 83.3 ± 20.5 points. One study had an 8% reintervention rate after 12 months, and another study showed a 0.7% and 5.2% rate after 12 and 24 months. After an average of 64 months after ablation, the reintervention rate was 11.8%. Time to return to activities of daily life was 2.9 ± 2.5 days. No related complications during pregnancy and delivery were reported.

CONCLUSION

Radiofrequency ablation with the Sonata System represents a minimally invasive, organ-preserving treatment option in patients with symptomatic uterine myomas, associated with clinically meaningful improvement of myoma-related symptoms.

Transcervical fibroid ablation with the Sonata™ system for treatment of submucous and large uterine fibroids

Objective

To examine the role and benefits of transcervical fibroid ablation (TFA) in the treatment of submucous and large uterine fibroids.

Methods

A subgroup of patients with submucous or large fibroids were analyzed from two prospective clinical trials (FAST‐EU and SONATA) of sonography‐guided TFA with the Sonata^® system. Key outcomes were changes in menstrual blood loss, symptom severity and health‐related quality of life on the Uterine Fibroid Symptom and Quality‐of‐Life Questionnaire, health‐related quality of life on the EQ‐5D questionnaire, and surgical reinterventions for heavy menstrual bleeding.

Results

Among 197 women (534 treated fibroids), 86% of women with only submucous fibroids and 81% of women with large fibroids (>5 cm) experienced bleeding reduction within 3 months post‐ablation. Overall symptom severity and health‐related quality of life showed sustained, significant improvements over 12 months. Additional fibroid mapping of large fibroids with magnetic resonance imaging in the FAST‐EU trial showed an average volume reduction of 68%. Among women with only submucous fibroids, the rate of surgical reintervention through 1 year of follow up was 3.7% in FAST‐EU and 0.0% in SONATA.

Conclusion

With the Sonata system, TFA is an effective single‐stage treatment option for non‐pedunculated submucous myomata, and larger or deeper uterine fibroids (including fibroid clusters) for which hysteroscopic treatment is not suitable.

ClinicalTrials.gov: FAST‐EU, NCT01226290; SONATA, NCT02228174.

Transcervical fibroid ablation with the Sonata™ system is an effective single‐stage treatment option for non‐pedunculated submucous and large myomata.

Clinical significance of performing Sonazoid-based contrast-enhanced ultrasonography before ablation of uterine fibroids by high-intensity focused ultrasound: A preliminary cohort study

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is effective for the ablation of uterine fibroids. However, no research has indicated whether HIFU ablation of uterine fibroids might be improved by application of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) with Sonazoid as a contrast agent. This study aimed to assess the clinical significance of Sonazoid-based CEUS 30 minute before HIFU ablation of uterine fibroids.This retrospective cohort study included Asian patients with solitary uterine fibroids who were treated with HIFU at Seoul HICARE Clinic (South Korea; n = 34) and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (China; n = 30) between August 1, 2017, and October 31, 2017. The patients in Seoul underwent Sonazoid-based CEUS 30 minute before HIFU. All the patients received contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging to diagnose uterine fibroids. The ablation results were evaluated 1 day after HIFU by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging or Sonazoid-based CEUS.All the patients were successfully treated with HIFU. The CEUS+HIFU group had lower values for sonication power, treatment time, sonication time, total energy applied, and energy efficiency factor compared with HIFU alone group (P < .001). There were no major adverse events after ablation therapy in either group. The incidence of post-procedure sacrococcygeal pain was lower in the CEUS+HIFU group than that in the HIFU alone group (P = .045), while the incidences of all other intraoperative and postoperative adverse events were similar between the 2 groups.Our findings suggest that Sonazoid-based CEUS before HIFU may enhance the ablation of uterine fibroids.

Three-Year Results of the SONATA Pivotal Trial of Transcervical Fibroid Ablation for Symptomatic Uterine Myomata

Objective: This article reports on 3-year clinical outcomes of the Sonography Guided Transcervical Ablation of Uterine Fibroids (SONATA) pivotal trial of transcervical fibroid ablation (TFA) in women with symptomatic uterine myomata.

Materials and Methods: The SONATA, prospective, controlled, multicenter interventional trial enrolled 147 premenopausal women with symptomatic uterine fibroids who underwent uterus-preserving, sonography-guided TFA with the Sonata^® System (Gynesonics, Inc., Redwood City, CA, USA). Clinical outcomes were assessed over 3 years and included surgical reinterventions, Symptom Severity Score (SSS), and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) subscales of the Uterine Fibroid Symptom and Quality-of-Life Questionnaire, EuroQol 5-Dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaire, Overall Treatment Effect, treatment satisfaction, physical activity, work impairment, pregnancy outcomes, and adverse events.

Results: The 3-year rates of surgical reintervention for heavy menstrual bleeding calculated by the binomial and Kaplan–Meier methods were 9.2% and 8.2%, respectively. Compared to baseline, mean SSS decreased from 55 ± 19 to 22 ± 21, HRQoL increased from 40 ± 21 to 83 ± 23, and EQ-5D increased from 0.72 ± 0.21 to 0.88 ± 0.16 (all p < 0.001). Treatment benefit on the SSS, HRQoL, and EQ-5Q exceeded the minimal clinically important difference at every follow-up visit over 3 years. At 3 years, 94% of the subjects reported treatment satisfaction, 88% reported reduced fibroid symptoms, work absenteeism due to fibroid symptoms decreased from 2.9% to 1.4%, and impairment due to fibroids decreased from 51% to 12% for work, and 58% to 14% for physical activity (all p < 0.001). No late complications occurred.

Conclusions: Women treated with sonography-guided TFA in the SONATA pivotal trial experienced significant and durable reduction of fibroid-related symptoms, with low surgical reintervention rates over 3 years of follow-up.

A Prospective Intervention Trial on Tailored Radiofrequency Ablation of Uterine Myomas

Background and Objective: Investigating the use of radiofrequency myolysis (RFM) for the treatment of fibroids through less invasive access by combining transvaginal ultrasound, hysteroscopy and laparoscopy. Materials and Methods: Fifty-four premenopausal women with 106 symptomatic uterine myomas. Patients underwent RFM in three ways: Vaginal Ultrasound-guided RFM (VU-RFM), Laparoscopic RFM (L-RFM) and Hysteroscopic-RFM (H-RFM). The mean patient age was 43 years; 52 symptomatic uterine myomas were subserosal, 44 intramural and 10 submucosal. The outcomes evaluated at 1 and 12 months after RFM were myoma size (volume-diameter), "Uterine Fibroid Symptom and Quality of Life (UFS-QOL)" questionnaire and a 10-point Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The therapy was completed with a single ablation in all patients, no complication was registered. The average number of fibroids treated per intervention was two with the use of different accesses: 64/106 VU-RFMs (60.4%), 32/106 L-RFMs (30.2%) and 10/106 H-RFMs (9.4%). Results: Volume and diameter of fibroids were significantly reduced by, respectively, 51.3% and 20.1% in the first 30 days post-intervention (p < 0.001) up to a maximum of 73.5% and 37.1% after the second follow-up visit at 12 months (p < 0.001). A similar trend was shown in terms of disability with a progressive and significant reduction of symptoms (menorrhagia, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia and pollakiuria) demonstrated by percentage variation of UFS-QOL Symptom Severity and VAS scores to -74.3% and -45.3% as well as -84.9% and -74.3%, respectively, at 1 and 12 months after RFM (p < 0.001). An overall improvement in the quality of life was also demonstrated by a significant increase in the UFS-QOL total score of +38.2% in the first 30 days post-intervention up to +44.9% after the second follow-up visit at 12 months (p < 0.001). The overall average surgery time of the RFM for each patient was 48 minutes, and the time to treat each fibroid by Vaginal Ultrasound-guided RFM (23 min) was found to be significantly less than those of laparoscopy or hysteroscopy (respectively 35 and 34 min) (p < 0.05). An electromagnetic virtual needle tracking system (VNTS) was successfully tested during the RFM procedures, and real-time contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has proven to be effective in determining the duration of myolysis through the identification of eventual residual areas of enhancement within the fibroids. Conclusion: Radiofrequency can be considered a minimally invasive and safe procedure for the treatment of uterine myomas through the customization and possible combination of transvaginal, laparoscopic or hysteroscopic accesses. The standardization of the ablation technique with pre-intervention biopsy and new technologies such as VNTS and CEUS spares healthy uterine tissue and may change the future management of symptomatic uterine fibroids.

The INTEGRITY Trial: Preservation of Uterine-Wall Integrity 12 Months After Transcervical Fibroid Ablation with the Sonata System

Objective: The aim of this research was to evaluate uterine-wall integrity 12 months after transcervical fibroid ablation (TFA) of uterine fibroids with the Sonata^® system (Gynesonics Inc., Redwood City, CA).

Materials and Methods: INTEGRITY is a secondary analysis of the FAST-EU clinical trial, a prospective, longitudinal, multicenter single-armed trial involving women with heavy menstrual bleeding secondary to fibroids who were treated at 7 academic and community hospitals in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Mexico with transcervical, intrauterine, ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (the Sonata system). TFA was performed on up to 5 fibroids per subject ranging from 1–5 cm in diameter as determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). All measurements and comparisons, including uterine-wall thicknesses were derived from baseline and 12-month MRI scans by an independent core MRI center. Scans were analyzed to assess preservation of uterine-wall integrity and reviewed for uterine-wall anomalies after TFA with the Sonata system.

Results: Twenty-nine patients had baseline and 12-month MRI with contrast enhancement. Minimum uterine-wall thicknesses in all visible slices were >2.5 mm in diameter. No areas on MRI indicated any loss of uterine-wall integrity, compared with baseline imaging; comparison of baseline and postablation uterine-wall thicknesses revealed no significant changes.

Conclusion: Transcervical fibroid ablation with the Sonata system was associated with preservation of uterine-wall integrity in this patient cohort.

Submyometrial vasopressin injection before microwave ablation of vascular-rich submucosal myomas: a preliminary case study

Purpose: Vascular-rich myomas are resistant to treatment involving transcervical microwave myolysis. To overcome cooling by blood perfusion, we injected dilute vasopressin solution into the space between the myometrium and the surface of the vascular-rich myomas. Material and Methods: Seven outpatients [age (mean ± SD age), 44.9 ± 3.9 years] with a single symptomatic vascular-rich submucosal myoma measuring 4.2-9.2 cm (6.5 ± 2.5 cm) underwent transcervical microwave myolysis and microwave endometrial ablation. Before microwave irradiation, dilute vasopressin solution was injected into the space between the myometrium and the surface of the vascular-rich myoma. We assessed the changes in the volumes of the vascular-rich myomas and blood hemoglobin levels before and 3 and 6 months after treatment. In addition, improvements in menorrhagia and satisfaction after the operation were assessed using visual analog scales. Results: Submyometrial injection of dilute vasopressin effectively reduced the abundant blood flow. The vascular-rich myomas were necrotized and shrank significantly by 69.0% at 3 months and 72.4% at 6 months after the operation (p < .05). Blood hemoglobin levels significantly increased at 3 months (p < .01). In addition, the visual analog scale results indicated that menorrhagia improved subjectively and the patients were satisfied with the results of the operation. Conclusions: Vasopressin injection before transcervical microwave myolysis leads to extended necrosis of vascular-rich submucosal myomas.

Term Delivery in an Infertile Patient after Transcervical Radiofrequency Fibroid Ablation and Assisted Reproductive Technology

Background: Transcervical radiofrequency (RF) ablation of uterine fibroids is an incisionless procedure to treat nonpedunculated uterine fibroids, including those that are not amenable to operative hysteroscopy. However, its safety and effectiveness regarding fertility and fecundity have not been established, including among women with infertility. Case: A 38-year-old nullipara with infertility since 2008 and a recent complaint of refractory dysmenorrhea in association with a uterine fibroid underwent transcervical RF ablation with the Sonata^® System (Gynesonics, Redwood City, CA) to treat the symptomatic myoma. Unsuccessful assisted reproduction (intracytoplasmic sperm injection/embryo transfer) as confirmed by negative pregnancy testing had been attempted 1 month preablation, and a second embryo transfer after thawing the previously cryopreserved pronuclei was performed 7 months postablation. Results: RF ablation with the Sonata System resulted in a 68% reduction in fibroid volume noted on sonography 2 months post-treatment along with resolution of the patient's dysmenorrhea. No residual fibroid was noted on sonography 7 months postablation. A second attempt at assisted reproduction produced an uncomplicated pregnancy that resulted in vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery of a liveborn infant at term weighing 3670 g with Apgar scores of 9¹/10⁵/10¹⁰. Pelvic sonography 4 months postpartum an unremarkable uterus, again, with no evidence of a fibroid remnant. Conclusions: This is the first report of a pregnancy and delivery in an infertile couple who underwent transcervical RF ablation of a uterine fibroid followed by assisted reproduction.

12-month outcomes of the US patient cohort in the SONATA pivotal IDE trial of transcervical ablation of uterine fibroids

Objective

The prospective SONATA pivotal Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) trial was performed in the United States (US) and Mexico to examine the safety and effectiveness of transcervical fibroid ablation (TFA) in the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids. This is an analysis of 12-month clinical outcomes in the US cohort.

Methods

TFA with the Sonata^® System was performed on women with symptomatic uterine fibroids. The 12-month co-primary endpoints were reduction in menstrual blood loss and freedom from surgical reintervention. Symptom severity, quality of life, patient satisfaction, safety, and reductions in uterine and fibroid volumes were also evaluated.

Results

One hundred twenty-five patients were enrolled and treated in the US. Both co-primary endpoints were achieved in this US-based cohort, as 65.3% of patients reported ≥50% reduction in menstrual bleeding and 99.2% of patients were free from surgical reintervention. Symptom improvement was noted by 97.4% of patients and 98.3% were satisfied. Ninety-five percent of patients reported reduced menstrual bleeding at 12 months, and 86.8% noted >20% reduction. Significant mean improvements at 12 months were realized in both symptom severity and health-related quality of life (33.8 points and 45.8 points, respectively; all P<0.0001). Mean maximal fibroid volume reduction per patient was 63.8%. There was a 0% incidence of device related adverse events. Mean length of stay was 2.5 hrs and 50% of patients returned to normal activity within 1 day.

Conclusion

This analysis of US patients in the SONATA pivotal IDE trial demonstrates results consistent with those in the full cohort. TFA with Sonata significantly reduced fibroid symptoms with a low surgical reintervention rate through 12 months. These results support the efficacy and safety of the Sonata system as a first-line treatment for women affected by symptomatic uterine fibroids.

Ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound in the treatment of uterine fibroids

The aim of the present study was to investigate factors affecting ablation effect and safety of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (USgHIFU) for uterine fibroids (UFs).A retrospective analysis of 346 patients with symptomatic UFs who were treated with USgHIFU was performed. All UFs was grouped based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics before HIFU; all adverse events and treatment data were recorded during and after HIFU. One-way analysis of variance and multiple linear regression analysis were used to evaluate the effect of USgHIFU treatment and affecting factors.The results showed that the mean age of patients was 38.3 ± 6.1 years, with the mean nonperfusion volume rate of 74.4 ± 14.7% and the mean energy efficiency factor (EEF) of 7.2 ± 4.8 J/mm. Except for the size group, the ablation rate was significantly different (P < .001); and the anterior, intramural, hypointense (T2WI), and mild enhancement (T1WI contrast enhancement) UFs had the highest ablation rate. The EEF of the anterior, intramural, hypointense (T2WI), mild enhancement (T1WI contrast enhancement), and >5 cm UFs had minimum value, with a statistically significant difference (P < .01). According to multiple linear regression model, the distance from the UFs ventral side to the skin, enhancement type on T1WI, size of UFs, signal intensity on T2WI, location of UFs, type and volume of fibroids all had a line relationship with EEF, and the enhancement type on T1WI was the greatest factor affecting the ablation effect. Some patients (37.6%) had thermal injury of the sacrum on MRI, but no serious adverse events were observed.Our results suggest that USgHIFU can be safely used and have a promising prospect for treating UFs, even though its effect may be affected by anatomical features, tissue characteristics, and blood supply.

Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of Transcervical Radiofrequency Ablation of Uterine Fibroids: The VITALITY Study

Objective: The aim of this research was to learn the long-term (> 5 years) clinical outcomes of transcervical radiofrequency ablation of uterine fibroids.

Materials and Methods: For this retrospective, single-arm, long-term data-collection study, 23 women with heavy menstrual bleeding secondary to fibroids were treated with transcervical radiofrequency ablation guided by integrated intrauterine sonography (using the Sonata^® System, Gynesonics, Redwood City, CA). This study was within the 12-month Fibroid Ablation Study-EU clinical trial in Mexico. Symptoms were assessed using the Uterine Fibroid Symptom and Quality-of-Life's Symptom Severity Score (SSS) and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) subscales. Patients were queried regarding pregnancy and surgical reinterventions.

Results: Seventeen women (73.9%) provided long-term follow-up information, with a mean of 64.4 months ±4.5 months (range: 57–73 months). From baseline, mean SSS decreased significantly from 64.9 ± 16.9 to 27.6 ± 36.1, and mean HRQoL improved significantly from 27.2 ± 22.4 to 76.0 ± 32.6 (p = 0.002, and p = 0.0001, respectively). There were no surgical reinterventions through the first 3.5 years post-treatment. There was an 11.8% incidence of surgical reinterventions over 5.4 years of average follow-up, with 2 hysterectomies occurring after 3.5 and 4 years postablation, respectively (event rate: 2.2% per year; 95% confidence interval; 0.3%, 7.9%). Freedom from surgical reintervention at 1, 2, and 3 years was 100%, and, at 4 and 5 years, was 88.2% ± 7.8%. There was a single pregnancy occurring within the first year of treatment leading to a normal-term delivery by elective repeat cesarean section.

Conclusions: Transcervical radiofrequency ablation with the Sonata System produced substantial durable clinical benefits beyond 5 years with a low reintervention rate.

Nonresective treatments for uterine fibroids: a systematic review of uterine and fibroid volume reductions

Patients are increasingly seeking uterus-preserving, minimally invasive treatments for symptomatic uterine fibroids. This has led to a greater use of nonresective treatments such as uterine artery embolization (UAE), focused ultrasound (FUS) and more recently, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of fibroids. This systematic review, following PRISMA guidelines, examines the change in uterine and fibroid volumes associated with UAE, FUS, and RFA. Pubmed and MedlinePlus databases were searched from 1956 to 2016. The keywords used were 'radiofrequency ablation,' 'magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound,' 'ultrasound guided focused ultrasound', 'uterine artery embolization,' 'uterine fibroid embolization,' and 'leiomyoma' or 'fibroid'. Publications with at least 20 patients were included. Data were collected and analyzed using Microsoft Excel^® (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA) software. Eighty-one relevant papers were identified: 52 related to UAE, 11 to RFA, 17 to FUS, 1 compared UAE and FUS. We report the published uterine volume and fibroid volume changes seen in these studies at 1 to 36 months. The pooled fibroid volume reductions at six months seen with RFA were 70%, UAE 54% and FUS 32%. All three types of nonresective treatment result in fibroid volume reduction. However, fibroid volume reduction is most marked with RFA, with UAE resulting in the next most volume reduction. Additional larger cohort studies, including those that are randomized and/or comparative, would enable definitive conclusions. This is the first systematic review comparing uterine and fibroid volume reduction after RFA, UAE and MRgFUS.

Normal spontaneous vaginal delivery after transcervical radiofrequency ablation of uterine fibroids: a case report

Transcervical radiofrequency ablation of uterine fibroids was performed on a patient in Germany, who subsequently conceived. This is the first report of a normal spontaneous vaginal delivery after fibroid ablation with the Sonata^® System.