InSightec Ltd, the leader in MR guided Focused Ultrasound therapy, announced that the first centers in China offering ExAblate, for non-invasive treatment of uterine fibroids, have opened in Shanghai. They are Shanghai First People’s Hospital, Huashan Hospital and Fudan Cancer Center.

ExAblate uses Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) that combines high-intensity ultrasound waves with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The treatment allows doctors to focus ultrasound energy to heat an area of the fibroid and destroy – or ablate – the tissue with pinpoint precision. ExAblate benefits are that it is incisionless, requires no hospitalization, has a high safety profile with low risk of infection and complications, and rapid recovery.  

The centers were inaugurated with a medical conference on MR guided focused ultrasound at Shanghai First People’s Hospital in the presence of Dr. Xingpeng Wang, president of Shanghai First People’s Hospital,  Arnon Perlman, Israel Consul-General in Shanghai, Weijun Han, director of Shanghai Municipal Cadres Health Bureau, Dr. Robert Sigal, president of InSightec, Diana Tang, vice-president of GE China and other dignitaries from about 100 hospitals all over the country. Dr. Elizabeth Stewart, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Chair of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at Mayo Clinic in the United States and world expert in the treatment of uterine fibroids, addressed the physicians about the role of focused ultrasound for eliminating symptoms of uterine fibroids. Dr. Gina Hesley, Associate Chair of Clinical Practice for the Department of Radiology at Mayo Clinic, discussed over 10 years of focused ultrasound experience at the Mayo Clinic.

In addition, Prof. Zhengyu Jin, Director of Radiology Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, and Vice-chairman of Chinese Society of Radiology, shared experts’ opinion on the future of MRgFUS. Prof. Lan Zhu, the Vice-director of Gynecology Department of Peking Union, discussed the Chinese experience with ExAblate. Dr. Han Wang, Vice–director of Radiology Department of Shanghai First People’s Hospital, discussed the treatment. Prof. Guixiang Zhang, Director of Radiology Department of Shanghai First People’s Hospital moderated the conference.

“Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound technology gives women with uterine fibroids a new option that avoids an invasive surgery, requires no hospital stay and has much shorter recovery time than other treatments.” said Prof. Guixiang Zhang, Director of Radiology Department of Shanghai First People’s Hospital. “We are very pleased to be one of the first hospitals to be offering this treatment and look forward to giving women more options as they decide with their doctors on the right healthcare choices.”

“We are proud to inaugurate our first centers in China and particularly in Shanghai, which is a sister city to Haifa,” said Dr. Robert Sigal, president of InSightec. “They join other world class prestigious centers around the world who are now offering patients innovative MR guided focused ultrasound therapy. With China investing tremendous resources to provide universal healthcare access to all its citizens we look forward to working with these hospitals and others to lead the way to offering non-invasive solutions for a wide variety of indications.”

Uterine fibroids affect millions of women and symptoms include heavy bleeding or painful periods, bleeding between periods, pressure on the lower abdomen, frequent urination (from fibroid pressure on the bladder), pain during sex and lower back pain. At least 25 percent of women worldwide suffer from fibroids and as many as 77 percent may have the condition yet not experience symptoms. It’s the most commonly occurring benign tumor in women of childbearing age.

The most common treatment for this disease is hysterectomy, total removal of the uterus. Besides involving extensive surgery, several days of hospitalization and extensive recovery time, this ends women’s inability to have children and often affects their self image and self esteem.

ExAblate is an outpatient procedure which destroys the fibroids. There is no need for hospitalization, women return home the same day and often to normal activities the next day.
 
ExAblate was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids in October 2004 and CFDA approval in 2013. It is the only system using MR guided focused ultrasound to have both FDA and CFDA approval.

InSightec Ltd. is privately held by Elbit Imaging, General Electric, and MediTech Advisors, located near the coast city of Haifa. Founded in 1999 InSightec developed ExAblate to transform MRI-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) into a clinically viable technology.