Focused ultrasound is a noninvasive, therapeutic technology with the potential to improve the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with endometriosis. This novel technology focuses beams of ultrasound energy precisely and accurately on targets deep in the brain without damaging surrounding normal tissue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How it Works<\/strong> Focused ultrasound is already being used to treat adenomyosis (growth of endometrial tissue in the uterine wall). When endometrial tissue grows on organs outside of the uterus (endometriosis), focused ultrasound may be considered as an alternative treatment. This is still very early work, but the positive preliminary results are encouraging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Gil Dubernaud and his team in France investigating focused ultrasound for treatment of deep infiltrating endometriosis<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 one of the most common and symptomatic types of endometriosis \u2013 which involves the bowel 8-12% of the time. Conventional treatment options for this condition include colon resection or rectal shaving. Dr. Dubernaud\u2019s team is using transrectal focused ultrasound to treat the rectal or sigmoid endometriotic nodules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Advantages<\/strong> For certain patients, focused ultrasound could provide a noninvasive alternative to surgery with less risk of complications \u2013 such as surgical wound healing or infection \u2013 at a lower cost. It can reach the desired target without damaging surrounding tissue and is repeatable, if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A multi-site clinical trial<\/strong><\/a> is treating the symptoms of rectal endometriosis in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A clinical trial<\/strong><\/a> in France is looking to gather long term sequellae of having long term results of focused ultrasound treatment of rectal endometriosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Foundation updates these pages regularly, but with the increasing number of clinical trials, we want to be sure that our audience has the latest information available. Therefore, we also added the website search information for the above trials. If you click here<\/strong><\/a>, it will take you to the latest information available from https:\/\/www.clinicaltrials.gov\/<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Search for a treatment center or clinical trial near you.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Focused ultrasound treatment for endometriosis is not yet approved by regulatory bodies or covered by medical insurance companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Li L, Zhang G, Sun M, Lang J, Yu X.\u00a0Application of high-intensity focused ultrasound in\u00a0gynaecological\u00a0diseases<\/strong><\/a>. Int J Hyperthermia. 2026 Dec;43(1):2635294.\u00a0doi: 10.1080\/02656736.2026.2635294.\u00a0Epub\u00a02026 Mar 23. PMID: 41867046\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dubernard G, Devantay C, Philip CA, Warembourg S, Nguyen-Ba E, Dennis T, Merlot B, Roman H. Evaluation of rectal endometriosis treatment with high-intensity focused ultrasound versus surgery: A clinical retrospective multicenter trial<\/strong><\/a>. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2025 Aug 21. doi: 10.1002\/ijgo.70478. PMID: 40842102 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dubernard G, Mazard A, Philip CA, Rousset P. High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Treatment for Rectal Endometriosis: A New Tool in Minimally Invasive Approaches?<\/strong><\/a> J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2025 Jan 3:S1553-4650(24)01572-3. doi: 10.1016\/j.jmig.2024.12.021. PMID: 39756612 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Razakamanantsoa L, Bodard S, Najdawi M, Dabi Y, Bendifallah S, Touboul C, Lehrer R, Agbonon R, Di Giuseppe R, Barral M, Bazot M, Brun JL, Roman H, Marcelin C, Thomassin-Naggara I, Cornelis FH. Surgical and Percutaneous Image-Guided Therapies of Abdominal Wall Endometriosis: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence<\/strong><\/a>. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2024 Sep;31(9):726-737.e2. doi: 10.1016\/j.jmig.2024.06.007. Epub 2024 Jun 18. PMID: 38901689 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ali MM, Awad Elderiny H, Shaaban Abdelgalil M, Mohamed Othman A. Is high-intensity focused ultrasound a magical solution to endometriosis? A systematic review<\/strong><\/a>. Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2024 Jun 4;37(4):625-637. doi: 10.1080\/08998280.2024.2352290. eCollection 2024. PMID: 38910796 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dubernard G, Maissiat E, Legendre G, Dennis T, Capmas P, Warembourg S, Descamps P, Chavrier F, Roman H, Fernandez H, Nguyen-Ba E, Merlot B, Rousset P, Lafon C, Philip CA. Evaluating the safety of high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment for rectal endometriosis: results from a French prospective multicentre study including 60 patients<\/strong><\/a>. Hum Reprod. 2024 Jun 24:deae127. doi: 10.1093\/humrep\/deae127. PMID: 38914481 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Knorren ER, de Ridder LA, Nijholt IM, Dijkstra JR, Braat MNGJA, Huirne JAF, Boomsma MF, Schutte JM. Effectiveness and complication rates of high intensity focused ultrasound treatment for abdominal wall endometriosis: A systematic review<\/strong><\/a>. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2024 Jun;297:15-23. doi: 10.1016\/j.ejogrb.2024.03.029. Epub 2024 Mar 26. PMID: 38555851 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Li JX, Li XL, Zhu JE, Zhang HL, Yu SY, Xu HX. Ultrasound-guided microwave ablation for symptomatic abdominal wall endometriosis and treatment response evaluation with contrast-enhanced imaging: The first experience<\/a>. <\/strong>Clin Hemorheol Microcirc. 2022 Jun 2. doi: 10.3233\/CH-211287.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zhang X, Duan H. One-time high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation of abdominal wall endometriosis with concurrent uterine fibroids or adenomyosis: two cases and literature review<\/strong><\/a>. Quant Imaging Med Surg. 2020 Feb;10(2):511-517. doi: 10.21037\/qims.2019.12.07. No abstract available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nguyen MD. Magnetic Resonance Imaging-guided High-intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation for Endometriosis of the Abdominal Wall<\/strong><\/a>. Gynecol Minim Invasive Ther. 2020 Jan 23;9(1):45-46. doi: 10.4103\/GMIT.GMIT_47_19. eCollection 2020 Jan-Mar. No abstract available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Philip CA, Warembourg S, Dairien M, Lefevre C, Gelet A, Chavrier F, Guillen N, Tonoli H, Maissiat E, Lafon C, Dubernard G. Transrectal high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for the management of rectosigmoid deep infiltrating endometriosis: results of phase I clinical trial<\/strong><\/a>. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2019 Dec 1. doi: 10.1002\/uog.21937.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zhao L, Deng Y, Wei Q, Chen J, Zhao C. Comparison of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation and surgery for abdominal wall endometriosis<\/strong><\/a>. Int J Hyperthermia. 2018 Sep 13:1-6. doi: 10.1080\/02656736.2018.1511836.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stehouwer BL, Braat MNG, Veersema S. Magnetic Resonance Imaging Guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound is a Non-Invasive Treatment Modality for Patients with Abdominal Wall Endometriosis<\/strong><\/a>. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2018 Mar 30. pii: S1553-4650(18)30175-4. doi: 10.1016\/j.jmig.2018.03.018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dubernard G, Gelet A, Lafon C, et al. Transrectal high-intensity focused ultrasound as focal therapy for posterior deep infiltrating endometriosis<\/a><\/strong>. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2018;51(1):145-146. doi:10.1002\/uog.17497.
Where the beams converge, focused ultrasound produces precise ablation (thermal destruction of tissue) enabling endometriosis to be treated without surgery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The primary option for treatment of endometriosis is surgical excision, although there are some medications which have also been used.<\/p>\n\n\n\nClinical Trials<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Find a Treatment Site<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Regulatory Approval and Reimbursement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Notable Papers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Zhu X, Chen L, Deng X, Xiao S, Ye M, Xue M. A comparison between high-intensity focused ultrasound and surgical treatment for the management of abdominal wall endometriosis<\/strong><\/a>. BJOG. 2017 Aug;124 Suppl 3:53-58. doi: 10.1111\/1471-0528.14737.
Zhang L, Rao F, Setzen R. High intensity focused ultrasound for the treatment of adenomyosis: selection criteria, efficacy, safety and fertility<\/a><\/strong>. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2017 Jun;96(6):707-714. doi: 10.1111\/aogs.13159.<\/p>\n\n\n\n