Central Texas ExAblate

What should I experience during the treatment?

Andrew Frascone — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:54:32 +0000

Before treatment you are given a sedative and pain medication to help you relax. You lie prone (on your abdomen) on a special table and are made comfortable before starting treatment. The treatment takes place with you lying on the patient table inside the MR scanner. Your clinical team will be in the next room with two-way communication using a microphone and a speaker. The nurse will be at your bedside within the MR suite throughout the procedure, communicating with you. The doctor will inform you when images are being acquired (scanning) and when the system is sonicating (treatment).

During treatment, it is normal to feel a warming sensation in the pelvic region. You will be given a safety stop button that allows you to immediately stop the sonication if the treatment becomes painful.

You are conscious the entire time and provide feedback during the procedure to the physician and nurse. Afterwards you’ll be asked to rest for a few hours in the clinic, while the mild sedation wears off. Then you’ll be able to go home and resume normal activity.

What is MR guided Focused Ultrasound?

Andrew Frascone — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:53:04 +0000

MR guided Focused Ultrasound is a non-invasive outpatient procedure that uses high doses of focused ultrasound waves to destroy uterine fibroids without affecting any of the other tissues around the fibroid. The procedure is conducted in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, which helps the physician “see” inside the body to pinpoint, guide, and continuously monitor the treatment.

Imagine using a magnifying glass to focus the sun’s energy on a single point to create a flame to burn a leaf. The focused ultrasound energy is directed at a small volume of the fibroid, raising its temperature high enough to cause thermal ablation (killing of the cells) without impacting other tissues. Pulses of energy are repeated until the entire volume is treated.

Is Exablate right for me?

Andrew Frascone — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:52:31 +0000

ExAblate® represents a new paradigm for women who wish to treat their fibroids while retaining their uterus. This advanced medical treatment is conducted in an outpatient setting, without the need for general anesthesia or hospitalization, greatly reducing recovery time and the risks of side effects. Usually within 1 – 3 days, you can return to your daily routine and begin the road to improved quality of life without the distressing symptoms you’ve had in the past.

If you’d like to see if your insurance covers this procedure, or receive a free DVD by mail, please CONTACT US today.

How Do I Know If My Pain Is Caused By Fibroids?

Andrew Frascone — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:50:30 +0000

During a visit to investigate these symptoms, your doctor will check the size of your uterus. If it feels enlarged, your doctor may order an ultrasound or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) session, which can confirm the presence, location and size of fibroids.

If you do not notice any symptoms caused by fibroids there is no need to treat them. Your doctor may want to watch the fibroids and periodically check for any growth.
If your physician feels that you might have fibroids, he/she can order several tests to confirm his/her suspicion.

If you do not notice any symptoms caused by fibroids there is no need to treat them. Your doctor may want to watch the fibroids and periodically check for any growth. If your physician feels that you might have fibroids, he/she can order several tests to confirm his/her suspicion.

* Ultrasounds
* Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
* X Rays
* Cat Scan/CT scan

If fibroids are confirmed, expect to work closely with your doctor to determine the best treatment for you. For a growing number of women, the best treatment is non-surgical MRgFUS.

What Are The Common Symptoms of Uterine Fibroids?

Andrew Frascone — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:50:02 +0000

Fibroid tumors can cause a number of uncomfortable conditions. Many women experience varying degrees of the following symptoms:

Painful periods
Heavy bleeding during or between periods
Frequent urination
Constipation
Distended abdomen which may be mistaken for weight gain or pregnancy
Lower back pain
Pain during sexual intercourse
Difficulty becoming pregnant
Multiple miscarriages
Premature labor

The majority of these complaints are due to the increasing growth of individual fibroids. As these benign tumors grow within the uterus, they invade the space normally occupied by other organs. Pressure is then placed upon nerves, organs or bony structures which results in frequent pain.

What Causes Uterine Fibroids?

Andrew Frascone — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:49:27 +0000

No one knows the definitive cause for these benign tumors. It is thought that a variety of factors co-exist which increase a woman’s risk of fibroid development. Factors such as hormones, familial pre-disposition and environmental conditions likely all play a part.

Fortunately, fibroids very rarely develop into cancer (< 1.0 % of all fibroids). Having uterine fibroids does not increase the risk of uterine or cervical cancer.

Many women who have fibroids are either unaware of them because they don’t have symptoms, or they are not bothered by the side effects which other women find almost disabling. If you are fortunate to be one of these women, your fibroids might not require treatment.

What Are Uterine Fibroids?

Andrew Frascone — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:48:53 +0000

A fibroid, also known as a uterine leiomyomata or “myoma,” is an abnormal growth within the different muscle layers of the uterus. Fibroid tumors are benign (non-cancerous).

While some women have only one fibroid, they typically are present in groups of two or more. Individual fibroids can vary from the size of an apple seed to become larger than a grapefruit. Fibroids often increase in size over time, potentially becoming so large that a non-pregnant uterus can be the same size as a six or seven month pregnancy.

While many women do not experience any problems, symptoms can be severe enough to seek medical treatment.