'Surgery' without knives, without blood.

Non-invasive gynecological surgery increases the chances of motherhood for many women. Gynecological conditions such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and even some forms of cancer are becoming increasingly common, posing a major concern for women's reproductive health.

Ultrasound doctor monitors pregnancy for woman after treatment for uterine fibroids - Photo: Hospital provided.

Many women face the risk of losing the opportunity to become mothers. Ultrasound-intensive high-intensity focus (US-HIFU) has opened up a new, non-surgical, low-complication approach that preserves the ability to have children.

Rediscovering the role of motherhood

Just three months after undergoing non-surgical treatment for two uterine fibroids using high-intensity focused ultrasound, Ms. T. (30 years old) unexpectedly received the joyful news of a natural pregnancy.

Ms. T. was diagnosed with multiple uterine fibroids many years ago, with the largest measuring 46 x 44 x 34mm. Severe abdominal pain and prolonged menstrual cycles left her feeling tired and uncomfortable. More worryingly, doctors warned that this was a high-risk factor for infertility, difficulty conceiving, or miscarriage. In fact, she had already experienced a heartbreaking tragedy during her first pregnancy.

Not giving up hope, she sought treatment at Thien An Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital (Hanoi). She was treated directly by Professor Nguyen Viet Tien, former Deputy Minister of Health and director of the hospital. In November 2024, she received treatment for uterine fibroids using the US-HIFU technique.

A day after the surgery, she was able to walk and go about her normal activities. A month later, a follow-up examination showed that the nearly 5cm tumor had shrunk by more than 50%, and her menstrual pain had almost completely disappeared.

And in the third month, she was delighted to receive the news that she was pregnant naturally, without any assisted reproductive technology. She is currently being monitored at the hospital and is due to give birth in December 2025.

Not only Ms. T., but many other patients have also found happiness again thanks to this technique. Ms. H. (29 years old) had two large tumors in the uterine wall and had a miscarriage at 20 weeks, making her longing to become a mother even more agonizing.

After treatment with US-HIFU, Ms. H.'s health improved significantly. Shortly after the intervention, she conceived naturally. By the end of July 2025, her pregnancy had progressed healthily to 20 weeks, marking a significant milestone in her journey to motherhood.

"Surgery" without a knife

Dr. Nguyen Viet Tien believes that the most important thing is for the patient to retain her uterus and maintain her fertility. Globally , there are three main surgical methods: open surgery, minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery, and non-invasive surgery using high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIS). Among these, HIS is considered a new invention, offering much hope for patients in modern medicine.

Compared to traditional open surgery or laparoscopic surgery, the uterus still requires an incision. After removing the tumor, even if the incision is sutured, the uterine muscle is weakened. In some cases, when pregnancy occurs and the uterus enlarges, the incision site may rupture.

In contrast, when treating tumors with ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (US-HIFU), it is performed without the need for deep anesthesia or surgery. During treatment, the patient remains conscious, experiences no bleeding or pain, and can be discharged one day later, or even on the same day.

The principle of this technique is based on the penetrating and focused capabilities of ultrasound waves, concentrating energy on the tumor, generating temperatures up to 100°C, causing tumor cells to necrose and blood vessels to be destroyed, while surrounding healthy tissue remains preserved. The entire process is gentle, the patient experiences no bleeding, no scarring, and remains conscious throughout the procedure.

"The tumor volume continues to decrease over time, and it does not interfere with pregnancy if the patient becomes pregnant. This is a significant advantage that traditional surgical methods struggle to achieve," Dr. Tien explained.

Doctor Nguyen Viet Tien examines and advises patients - Photo: Hospital provided.

Applying advanced technology to diagnosis and treatment.

"The successful implementation of US-HIFU technology is not only a significant medical achievement but also demonstrates the healthcare industry's determination to apply high technology to disease diagnosis and treatment."

US-HIFU technology is also a groundbreaking approach, marking a transformation in tumor treatment in Vietnam, making it easier for people to access advanced techniques on par with those in leading countries around the world.

Instead of having to go abroad with expensive medical and travel costs, patients can receive care and treatment domestically at a much lower cost while achieving equivalent treatment effectiveness."

Deputy Minister of Health TRAN VAN THUAN

Vietnam masters modern technology.

From December 27, 2024, the Ministry of Health officially licensed the deployment of US-HIFU technology, making Vietnam the 43rd country in the world to apply this advanced technology. In just under a year, 300 cases have been treated with US-HIFU, all with rapid recovery and no complications recorded.

Notably, four patients achieved natural pregnancies, and two patients successfully conceived through in-vitro fertilization (IVF) embryo transfer – cases that would be very difficult to achieve with traditional surgery.

Non-invasive treatment of tumors using ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (US-HIFU) has shown breakthrough effectiveness in treating uterine fibroids, endometriosis, cesarean section scar tissue, breast tumors, and other benign and malignant tumors in soft tissue, liver, kidney, pancreas, bone, breast, etc. However, there are still some cases where it cannot be applied, such as brain tumors and lung tumors with fluid and air.

Notably, there have been four cases of natural pregnancy and two cases of successful in-vitro fertilization (IVF) embryo transfer resulting in pregnancy. "These were all very difficult cases to treat the tumors with open or laparoscopic surgery. This opens up new hope, giving infertile patients more options in their journey to reclaim their sacred role as a child," said Dr. Tien.

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan also assessed that the application of US-HIFU high-intensity focused ultrasound technology for tumor treatment clearly demonstrates the continuous development of the country's medical field.

WILLOW

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/phau-thuat-khong-dao-khong-mau-20251007225200764.htm