Thermal Injury to Skin and Abdominal Wall Structures During HIFU Ablation of Uterine Fibroids: Three Cases

Uterine fibroids are common and benign gynecological tumors. Treatment options include surgery, medication, uterine arterial embolization(UAE), and high-intensity focused ultrasound(HIFU) ablation. HIFU has the advantage of being non-invasive. It also does not cause tissue adhesion or bleeding. However, during the treatment course, hyperthermia, cavitation, and mechanical effects may induce tissue necrosis at the focal point and tissue damage within the beam path. HIFU has been used extensively for the treatment of uterine fibroids in recent years, but few reports have been published on the complications of skin burns. We report three cases of skin burns after HIFU ablation and analyze the possible causes.