A WellStar Kennestone Hospital physician is the first in Georgia to treat women with symptomatic fibroids using the Acessa™ Procedure.  This new minimally-invasive procedure enables a woman to obtain relief from fibroid symptoms while avoiding a hysterectomy and keeping her uterus intact.

The outpatient surgery was performed by Kevin Windom, M.D., of OB/GYN Associates of Marietta, at the WellStar Kennestone Outpatient Surgery Center.

This fibroid procedure is highly effective, less invasive than most surgical alternatives with faster recovery and symptom relief. Also the need for further fibroid treatment is low, as demonstrated by clinical studies in which 90 percent of patients three years after the procedure did not require further medical or surgical treatment.

Fibroids are benign, non-cancerous tumors in a woman’s uterus that, when symptomatic, can be very painful and cause heavy bleeding, pressure on the bladder or rectum, and abdominal discomfort and distention.

The Acessa™ Procedure is a laparoscopic surgical procedure.  Using a small scope and ultrasound guidance, the surgeon first locates the patient’s fibroids.  Then each fibroid is treated individually with radiofrequency energy to destroy it and leave the surrounding tissue unharmed.

Patients treated with the procedure typically experience a rapid recovery, returning home the same day and back to work or normal activities within three to four days.  Those that need pain medication after surgery typically use only over-the-counter pain relievers.  Most patients experience relief from fibroid symptoms, such as pelvic pain and pressure, shortly after undergoing the procedure with heavy bleeding noticeably improved in three to six months.