Ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment for abdominal wall endometriosis: preliminary results.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the safety and therapeutic efficacy of ultrasound (US)-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation for the treatment of abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE).


METHODS
Twenty-one consecutive patients with AWE were treated as outpatients by US-guided HIFU ablation under conscious sedation. The median size of the AWE was 2.4 cm (range 1.0-5.3 cm). An acoustic power of 200-420 W was used, intermittent HIFU exposure of 1s was applied. Treatment was considered complete when the entire nodule and its nearby 1cm margin become hyperechoic on US. Pain relief after HIFU ablation was observed and the treated nodule received serial US examinations during follow-up.


RESULTS
All AWE was successfully ablated after one session of HIFU ablation, the ablation time lasted for 5-48 min (median 13 min), no major complications occurred. The cyclic pain disappeared in all patients during a mean follow-up of 18.7 months (range 3-31 months). The treated nodules gradually shank over time, 16 nodules became unnoticeable on US during follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
US-guided HIFU ablation appears to be safe and effective for the treatment of AWE.
Wang
Yang
Y
Department of Ultrasound, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing 100853, China.
Wang
Wei
W
Wang
Longxia
L
Wang
Junyan
J
Tang
Jie
J
D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000328:Adult; D016292:Procedural Sedation; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D057086:High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement; D056888:Patient Positioning; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional