Womens Center, Coimbatore has procured a non-invasive therapeutic tool for uterine fibroids, a common gynecological condition among women. MR guided Focused Ultrasound technology (MrgFUS), an device from InSightec, uses high intensity focused ultrasound waves to treat uterine fibroids instead of surgery requires hospitalisation and long recovery time. The MRgFUS treatment, reportedly, is carried out as an out-patient procedure, has a shorter recovery time and allows women to return to normal daily activities almost the next day.
“Most patients’ opt for treating a uterine fibroid based on their respective clinician’s knowledge on the same topic. Due to the lack of awareness of better treatment options, many patients undergo hysterectomy- a highly invasive surgical procedure that entails the loss of a reproductive organ, long hospital stay and a longer recovery time,” said Dr Mirudhubashini Govindarajan, Clinical Director, Womens Center. “MR guided Focused Ultrasound has lower risk with maximum gain! This technology ablates uterine fibroid tissues without cutting the body or losing a drop of blood and avoids prolonged hospitalisation and other costs! It is a blessing for women, who seek a better quality of life without the impediments of losing their reproductive organ thereby preserving their fertility, “ she added.
MRgFUS combines therapeutic acoustic ultrasound waves with continuous guidance and treatment monitoring by MRI. This combination of technologies is called Magnetic Resonance guided Focused Ultrasound Therapy (MRgFUS). Reportedly, MRgFUS offers non-invasive, non-ionising radiation treatment with minimal discomfort and trauma in a single session of two to three hours. GE Healthcare is a minority shareholder of InSightec and is a distributor of ExAblate in many countries around the world. InSightec’s ExAblate system is exclusively compatible with GE Healthcare’s normal and wide bore systems such as Signa HDxt 1.5T, Signa HDxt 3.0T, Optima MR450 and 450w, and Discovery MR750 and 750w.
Speaking on the occasion of the launch, Dr Karthik Kuppusamy, Director, MRI, GE Healthcare, South Asia said, “Operating room of the future is here in India already. Women’s Center, Coimbatore is the fourth hospital in India to be equipped with MRgFUS. InSightec and GE’s MRgFUS can cut tumors and fibroids without cutting the body! It is the best thing that happened to medicine since the scalpel. It is a dramatic change for women, a proven technology and has already helped treat 400 women with uterine fibroids successfully in the country”.
This technology is CE marked for pain palliation treatment for bone metastases, and clinical trials are under way to determine if the technology could be an alternative treatment for a number of cancers including breast, brain, liver, and prostate.
EH News Bureau
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