Gynesonics, a women’s healthcare company focused on the development of minimally invasive solutions for symptomatic uterine fibroids, announced today that Detroit Medical Center (DMC) Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital is the first hospital in Michigan to introduce the Sonata Procedure. Fibroids are benign growths in or around the uterus, with about 70 percent of white women and more than 80 percent of black women having this clinical condition before the age of 50. Uterine fibroids may cause significant and debilitating symptoms, including heavy menstrual bleeding. Symptoms may worsen over time if fibroids are left untreated, which leads to more than two million women in the U.S. undergoing treatment for uterine fibroids each year.
“I was very impressed by the results of the clinical studies, and the positive impact Sonata had on women’s lives. The incision-free nature of Sonata addresses the growing preference of women seeking less-invasive procedures that preserve the uterus,” said Dr. Danny Benjamin M.D., FACOG, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital. “We can now offer a new, advanced gynecologic treatment option to women with symptomatic uterine fibroids that has a very fast recovery, with an excellent reduction in heavy menstrual bleeding symptoms, and which allows them to avoid invasive surgery.”
The Sonata System uses a unique intrauterine ultrasound handpiece to locate and target individual fibroids. Radiofrequency energy is delivered to shrink the fibroid and reduce symptoms. The Sonata Treatment is an alternative to hysterectomy and myomectomy, and can treat a wide range of fibroid types, sizes, and locations. As the fibroids are treated from inside the uterus, treatment with Sonata requires no incisions, no tissue is surgically removed, and the uterus is preserved. In the SONATA clinical trial, within three months following their Sonata Treatment, 86 percent of women experienced a reduction in heavy menstrual bleeding and 95 percent experienced a reduction in menstrual bleeding by 12 months. Additionally, 50 percent of patients returned to normal activities the next day. The overall impact of treatment with Sonata was significant for these women, with 97 percent at 12 months post-op indicating they would recommend the procedure, and patients in the study experienced durable symptom relief over at least three years.
“Seeing the adoption of Sonata by an experienced gynecologic surgeon such as Dr. Benjamin at a major medical system is further proof of the continued enthusiasm by the OB/GYN community for the clear benefits of Sonata,” said Chris Owens, President and CEO of Gynesonics. “Concerns about risks and recovery time associated with more invasive surgery are a major deterrent to women seeking treatment for fibroids. Sonata offers an alternative to not only hysterectomy and myomectomy, but also for those women not satisfied with medical therapy, including hormonal treatment and hormone-releasing IUDs.”
