[Treatment of uterine fibroids using high-intensity ultrasound]

High-intensity ultrasound surgery is being actively introduced as an alternative treatment to conventional surgery for uterine fibroids. Numerous studies have shown that high-intensity ultrasound surgery is a safe and effective treatment, with fewer side effects than fibroidectomy and hysterectomy, and is cost-effective. It is now possible to offer this alternative therapy to patients with symptomatic uterine fibroids. We describe the technical basis of ultrasound surgery, the pretherapy selection of patients, the limiting factors and the risks of high-intensity ultrasound therapy. We describe our unit's clinical experience with 319 patients treated in an outpatient regimen, which resulted in a high rate of success (81%) and an acceptable rate of mild complications, as well as a virtually immediate return to daily activities. We comment on the follow-up of pregnancies that occurred after treatment with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) with no side effects attributable to the therapy.