Our very own Dr. Bertrand has recently completed training in the Acessa System – an innovative solution for the removal of fibroids. With this new system, our practice is helping to revolutionize the treatment of a very common issue for women everywhere – that’s our job, after all!

Traditional methods for the removal of fibroids are more painful, time-consuming, and less efficient.

If you’re wondering how “normal” uterine fibroids actually are, don’t fret: a majority of women over the age of 50 in the U.S. have uterine fibroids. And until very recently, the most effective way to get rid of fibroids was (usually) inpatient surgery.

Common procedures included:

• Myomectomy – The surgical removal of fibroids from the uterus and the preferred treatment for fibroids. Can be inpatient or outpatient, but recovery period lasts for a few days to up to 2 weeks.
•  Hysterectomy – The surgical removal of parts of or the whole uterus. Recovery period lasts up to 6 weeks. This procedure is typically a last resort.
• UAE (uterine artery embolization) – A minimally invasive procedure that cuts off circulation to the uterine arteries. While this treatment is generally successful, the recovery period is painful and can last for up to a week.
• HIFU(high-intensity focused ultrasound) – A procedure in which high-intensity focused sonic energy heats and destroys the fibroids. This treatment has fallen out of favor with most physicians, so it isn’t offered in many clinics.

There are other fibroid removal procedures out there, but they’re typically quite painful and/or require a significantly longer recovery period (and higher chances of symptom recurrence) than the Acessa System.

What improvements does the Acessa System make for the removal of fibroids?

Dallas is the first metro area in the state to utilize the Acessa System – which speaks to the city’s emphasis on innovation and improvement. The system has been backed by forward-thinking physicians across the country, eight of whom practice in the Dallas metro. With the significant benefits of this fibroid removal system, the rest of the country is soon going to be following our lead.

The Acessa System lets patients get back to their daily lives.

• Outpatient procedure: patients go home the same day
• The recovery period lasts 4-5 days – less than half the time recommended following traditional, invasive procedures
• Minimal uterine tearing

The actual removal of fibroids is also very low-pain with the Acessa System – no one can argue against that.

Our practice emphasizes innovation – and, more importantly, patient care.

Dr. Bertrand trained with the inventor of the system, Dr. Bruce Lee, in St. Louis earlier this year. Dr. Bertrand’s specialties include urogynecology, operative laparoscopy, operative hysteroscopy, surgery for pelvic relaxation and prolapse, and infertility. Walnut Hill’s physicians emphasize innovative treatments to make women’s lives easier, so it makes sense that our practice is one of the few sites in the country that is currently offering the Acessa System.

If you want to see how the procedure works and hear patient testimonials, this video is worth your 4 minutes – we promise.