Uterine fibroids embolization

Fibroids are common among women aged 30 to 50. While benign tumors, they can cause recurrent bleeding, leading to anemia. They can also cause pelvic pain due to their size or pressure on the bladder or rectum. Furthermore, they can contribute to delayed pregnancy, recurrent miscarriages, and, in some cases, premature birth.

Fibroids are diagnosed using ultrasound, either abdominal or vaginal, and also with MRI, which provides accurate information about the number and size of the fibroids, as well as any other conditions that may be causing pain or bleeding.

Before the advent of interventional radiology, the only treatment for fibroids was surgery. This involved either removing the fibroids alone or, in cases of numerous or complex fibroids, performing a hysterectomy. These procedures are performed under general anesthesia and require a long recovery period.

Uterine fibroids are treated with interventional radiology by blocking the blood vessels that supply the fibroids with the blood necessary for their growth. This is done under local anesthesia using a thin tube called a catheter, which is inserted through a small incision of no more than 2 mm in the upper right thigh. Under X-ray guidance, the catheter is directed to the arteries supplying the uterus on both the right and left sides. The blood vessels supplying the fibroids are then blocked using microscopic particles.

Once the blood supply to the fibroids is cut off, they begin to shrink gradually, eventually reducing to approximately 70% of their original size within six months. The symptoms of uterine fibroids then begin to improve and disappear.

This procedure does not require a long recovery period. The patient can be discharged from the hospital or interventional radiology center within hours and can resume her normal activities within a few days.