An effective minimally invasive method of treating adenomyosis by interstitial laser photocoagulation with the KTP laser

Adenomyosis is a condition which mimics uterine leiomyomas in symptomatology and macroscopic appearance, and for which there is no known cure other than hysterectomy. The success of low-power interstitial laser photocoagulation (ILP) in the treatment of uterine leiomyomas suggested that this might also be effective for the treatment of adenomyosis. The KTP 532 nm component of the KTP-YAG laser was used with a 600µm fibre with a bare tip via a needle microstat. The fibre was inserted into the abnormal tissue at spots 3 cm apart and slowly withdrawn, the object being to coagulate the surrounding blood vessels and adenomyotic tissue. The number of Joules required depended on the volume of tissue treated. Six patients were treated. All became symptom free, and of the two who desired to become pregnant, one succeeded. The other had tubal blockage. It had been shown previously that ILP destroys oestrogen receptors, and it is concluded that this new modality offers an effective means of treating adenomyosis by a minimally invasive method. Similar content being viewed by others

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