The Acessa® Procedure:

A Treatment for Uterine Fibroids

Dr. Murray is the first physician in Connecticut to perform the Acessa® Procedure.

Leiomyomas, or more commonly known as uterine fibroids, are noncancerous fibrous tumors that grow in the walls of the uterus. Fibroids are a disease that can be found in all women and become more common as women age. In fact, about 80% of women will develop fibroids by age 50. While some women may not experience any noticeable symptoms, those that do typically complain of pelvic pressure, pelvic pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, lower back pain, urinary symptoms, or painful intercourse.

For some, medical management can help with heavy bleeding. However, for others, medication alone cannot treat the other symptoms effectively. If you suffer from these symptoms and are tired of living with constant pain or discomfort, and are looking for alternatives to major surgery, you may be a candidate for the Acessa® Procedure. This procedure is minimally invasive, allows you to keep your uterus, and return to normal activities with an improved quality of life quickly after the procedure.

The Results:

• 94% of patients responded that the treatment had been somewhat, moderately, or very effective in eliminating their symptoms.

• Patients are typically sent home the day of the procedure and fully recover within 4-5 days.

• Only 11% of patients required additional reintervention after the Acessa procedure.

• 98% reported that they would probably or definitely recommend the procedure to their friends with the same health problem.

The Acessa® procedure is also known as Laparoscopic Radiofrequency Ablation (LAP-RFA) and essentially delivers heat directly into a fibroid in order to destroy its tissue and in turn relieve your symptoms. The procedure contains 6 steps.

1. Prep – You are prepped and brought into the operating room for anesthesia.

2. Access – Your physician makes small incisions-one in your belly button - one below your bikini line - and inserts a tiny camera and ultrasound into each incision.

3. Visualize – Your Physician precisely locates each fibroid with the Acessa ultrasound probe and guidance mapping, allowing full view of your uterus.

4. Deploy – Next, your physician deploys the tip of the Acessa handpiece into the fibroid while preserving healthy uterine tissue.

5. Treat – The physician deploys controlled heat through the Acessa handpiece to destroy the fibroid tissue. The physician repeats this process until every targeted fibroid is fully treated. Once the procedure is complete, your physician stitches the small incisions on the skin.

6. Recover – You will wake up in the recovery room. Most patients get cleared to go home within two hours. Women typically feel ready to return to work and daily activities after 4-5 days. Symptom relief varies person to person. However, patients typically report decreased pelvic pain and pressure shortly after the procedure. Heavy bleeding is typically improved within 3-6 months, but noticeable improvement can be seen as soon as your first menstrual cycle.