Preliminary Assessment of Symptom Severity Following Transcervical Fibroid Ablation in a Community Hospital Setting
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Study Objective To evaluate the median change in symptom severity among patients who underwent transcervical fibroid ablation (TFA) in a community hospital setting. Design Prospective cohort study with assessments at baseline and 6-8 weeks post-treatment. Setting Large tertiary care community hospital. Patients or Participants A total of 147 patients were enrolled in the retrospective and prospective registry. Sixty-four prospective patients received TFA for symptomatic uterine fibroids, of which, 44 patients completed a 6-8-week follow-up survey. Interventions Transcervical fibroid ablation was performed using the Sonata (R) System (Gynesonics, Inc., Redwood City, CA). Measurements and Main Results Forty-four patients had complete demographic, gynecological history, fibroid characteristics and symptom severity survey information. Symptom severity was measured using individual items adapted from the Uterine Fibroid Symptom-Quality of Life (UFS-QOL) questionnaire. The median age of patients was 43 years and 68% of patients were Non-Hispanic Black. More than half of patients underwent previous fibroid treatment, including medication (30%), myomectomy (20%), and TFA (11%). Patients had a median of 2 fibroids treated (IQR: 2-4) and there were no intraoperative surgical complications. There was a statistically significant median change of –1 in heavy bleeding (P<0.0001) and passing blood clots during period (P=0.0005). The median reduction in lower abdominal pain was 3.5 compared to 3 (P=0.002). Patients reported a statistically significant reduction in pain and discomfort (P=0.0001) and improvement in usual activities (P=0.03) during their period. There were no significant changes in interference with social activities and avoiding sexual relations. Conclusion These preliminary findings from a 6-8-week follow-up demonstrate significant reductions in symptom severity among patients who underwent TFA in a community hospital setting. These short-term improvements align with existing literature which has shown symptom relief over extended periods, suggesting a consistent and sustained benefit of TFA treatment. Transcervical fibroid ablation is a promising procedure for reducing the burden of symptomatic uterine fibroids.
Authors: L Hansen-Lindner, TL Gill, DS Hamm, GL Hoelscher, BS Hurst
Institution: Carolinas Medical Center
Language: English
Subfield: Obstetrics and Gynecology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,000
OpenAlex ID: W4404349594