Focused Ultrasound Therapy
Focused ultrasound is an early-stage, noninvasive, therapeutic technology with the potential to improve the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with chronic cervicitis. This novel technology focuses beams of ultrasound energy precisely and accurately on targets deep in the body without damaging surrounding normal tissue. Where the beams converge, the ultrasound produces precise ablation (thermal destruction of tissue) enabling chronic cervicitis to be treated without surgery. While significant work has been accomplished, there is still much to be done before this technology will be widely available.
The primary options for treatment of chronic cervicitis include medication or surgical procedures.
For certain patients, focused ultrasound could provide a non-invasive alternative to medications or surgery with less risk of complications and lower cost.
Potential advantages:
- Non-invasive treatment which protects the physiological functions and biological structure of the cervix
- Safe treatment with no scars
- Low recurrence rate
Clinical Trials
At the present time, there are no clinical trials recruiting patients for focused ultrasound treatment of cervicitis.
Regulatory Approval and Reimbursement
Focused ultrasound treatment for cervicitis is not yet approved by regulatory bodies or covered by medical insurance companies.
Notable Papers
Li CZ, Wang ZB, Yang X, Tang Y, Wang D, Huang Y, Fan XF. Feasibility of focused ultrasound therapy for recurrent cervicitis with high-risk human papillomavirus infection. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Nov;34(5):590-4. doi: 10.1002/uog.7357.
Lin ZY, Xu J, Wang HY, Lu MH. [Improvement of cervical microenvironment after treatment of chronic cervicitis with focused ultrasound in infertility women]. Zhejiang Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2007 Sep;36(5):454-7. Chinese.
Zhang L, Zhang W, Orsi F, Chen W, Wang Z. Ultrasound-guided high intensity focused ultrasound for the treatment of gynaecological diseases: A review of safety and efficacy. Int J Hyperthermia. 2015 May;31(3):280-4. doi: 10.3109/02656736.2014.996790.
Click here for additional references from PubMed.