New Procedure Unveiled at Juan F. Luis Hospital to Remove Fibroids
On Wednesday, the Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix made an announcement about a new procedure that has been introduced to remove fibroids. The hospital hosted a community meeting to unveil the new procedure to about 30 people in attendance. The panelists included Keith Weeks, Hologic Representative, Dr. Olivine Treasure, St. Croix OB/GYN, and Dr. Michele Berkley.
Fibroids are noncancerous tumors that may grow in or outside of the uterus. Each year, 540,000 hysterectomies are carried out for noncancerous conditions, with fibroids being one of the reasons.
The Accessa procedure, which was recently carried out on 6 patients in St. Croix, is the first of its kind in the Caribbean. The procedure is performed by making three small incisions in the stomach through which the surgeon locates each fibroid with an ultrasound probe. The tip of the Accessa Handpiece is then deployed into each fibroid while preserving healthy uterine tissue, and controlled heat is delivered to destroy the targeted tissue.
According to Dr. Treasure, the Accessa procedure checks all the boxes for a surgical intervention with the lowest risk of complications and the quickest and easiest recovery time. The procedure is less invasive, with minimal surgical pain, and a decrease in blood loss.
Benefits of the Accessa Procedure
The Accessa procedure comes with several benefits that make it ideal for patients. These include:
1. Minimal Blood Loss
The procedure has minimal, close to zero blood loss when done correctly, according to Hologic representatives.
2. Less Invasive
The Accessa procedure is less invasive, requires smaller incisions, and is less painful than traditional open surgery.
3. Quick Recovery
Patients can go home the same day and get back to their daily activities within four to five days after the procedure.
4. Fibroid Localization And Removal
The procedure uses ultrasound guidance mapping technology that allows doctors to locate and remove undiscovered fibroids.
5. Increased Fibroid Removal Rates
The Accessa procedure has a higher success rate in removing fibroids than traditional open surgery.
Is the Accessa Procedure for Everyone?
According to the panelists, the Accessa procedure is not meant for everyone. The procedure is less invasive but requires small incisions in the stomach. Patients should consult with their gynecologists to determine if they are suitable candidates for the Accessa procedure.
Dr. Treasure, who initially saw the procedure at a trade show a few years ago, emphasizes the importance of keeping up with new developments in the field of medicine. Regularly visiting other hospitals to see what they are doing and what can be adapted to her practice in St. Croix.
Additional Piece: Understanding Fibroids
Fibroids are noncancerous tumors that develop in the uterus and commonly affect women during their reproductive age. They can grow on the inside or outside of the uterus and cause various symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain and pressure, abdominal swelling, and frequent urination.
Although the causes of fibroids are unclear, medical research suggests that they may be due to hormonal imbalances. Estrogen and progesterone, which are the hormones that control the menstrual cycle, can make fibroids grow.
There are four types of fibroids, classified based on their location in the uterus:
1. Submucosal fibroids grow on the lining of the uterus and can cause heavy menstrual bleeding.
2. Intramural fibroids develop within the wall of the uterus and can cause pain, pressure, and swelling in the abdomen.
3. Subserosal fibroids grow on the outside of the uterus and can cause pelvic pain and pressure.
4. Pedunculated fibroids are attached to the uterus by a stalk-like structure and can cause pain and pressure in the abdomen.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Fibroids
Fibroids are diagnosed through a pelvic exam and imaging tests such as ultrasound, hysteroscopy, MRI, and CT scans. Once diagnosed, they can be treated using various methods.
1. Watchful Waiting
In some cases, fibroids don’t cause any symptoms and the doctor may recommend watchful waiting. This involves monitoring the fibroids to see if they grow in size or cause symptoms.
2. Medications
Certain medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), hormonal therapy, and tranexamic acid can relieve fibroid symptoms such as pain, heavy bleeding, and frequency of urination.
3. Surgery
Surgery is often recommended to remove fibroids that cause severe symptoms. There are two main types of surgery:
a. Myomectomy involves removing fibroids without removing the uterus. This type of surgery is for women who want to have children in the future.
b. Hysterectomy involves removing the entire uterus. This type of surgery is for women who do not want to have children in the future or have severe symptoms that do not respond to other treatments.
Conclusion
The Accessa Procedure is a new method for removing fibroids that is less invasive and comes with minimal blood loss, quick recovery, and a high rate of fibroid localization and removal. Although the procedure is not for everyone, it offers a viable alternative to traditional surgery in treating fibroids. Women who experience symptoms of fibroids should consult with their doctor to determine the best treatment. By keeping up with new developments in medicine, doctors such as Dr. Treasure in St. Croix can bring innovative treatments such as the Accessa Procedure to their patients.
Summary
St. Croix’s Juan F. Luis Hospital recently unveiled a new procedure called the Accessa procedure to remove fibroids. This new method is less invasive and requires fewer incisions in the stomach, which cause less surgical pain and a decrease in blood loss. The procedure uses laparoscopic ultrasound guidance mapping technology that allows doctors to locate and remove previously undiscovered fibroids. Although the Accessa procedure is not for everyone, it offers a viable alternative to traditional surgery in treating fibroids. Women who experience symptoms of fibroids should consult with their doctor to determine the best treatment.
—————————————————-
| Article | Link |
|---|---|
| UK Artful Impressions | Premiere Etsy Store |
| Sponsored Content | View |
| 90’s Rock Band Review | View |
| Ted Lasso’s MacBook Guide | View |
| Nature’s Secret to More Energy | View |
| Ancient Recipe for Weight Loss | View |
| MacBook Air i3 vs i5 | View |
| You Need a VPN in 2023 – Liberty Shield | View |
The Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix announced exciting news for women’s health by unveiling a new procedure to remove fibroids at a community meeting held at the hospital on Wednesday. Panelists included Hologic Representative Keith Weeks, St. Croix OB/GYN, Dr. Olivine Treasure and Dr. Michele Berkley presented to a crowd of approximately 30 in attendance.
Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that grow in or on the uterus. Each year, approximately 540,000 hysterectomies are performed for noncancerous conditions, including uterine fibroids. The Acessa procedure was the first to be performed on six patients on St. Croix, the first in the Caribbean. The procedure requires the patient to be taken to the operating room, where a doctor makes three small incisions in the stomach. Each fibroid is then precisely located with an ultrasound probe called laparoscopic ultrasound and guidance mapping technology, allowing for a full view of the uterus. The tip of the Acessa Handpiece is then deployed into the fibroid while preserving healthy uterine tissue. Controlled heat is then delivered to each fibroid to destroy the tissue and is repeated until each targeted fibroid is completely treated. The patient can then go home the same day and can return to work within four to five days.
Panelist Dr. Treasure said, “We’re very excited about this because it checks all the boxes that you wish you had checked to see what is the ideal surgical intervention or procedure with the lowest risk of complications and the quickest and easiest recovery.”
Weeks said the procedure is a “less invasive option, quick recovery, minimal surgical pain, and the decrease in blood loss is tremendous.”
“This procedure has minimal, close to zero blood loss when done correctly,” Weeks said.
According to the panelists, only 100 doctors in the United States perform the procedure and it was founded in 2012.
Treasure said she saw the procedure at a trade show a few years ago. “Every year, or every few months, we visit another hospital to see what they are doing new. We ask what we can bring back to St. Croix that women in the United States have.”
She continued: “The traditional way to remove fibroids would mean cutting into the abdomen and cutting into the uterus and trying to feel for each fibroid, well you can’t feel them all. What’s nice is that you can do an ultrasound at the same time so we can get the fibroids that went undetected before. Instead of the fibroid being outside of our bellies, the fibroids are in the uterus so we can see the ones we didn’t detect before.”
Treasure said the rate of fibroid localization and removal is higher. “Also the assisted fact that we get the close-up ultrasound where we can see better through the uterus. We see better. We get more fibroids than with traditional open surgery which has a longer recovery. Our success rates are better, as is our earlier recovery rate.”
Berkley, who called herself and her colleagues a “gadget person,” said: “I feel very honored and happy. I am a patient too, so it is very important to me.”
Berkley said the security and recovery profile is amazing. One of her patients who had the procedure done even asked to return to work just two days later, “I was shocked when I saw my patient.”
The Acessa procedure is not a procedure meant for everyone, and you should consult with your gynecologist if you are a perfect candidate for the procedure.
JFL Announces Exciting News in Women’s Health for Removing Fibroids
—————————————————-