title: Treatment of uterine myomas by radiofrequency thermal ablation: a 10-year retrospective cohort study.
abstract: Patients' selection criteria, effectiveness, and safety of radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFTA) therapy for uterine myomas (UM) were assessed using a 10-year retrospective cohort study. From July 2001 to July 2011, a total of 1216 patients treated for UM were divided into 2 groups. Group A consisted of 476 premenopause patients, average age 36.5 ± 8.5 years, average number of myomas 1.7 ± 0.9, and average diameter of myomas 4.5 ± 1.5 cm, and group B consisted of 740 menopause patients, average age 48.5 ± 3.5 years, average number of myomas 2.6 ± 1.3, and average diameter of myomas 5.0 ± 2.5 cm. Average follow-up period was 36.5 ± 11.5 months. At 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after RFTA, average diameters of myomas in group A were 3.8, 3.0, 2.7, 2.4, and 2.2 cm, respectively, and 47.7% (227 of 476) of patients had tumor trace at 12 months after RFTA. In group B, the results were 4.7, 3.7, 3.3, 2.3, and 2.3 cm, respectively, and 58.8% (435 of 740) of patients had tumor trace at 12 months after RFTA. Three months after treatment, myoma volumes were significantly reduced in both the groups (P < .01), and group B had higher rate of tumor trace at 12 months after RFTA than group A (P < .05). Clinical symptoms and health-related quality-of-life outcome (HRQL) were significantly improved after RFTA in both groups and the postoperative recurrence rate of UM was significantly higher in group A at 10.7% (51 of 476) than group B at 2.4% (18 of 740; P < .05). Radiofrequency thermal ablation is an excellent minimally invasive treatment for UM smaller than 5.0 cm in diameter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Jinan Military General Hospital, Jinan, China ygpwylll@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Geping
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Jinan Military General Hospital, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Jinan Military General Hospital, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Shujun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Jinan Military General Hospital, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Jinan Military General Hospital, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Tongyu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Jinan Military General Hospital, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: complications; curative effect; minimally invasive treatment; radiofrequency thermal ablation; uterine myoma