Current status and outlook of minimally invasive treatment for leiomyomas.

Abstract

Leiomyomas are benign, highly prevalent gynecologic conditions that can cause abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pain, urinary difficulties, and/or bladder or rectal obstruction. With advances in medical technology, women are increasingly interested in treatments that avoid surgery and/or preserve the uterus, which has undoubtedly contributed to the development of minimally invasive approaches. This article reviews the literature and evaluates the effectiveness and safety of minimally invasive approaches for the treatment of leiomyomas and describes the current state of development of minimally invasive treatment modalities for leiomyomas. Web of Science and PubMed were systematically evaluated using the following keywords: uterine artery embolization, high-intensity focused ultrasound, microwave ablation, radiofrequency ablation, myomectomy, hysterectomy, leiomyomas, fertility. English abstracts relevant to the topic were selected and full-text articles were carefully analyzed. Uterine artery embolization is an effective treatment modality that has been widely validated, and the remaining means each have their distinct advantages in clinical practice, but more practical and comparative studies are needed. Minimally invasive myomectomy and minimally invasive hysterectomy are technically advanced compared to classical open surgery and are widely used due to the completion of practical experience, but a continuous interest in non-invasive minimally invasive treatment modalities is retained. Minimally invasive treatment modalities for leiomyomas have emerged as an important treatment option when considering patient requirements, and further research and practice are needed to support their development into a mainstream modality for the treatment of leiomyomas.