According to a multicenter U.S. study in Obstetrics & Gynecology, laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation and myomectomy both provide meaningful, lasting relief for women with symptomatic uterine fibroids. Over two years, patients in both groups reported significant improvements in symptom severity and health-related quality of life, with differences between the procedures falling below thresholds considered clinically important.
The analysis included 401 premenopausal women, mostly Black, from the prospective ULTRA study. At 24 months, myomectomy was associated with a slightly larger reduction in symptom scores and greater quality-of-life gains, but these differences were small and not clinically significant. At six months, myomectomy had a modest early advantage on several questionnaire domains, but that gap closed by the two-year mark.
The authors suggest the findings support individualized treatment decisions. Radiofrequency ablation, which shrinks fibroids by ablating their center, may appeal to women who wish to preserve the possibility of vaginal delivery, whereas myomectomy removes the entire fibroid and usually necessitates cesarean delivery. The researchers noted limitations including the nonrandomized design and baseline differences between groups.