Skin burns after high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation: a retrospective control study

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation is a minimally invasive treatment for benign gynecological diseases, though skin burns remain a potential complication. Understanding risk factors is critical for improving safety. In this study, we aimed to investigate the risk factors for skin burns in patients who underwent HIFU ablation. This retrospective study included 229 patients who underwent HIFU ablation for benign gynecological diseases. The medical records of the included patients were retrospectively analyzed to identify risk factors for skin burns. The main outcome measure was the identification of the risk factors contributing to skin burns following HIFU ablation. Among the 229 included patients, 6 experienced skin burns following HIFU ablation. Multivariate regression analysis identified several factors associated with the occurrence of skin burns, including treatment duration, sonication time, focusing depth, and water sac use (P < 0.05). The duration of treatment and degree of skin compression are key factors that contribute to skin burns (P < 0.05). Shortening treatment duration, incorporating intraoperative cooling intervals, and limiting both compression duration and intensity significantly reduce skin burn incidence and improve patient outcomes.