Successful pregnancies in women with diffuse uterine leiomyomatosis after high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation: report of three cases.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the reproductive outcomes of patients with diffuse uterine leiomyomatosis (DUL) treated with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three patients of reproductive age with DUL who underwent HIFU treatment were enrolled, all of whom had a strong desire to become pregnant. All patients underwent routine laboratory tests, electrocardiography (ECG), chest X-ray radiography, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations after routine medical history collection and physical examination. The treatment time, treatment power, sonication time, and adverse events were recorded. One day after HIFU, MRI was performed to evaluate treatment efficacy. The patients were scheduled for follow-up at 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month after HIFU treatment.

RESULTS

All the three patients completed HIFU treatment successfully without any major complication. Uterine size and menstrual volume significantly decreased with the combination of medical and HIFU treatments. The shrinkage rate of uterine volume was 31-44% and the menstrual volume reduced by 1/2 or returned to normal at 3 months post-HIFU. Three patients had successful conceptions between 3 and 11 months after HIFU with healthy deliveries. No uterine rupture occurred during pregnancy and delivery.

CONCLUSION

HIFU ablation may help achieve a successful pregnancy in patients with DUL.