Non-Invasive Focused Ultrasound Uterine Fibroid Treatment Presented At St. Joseph Hospital Grand Rounds

Main Category: MRI / PET / Ultrasound
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 27 Mar 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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A new non-invasive uterine fibroid treatment was featured today at the St. Joseph Hospital Grand Rounds highlighting the advanced uses of ultrasound technology. Dr. Richard Chudacoff, MD, National Medical Director, Sound Medical Solutions, Inc. and Dr. Robert Gallie, MD, Medical Director, ExAblate of Phoenix, LLC presented.

The non-invasive treatment called ExAblate(R) 2000, combines magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high intensity focused ultrasound to thermally ablate (destroy) uterine fibroid tumors. Uterine Fibroids are a benign but painful condition that affects approximately 25% of women of childbearing age. To date, the most common treatments for uterine fibroids have been invasive surgical procedures such as hysterectomy - the full removal of the uterus. "We are pleased that we are going to be able to offer women in the Phoenix area access to this new, non-invasive treatment for a condition that has primarily been treated with invasive surgery," said Dr. Robert Gallie, MD Medical Director, ExAblate of Phoenix, LLC. "As a gynecologist it is great to see wider academic exposure for this innovative medical technology, which gives uterine fibroid patients a treatment option that has an extremely quick recovery time with very little discomfort" said Dr. Richard Chudacoff, MD National Medical Director, Sound Medical Solutions, Inc.

Sound Medical Solutions

Sound Medical Solutions (SMS) provides access to the ExAblate technology to gynecologists who understand their patients' need for a non-invasive yet effective option for treating uterine fibroids. SMS was the first entity to provide gynecological access to this innovative procedure in the U.S. Now, numerous gynecologists are performing the ExAblate procedure and are making a difference in the lives of many women worldwide.

SMS is a dedicated provider of the ExAblate procedure using MR guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery that significantly improves the patient's quality of life, and operates Americas largest network of out patient ExAblate facilities. For more information visit our website at www.exablate.net.

About ExAblate 2000

The ExAblate 2000 is the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved system to use the breakthrough MR guided Focused Ultrasound technology that combines MRI - to visualize tissues in the body, plan the treatment and monitor in real time treatment outcome - and high intensity focused ultrasound to thermally ablate tissue. MR thermal feedback, provided uniquely by the system, allows the physician to control and adjust the treatment in real time to ensure that the targeted tumor is fully treated and surrounding tissue is spared. ExAblate received FDA approval for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids in October 2004.

Uterine fibroids are benign growths in the uterus that affect approximately 13 million women of child bearing age in the U.S. Each year approximately 200,000 women have hysterectomies, to treat uterine fibroids. Unlike hysterectomy, myomectomy and UAE, this technology is completely non- invasive using MR guided focused ultrasound to thermally ablate (destroy) growths in the uterus. For women this means no hospital stay and only 1-2 days of recovery as opposed to the one week (UAE); two weeks (myomectomy); or six weeks (hysterectomy) usually associated with treatment of this condition.

ExAblate and ExAblate 2000 are registered trademarks of InSightec, Ltd.

Sound Medical Solutions
www.exablate.net

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