Recounting her experience with fibroid, she said, “The fibroid brought my life to a standstill. I was working in a private hospital and I had to resign. Consequently, I could not go out during my cycle, for fear of embarrassment.
Patricia Omoke is a 38-year-old single lady who works as an admin officer at a specialist hospital in Lagos. Since she was diagnosed with fibroid in 2017, it has been one problem or the other.
She said: “I actually kept it to myself and only a few members of my family knew about it. However, the few people who knew only suggested surgery, and I didn’t want the pressure to get to me.”
Omoke was scared of open surgery, and therefore opted for supplements. Though, there were significant benefits but the fibroid was not really going away, until she came across HIFU at Nodica Centre.
Omoke was one of the patients that benefited from the free HIFU surgery at Nodica Centre.
Uterine fibroids are the most common tumour in women of reproductive age. It affects 1 in 3 women of age 35and below. They are non-cancerous turmoil but can cause significant health problems for sufferers.
On the 9th of July, Nordica Fertility Center in partnership with a HIFU Limited, China, came up with a new technology called High Intensity Focus Ultrasound (HIFU), a new technology designed for treating fibroids without surgery. It is a non-invasive way of treating conditions like fibroids and adenomyosis and it is based on the principle of converting ultrasound to heat.
Medical experts, policy makers, technology experts gathered at the Fertility Care Centre, Nordica Centre to celebrate the birth of HIFU, the first in West Africa and third in Africa.
Why HIFU for Fibroids
According to Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, Executive Director, Nordica fertility centre, 70-80 per cent of Nigerian women suffer from fibroids once they hit the age of 20, and a large chunk of them are afraid of surgery because it is a bloody surgery. However, the presence of this new technology will completely take away their fear. This new technology has the ability to get patients back on their feet and faster, as quickly as possible; compared to other forms of treatments.
New technology aligns with Lagos’ vision – Mrs Sanwo-Olu
In her words, the Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu said the “milestone of the unveiling of the latest technology in the management of Uterine Fibroid here at the Centre of Excellence and State of Aquatic Splendour is no doubt a welcome development that will greatly facilitate the treatment of Uterine Fibroid management.”
She said “Today’s unveiling perfectly aligns with the vision of the present administration of Governor Babajide Olushola Sanwo-Olu. Mr Governor is passionate about the health of residents of Lagos State and as a matter of fact, health and environment constitute the second pillar of developmental agenda for the state as espoused in THEMES.”
Sanwo-Olu said it is worthy of note that the HIFU technology being introduced in Lagos is the first of its kind in the West African sub-region, and the third on the African Continent.
She commended the management of Nordica Fertility Centre, stressing that, “Collectively, you have been working together to provide the latest and advanced assisted reproductive services for treatment of male and female infertility.”
She added that fibroids, as we know, affect the majority of women especially African women.
“Being a normal growth that develops in women’s uterus, fibroids sometime can be large and can cause severe abdominal pain, heavy periods, pelvic pain, frequent urination, constipation, back pain, painful sex and even delay in child-bearing, among others”.
Sanwo-Olu posited that “it is a major health issue that we cannot afford to take lightly. This, therefore, explains my excitement at the unveiling of this new technology that will greatly facilitate management of this medical condition, and also considerably improve on heath indices in Lagos State and Nigeria, especially as it concerns screening for uterine fibroids, diagnoses, treatment, care and support.
How HIFU works in fibroid patients
Dr Ajayi explained that the new technology converts waves of ultrasound energy to heat to burn off the fibroid.
He said: “HIFU is an ultrasound which works just as if a woman wants to do a scan. It’s just that this time around; the person has to lie still for two hours or thereabout for the procedure to be done. The heat of the machine is targeted at where the fibroid is located and it burns the fibroid off. If the fibroid is big and up to 10cm, it may be done in two sessions before it is burnt off.”
The machine, which is said to be the first in West Africa and Nigeria, does not shrink the fibroid, he emphasized; rather it kills the fibroid and it shrinks gradually over the next few months.
“HIFU is another option for fibroid removal and those who use the ultrasound to get rid of the fibroid can still get pregnant. The machine can be used for other medical ailments asides fibroid,” he said
“This procedure uses ultrasound rays to literally burn off the fibroids without any invasive method. Patients can walk in, have the procedure done, and in a few hours, return to their normal lives. You may want to ask again: how is that something to spin a positive story for our country?
“Nigeria, by virtue of this new technological acquisition, has joined a unique league of 29 countries in the world, where this feat is possible.”
Ajayi added that HIFU is a scientific breakthrough which is available in 29 counties and about 350 centres globally. On the African continent, HIFU is available in only three countries: South Africa, Egypt and now Nigeria.
The HIFU Company of Chongqing, China, he said, is very optimistic that this relationship between it and Nordica will further strengthen the relationship between Nigeria and China.
The Fibroid Care Centre is the response to the yearnings of a teeming population of women suffering from uterine fibroids. This condition has been known to greatly impact on the quality of life of sufferers, resulting in loss of man hours, impact on their homes, careers, jobs and relationships across all spheres of life.
For quite a number of women also, fibroid has contributed to their inability to conceive, thereby affecting their fertility and along with it attendant challenges emotionally and psychologically.
“For most women suffering from the tumour, they are scared of the open surgery, which had hitherto been the only option in taking out fibroid. Today, Nigerians have a choice of our various Endoscopic services or pin-hole surgeries as they are commonly referred to or the new-age non-invasive solution using High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound – HIFU,” Ajayi concluded.
Not every patient can benefit from HIFU
Ajayi, however, noted that, “Although the introduction and mainstreaming HIFU into the medical sector in Nigeria and Africa is welcome development, not all women with Uterine fibroid can benefit from HIFU. There are conditions for women who want to benefit from HIFU. Women who are obese cannot benefit from the HIFU surgery.”