Uterine Fibroids

Minimally invasive uterine fibroid treatment

Uterine Fibroids are noncancerous smooth muscle tumors of the uterus that can grow in and on your uterus. They occur in 20 to 50 percent of women.

A common treatment for uterine fibroids is embolization. Embolization prevents blood flow to a tumor (which needs blood to survive), or a faulty or enlarged vein. Coils or substances called embolic agents are delivered to the site endovascularly (via catheter from inside a vein or artery) with imaging guidance from fluoroscopy, x-rays that produce real-time moving images.

• Uterine artery embolization (UAE): This is used to treat fibroid tumors that can cause heavy menstrual bleeding, pain and pressure. Embolic agents block the arteries providing blood to the fibroids, causing them to shrink. Research shows that nearly 90% of women see significant or complete resolution of their fibroid-related symptoms after UAE.
• Embolization for pelvic congestion syndrome: Pelvic congestion syndrome is a painful condition that results from enlarged or varicose veins in the pelvis. Embolization helps relieve pain by delivering an embolic agent to close off the faulty veins so they can no longer enlarge with blood.

Questions?

If you would like to know more about any of these procedures or schedule a consultation, simply call our Vascular & Interventional Radiology office at 207.956.6650.