Application of Microwave Ablation at a Frequency of 2.45 GHz to the Uterus: Present and Future

Abstract

Microwave endometrial ablation at 2.45 GHz using a thin, curved microwave applicator for organic menorrhagia was developed more than 10 years ago. Since then, the number of patients who undergo this treatment has been gradually increasing. Additionally, various clinical applications of microwave ablation to gynecologic lesions, including direct microwave ablation therapy for myoma and adenomyosis, is occasionally conducted. Other techniques include transcervical microwave myolysis for uterine myomas and transcervical microwave adenomyolysis for uterine adenomyosis combined with microwave endometrial ablation. Necrosis followed by shrinkage of myomas and adenomyosis after microwave ablation therapy has been observed in a pilot study. Microwave endometrial ablation as an alternative to hysterectomy appears to be a logical choice for treating noninvasive endometrial cancer and atypical endometrial hyperplasia when the patient is a poor surgical candidate.