February 21, 2007 (WLS) -- They're a common problem that affect one in five women. For many the answer to uterine fibroids is a hysterectomy or some other procedure. But there's a new option that could enable a woman to keep her fertility and get rid of the fibroids without ever having surgery.

This new treatment uses soundwaves to destroy uterine fibroids. It involves a machine that combines two well established medical techniques, MRI and ultrasound. It's not for everyone, but for women who can have it done, it can mean treatment one day and back to work in a day or two.

Forty-three-year-old Tanya Briggs remembers the day she was diagnosed with fibroids.

"My doctors words were you're practically bleeding to death and you're uterus is over 50 percent fibroids. So you might as well have a hysterectomy," said Briggs.

She had been feeling fatigued, found a lump in her groin area and was told she was anemic. A hysterectomy was not part of her plan.

"I did not feel like it was something I needed to go through," Briggs said.

So, Tanya did her own research and found out about "focused ultrasound ablation" combining an MRI with an ultrasound to destroy uterine fibroids.

Reproductive endocrinologist Jan Friberg is now doing the treatment at Medical Imaging in Northbrook.

"They are burning it, and then they will slowly disappear once you coagulate or zap the fibroid," said Dr. Friberg.

During the 3-4 hour procedure the patient lies on her stomach and is placed in an MRI. It scans and pinpoints the problem fibroid then focuses a beam of sound waves to heat it up.

"The beam is very diffuse so as a result it causes no heating damage or abnormalities," Richard Mintzer, radiologist, Medical Imaging of Northbrook Court.

The patient is conscious but lightly sedated. There's no cutting involved and recovery time is minimal. Tanya liked the fact that it wasn't surgery. She was back to work within 48 hours compared to the 6-8 weeks she would have needed with a hysterectomy.

"I really can't say it was painful; it was uncomfortable more than anything," said Briggs.

Most of all, she saw this as a way to preserve her fertility. But research is still being done to see if this is a procedure that can do just that. 7 There is concern about how the heat may ultimately affect the uterus.

"It's certainly not the end all be all. It's possible scar tissue could form," said Dr. Magdy Milad, reproductive endocrinologist, Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Maguey Milad with Northwestern University thing's it shows great promise. But, he says, because it's so new, the side affects are still unknown, and it may require more than one procedure.

"One-third of women who undergo this procedure ultimately have a second procedure. I think that's a significant issue," said Dr. Milad.

Fibroids are non-cancerous tumors in the uterus that are commonly found in women over 30. Most women with them don't need treatment, but when they grow large, they can become painful, result in constant bleeding and lead to a host of other medical problems including infertility and miscarriages. The most common surgical treatment is hysterectomy which involves removing the uterus. There are other effective options and now ablation is the latest alternative.

Sherry Nicklaus is having it done for the second time and feels it's worth it.

"The next day I was up and about. No pain, no major issues," said Sherry Nicklaus, fibroid patient.

The procedure is not for everyone and only works on certain types of fibroids. There is also no guarantee it is going to spare a woman's fertility. As for cost, insurance will not always cover it.

The two women we interviewed for this piece say they were not given options until they did their own research. Doctors say women should be given alternatives and investigate all options to find the procedure that is best for them.

Dr. Jan Friberg
fribergmedical.com Water Tower Place
845 N. Michigan Ave.
Suite 935E
Chicago, IL 60611
312-642-6777

Dr. Magdy Milad
Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation
675 N. St. Clair St.
Suite 14-200
Chicago, IL 60611
www.nmff.org

Medical Imaging of Northbrook Court
1182 Northbrook Court
Northbrook, IL 60062
847-509-1818
www.medimageofnbc.com

Insightec
www.insightec.com

Friberg Medical
www.fribergmedical.com

• Print Article

abc7 News Team

Story Tools