July is Fibroid Awareness Month, a condition that impacts hundreds of thousands of women. While the cause isn't well understood, the non-cancerous growths can cause pain, pregnancy loss, and infertility.
Holland Hospitalis leading the way as the first hospital in West Michigan to offer new hopeto women facing debilitating symptoms caused by uterine fibroids. The hospital recently began utilizing the Sonata® System by Gynesonics, offering women an incision-less treatment that addresses fibroids in a single, outpatient procedure.
Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that appear in or around the uterus and can range in size from an apple seed to a grapefruit. Fibroids may cause uncomfortable symptoms including heavy menstrual bleeding, pressure or swelling in the abdomen, painful periods, frequent urination, constipation, infertility, and pain during intercourse.
The new outpatient procedure uses a miniature ultrasound probe accessed through the cervix and into the uterus. Once the fibroid is located, radiofrequency is applied directly without damaging the surrounding tissue. Since no tissue is cut or surgically removed, the uterus is preserved, which maintains the possibility of pregnancy for patients.
Fibroids are very common in women of childbearing age. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, more than 2 million women undergo treatment for uterine fibroids. Until recently, the most common surgical solution was a hysterectomy, which is a significant surgical procedure that removes the entire uterus.
Learn more by visiting hollandhospital.orgor call (616)-392-5141.
