Live Hysteroscopic Myomectomy Procedure to be Televised into 56th Annual Clinical Meeting of the American College of Obstetricia

SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- California Fertility Partners announced today that Dr. Charles M. March will perform a live hysteroscopic myomectomy telesurgery at the Surgery Center of Santa Monica, on Tuesday, May 6, 2008, that will be simultaneously televised into the 56th annual clinical meeting of the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) in New Orleans, Louisiana. This will be a live interactive session where attendees will be able to ask Dr. March questions throughout the procedure. Video footage of the surgery is available upon request.

"I am honored that I have been invited to perform this live surgery. I see hundreds of women each year who are struggling with infertility or other uterine issues and who turn to me for answers," said Dr. March of California Fertility Partners. "For years I have struggled to improve surgical outcomes and with continuous improvements in training, techniques and equipment, I hope to make further headway in this area."

The need for hysteroscopic myomectomy, a procedure in which uterine fibroids are surgically removed from the interior of the uterus, is on the rise. This increase is happening for two reasons:

Uterine fibroids are the most common, benign tumors in women of childbearing age, but no one knows exactly what causes them. They can be frustrating to live with when they cause symptoms. Not all women with fibroids have symptoms, but some have pain and heavy menstrual bleeding. Fibroids also can put pressure on the bladder, causing frequent urination. Fibroids change the wall of the uterus and can sometimes cause infertility or repeat miscarriages. For these reasons women turn to surgical procedures such as myomectomies. It is important to note that African American women are roughly three times more likely than white women to develop fibroids.

The benefit of a myomectomy is that it allows the uterus to be left in place and, for some women, makes pregnancy more likely than before. Myomectomy is the preferred fibroid treatment for women who want to become pregnant. There are many different types of methods that can be used to remove fibroids in the uterus and the method chosen is based on the size, location, and number of fibroids. Hysteroscopy can be used to remove fibroids on the inner wall of the uterus that have not remained deeply embedded in the uterine wall.

Education in the medical community regarding this procedure is important. Because the number of hysteroscopic myomectomies is going up it is important to use techniques and equipment which minimize injury to the surrounding uterine lining. Such damage can lead to scar formation (commonly called Asherman's Syndrome or intrauterine adhesions) which can be especially difficult to treat when it develops after myomectomy surgery.

Dr. March has performed more than 8,000 hysteroscopic surgeries in the past 35 years. He is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and fellowship trained in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. In 2001 he was honored as a "Pioneer in Hysteroscopy" by the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists.

About California Fertility Partners

California Fertility Partners is a medical practice dedicated to the evaluation and treatment of male and female reproductive issues. Our physicians are fellowship trained in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and have been at the forefront of this highly specialized area of medicine for over twenty-five years. It is our goal to provide comprehensive and compassionate fertility care. For more information: http://www.californiafertilitypartners.com/

SOURCE California Fertility Partners