Acessa Procedure at Silver Cross Hospital Another Option for Women Suffering with Fibroids

Women who suffer from uterine fibroid tumors know the discomfort from bleeding and the pain they cause.

“But, believe it or not, there are some women who prefer to go through this rather than consider a hysterectomy,”said, Dr. Gamilah Pierre, a board-certified obstetrician gynecologist on staff at Silver Cross Hospital.

“It is emotional,” she added. “Maybe they want another baby. But now, there is another tool we can offer that is much less invasive and allows them to keep their uterus, and it’s called Acessa.”

What is Acessa?

The Acessa procedure, also known as Laparoscopic Radiofrequency Ablation for symptomatic fibroids, is a minimally invasive outpatient treatment that destroys living fibroid tissue using a thin needle through two small abdominal incisions.

The energy used during the procedure heats the fibroid tissue, causing it to soften and shrink with no suturing of the uterine tissue. The body’s natural process gradually reabsorbs the fibroid into surrounding tissue.

The Acessa procedure allows patients to keep their uterus and there is minimal discomfort after the procedure.

Acessa has been available in the Chicago area, but Dr. Pierre recently performed the first two procedures at Silver Cross.

She has performed many fibroid removals robotically, but Dr. Pierre said that can be tricky depending on the size and location of the fibroids. “Using the radiofrequency ablation to begin shrinking the fibroids is much easier,” she said.

The procedure can take as little as 45 minutes, depending on the number and location of the tumors. Dr. Pierre said the two patients at Silver Cross – one in her late 30s and the other in her early 40s – spent about an hour in recovery and went home the same day.

“The fibroids might shrink a little right away; the two patients said they could feel some relief within a few days,” said Dr. Pierre. “But the fibroids usually continue shrinking for several months. We do a follow-up ultrasound to determine that.”

Is Acessa Right for You?

Dr. Pierre said the Acessa procedure isn’t for all fibroid sufferers, especially those with larger tumors.

“All patients with fibroids are different,” she explained. “Many women do not want to lose their uterus. Others say, ‘Do the hysterectomy.’”

“I talk with my patients about where they are in life and what they want. It’s important we do what’s best for them. And I love having Acessa as another option for them.”

To learn more about the benefit of the Acessa procedure, or to schedule an appointment with an Acessa-trained physician at Silver Cross, please visit silvercross.org.