A renowned fertility specialist, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, has said that with the High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) system, women may not need surgery to get rid of the fibroid in their bodies.

Speaking during a webinar in Lagos, Ajayi stated that with HIFU, fibroid can now be treated without open surgery because HIFU is a specialised non-invasive fibroid management technique that utilises focused sound waves to destroy the fibroid. He maintained that HIFU is a precise way of treating fibroid because it burns only at the spots the healthcare officer wants it to burn off.

He added that with HIFU, open surgery is not needed, hence no blood transfusion and the process is usually concluded within two to three hours.

According to him, after the process is completed, the patient can go home that same day and continue to live her normal life, which is not possible if open surgery is deployed, thereby making it more cost effective. He further said that a patient that has gone through the HIFU method to treat fibroid can have normal child delivery.

Ajayi noted that many still compare HIFU to surgery, stating that they are different, because while HIFU kills the fibroid, surgery removes the fibroid from the body.

He implored patients with fibroid to take steps to treat it immediately it is identified, noting that many Nigerians are going to questionable places for treatment of fibroid including using questionable methods to treat it.

Ajayi disclosed that there are 70 to 80 per cent chances of developing fibroid from age 50, noting that Nigerians need to change the way they see fibroid when it comes to infertility.