NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Interstitial laser photocoagulation (ILP), a technique that has been successfully used for fibroadenomas of the breast, also appears to be an effective therapy for uterine myomas, according to a recent report.

The technique involves the insertion of optical fibers into lesions located deep inside solid organs. Low-power laser energy is then applied, which destroys the target lesion without damaging overlying normal tissues.

In the current study, Dr. Stephen G. Bown, from Royal Free and University College in London, and colleagues used ILP on 30 myoma lesions in 24 symptomatic patients who refused surgical resection. The optical fibers were placed in the lesions under laparoscopic guidance.

The researchers' findings are published in the August issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The procedure was well tolerated and none of the patients required hospital admission, the authors note. Twenty-three lesions were found to have shrunk on follow-up ultrasound or MRI. Lesions greater than 6 cm in diameter tended to be resistant to treatment. An improvement in clinical symptoms was noted in 13 patients.

The findings indicate that "ILP is a safe, well-tolerated procedure that can shrink uterine myomas," the researchers conclude. Some of its main advantages are that "it is repeatable and that it does not prevent subsequent conventional surgical procedures," they add.

Based on these encouraging preliminary findings, larger studies are warranted to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of ILP for uterine myomas, the investigators urge.

Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:382-384.

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